Milford chronicle., 1929-05-10
HISTORY AND ORIGIN
OF MOTHERS DAY

Mothers Day became a public OBJ
servance in 1914, largely as the re-
suit of the efforts of Miss Anna
Jarvis of Philadelphia. On May of
that year President Wilson; approved
ia joint resolution of Congress pro-
,viding that ''the second Sunday in
May shall hereafter be designated
and known as. Mothers Day" This
resolution was introduced in the
House of Representatives by J.
Thomas Hedin, now senator, upon
the request of Miss Jarvis.
The following day the President
complied with further provision of
the resolution by issuing the first
annual proclamation directing "gov-
.ernment officials to display the Uni
ted States flag on all government
buildings" and inviting the people of
the United States to display the flag
at their homes or other suitable
places on the second Sunday in May
as a public expression of our love
and reverence for the mothers of
our country"
The idea of a public holiday in
tribute to motherhood was conceiv-
ed by Miss Jarvis in 1908, three
years after the death of her own
mother, Mrs. Anna M. Jarvis. Miss
Jarvis adopted the second Sunday in
May because it fell nearest the an
niVersary of her mothers birth. It
was also Miss Jarvis who suggested
the wearing of a white carnation on
Mothers Day. "This flower was
chosen" said she, because it typi-
fies the beauty, truth and fidelity Of
mother love-" Later usage introduc-
ed the practice, quite common al Z
though not universal, of wearing a
white carnation in memory. of a de-
ceased mother and red one in trib-
ute to living mother. 4
Miss Jarvis promoted her plan of
\ national mothers day through the :
Mothers Day International Associa- 4
ion, which she organized. While to
ler belongs the credit of establish
ng Mothers Day on a national ba- 4
lis, it must not be supposed that the
dea was original with her.
Before 1890 Miss Mary Towles :
'asseen OF Kentucky suggested such (
n observance to the teachers of her
tate. She suggested April 20, the =
of her mothers birth, <
r the Sunday nearest that date. In :.
902 Frank E. Herring, of South !
send, Ind, began to agitate for 5
ational mothers day through the =
'raternal Order of the Eagles. )
The Universalist Church of Our 3
ather in Baltimore has held an an Z
ual service for motherhood since =
s92. On May % of that year the 4
cath of Mrs. Emily G. Pullman, the =
other of the pastor (and George M. =
was announced, and Rob- =
It K. Cummins, superintendent of 8
le Sunday school, suggested that =
e service be made a memorial one y
r her. Later he proposed that the Z
rVice be held each year, not in =
emory of Mrs. Pullman in particu- e
r, but in tribute to mothers in gen. Z
al. For many years the Sunday z
arrest May % was observed, but -
ter Congress designated a differ ~
t date the local service was chang Z
to conform to it. -
A question has been raised as to <S1
. correct spelling of the name of Z
Is holiday. Although some author y
es think it should be written Ez
Iothers' Day." with the plural pos 4
ssive, usage has established z
Lother's Day." with the singular e
It is so spelled in the xA
! of Congress and the executive =
lers, as well as in the name of the ~
Others Day International Associ- <A
on, THE Pathfinder. Z
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