Milford chronicle., 1949-05-06
ANNA JARVIS SPENT LIFE IN
MOTHERS DAY CRUSADE

Mothers Day VIII be celebrated Tor the |
first time this year without the active bless
ing of it's founder, Miss Anna M. Jarvis of
Philadelphia. Miss Jarvis, who almost
single-handed created the nations most sem
timental holiday AZ years ago, died last No
vember in Pennsylvania sanatorium. She
was "a, weak with the infirmities of age and
almost forgotten by the public. Anna Jarvis
grew up in Grafton, W. ", where her mother
taught Sunday School in st. Andrews Meth
odist Church Each year Mrs. Jarvis con-
Quoted celebration hOnoring the mothers of
her Sunday School pupils. In 1905, when
she was Al, her mother died. Anna spent the
rest of her life in great crusade to estab-
lish the second Sunday in, May as memorial
to her own mother and to mothers all over
the nation. She arranged the country's first
Mothers Day service in May, 1907. 1t was
dedicated to Mrs. Jarvis and all the mothers
of Taylor County. The next year, Anna Jar
Wis persuaded Philadelphia to proclaim the
first city-wide Mothers Day. At her urging,
West Virginia made Mothers Day State
wide holiday in 1912, and Pennsylvania fol-
lowed suit the next year. With single-minded
tenacity, Miss Jarvis made innumerable
speeches before mems and wOmen's clubs
and meetings of all kinds. She carried on
extensive correspondence with governors,
statesmen, clergymen, and editors.
Public response was enthusiastic. Con-
gratulatory letters piled so high that she
purchased an adjoining house for storage
purposes. In 1914, Anna Jarvis persuasive
pen won over President Wilson himself. He
signed joint Congressional Resolution laud-
ing the American mother as "the greatest
source of the country's strength and inspir-
ation." 1t established Mothers Day perma-
nently and authorized federal display of the
flag "aS public expression of our love anC
reverence for the mothers of our country
In the succeeding years, Miss Jarvis spent
every penny of the moderate fortune left by
her mother in establishing Mothers Day a!
deep-rooted American tradition. During
these years, too, she cared for her younger
sister Elsie, blind since birth. The carnatiol
was suggested as official Mothers Day 1owe
by Anna Jarvis because it had been her mo
theirs favorite. Gradually the custom devel
oped of wearing red carnations to honor liv
ing mothers, and white boutonnieres for de
ceased mothers. In 1943, a small group o
her friends and admirers was shocked to dis
covered that Anna Jarvis was penniless, il
and nearly blind. They Immediately place
her in Marshall Square Sanatorium in Wes
Chester, Pa, where she was comfortably cal
ed for during her declining years. Devote
sons and daughters will be honoring NOR
than their own mothers when they Shove
them with glfCS ana aftecu0nate Mother
Day greetings on Sunday, May g. They wi
be paying tribute to the idealism and pers,
verance of Anna Jarvis, who gave the n;
; tons respect for mothers its first tangib
! expression Mothers Day
SSW&S
THOSE TELEPHONE RATE INCREASE
4 Delawareans will have to pay more fl
telephone service in the future. This increa
was assured for all of Delaware when Il
Wilmington Public Utility Commission tn
week approved the rate increase applicable
which was made by the Diamond State Tel
: phone Company several months ago. v
V believe that the increase is justified-esp
cially so when it is remembered that not o.
: raise in rates has been made by the compaI
: since 1921. During this long period, ho'
: ever, there have been voluntary rate redU
q tions on the part of the company. Now, wi
! the heavy jump in labor and material cos
i together with the greatly enlarged servi
rendered by the company this public utili
is certainly within its rights in asking, a
e accepting the present increase. Delawarea
IS expect service from the telephone compa
e and this weeks hike in rates should
De sure better service in the future. This,
believe is the desire of teleDhona officials