The History of Father's Day

Father's Day, contrary to popular misconception, was not established as a holiday in order to help greeting card manufacturers sell more cards. In fact when a "father's day" was first proposed there were no Father's Day cards! Mrs. John B. Dodd, of Washington, first proposed the idea of a "father's day" in 1909. Mrs. Dodd wanted a special day to honor her father, William Smart. William Smart, a Civil War veteran, was widowed when his wife (Mrs. Dodd's mother) died in childbirth with their sixth child. Mr. Smart was left to raise the newborn and his other five children by himself on a rural farm in eastern Washington state. It was after Mrs. Dodd became an adult that she realized the strength and selflessness her father had shown in raising his children as a single parent. The first Father's Day was observed on June 19, 1910 in Spokane Washington. At about the same time in various towns and cities across American other people were beginning to celebrate a "father's day.". In 1924 President Calvin Coolidge supported the idea of a national Father's Day. Finally in 1966 President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation declaring the 3rd Sunday of June as Father's Day. Father's Day has become a day to not only honor your father, but all men who act as a father figure. Stepfathers, uncles, grandfathers, and adult male friends are all honored on Father's Day.

My Dad, Me & The Toy Store

When I was very young my dad drove a milk truck for a living. He drove from farm to farm and loaded milk that the farmers had milked from their cows that morning. I was given the pleasure to ride along on those journeys from time to time. It was fun because I got to visit with other kids and see a lot of baby animals and the farm wives would usually give me candy or a treat. After he was finished with each farm he would then drive to a large dairy in town to empty his truck. One day on the way home we stopped at a toy store. The name was Koehlinger's and I got to choose a toy. Now this was my only trip that I can ever recall to a toy store. I don't recall much about what was there to choose from, but I chose a very colorful metal xylophone. Why did I choose that you say? Were there no dolls or cute little girl things? Why wasn't I told that I would irritate the crap out of everyone within hearing distance? I don't know, but I must have fell in love with it at first sight and apparently my dad must have loved me too.