The End of Summer
Labor Day holiday honors workers
Lauren Griffin, 15, of Fairfax, Va., relaxes next to the Rappahannock River at Falmouth Waterfront Park in Stafford, Va. (Photot:©The Potomac News, Ana Pimsler/AP Images)
GOODBYE SUMMER!
Like it or not, Labor Day weekend is here. And that means the last few lazy days of summer.
While fall doesn’t officially arrive until September 23, Labor Day marks the unofficial end to the summer season. For kids like Andrew Staley, the holiday weekend is the final chance to squeeze in some of his favorite activities before heading back to school.
"We’re going to do a lot of family stuff," says the 9-year-old from Hingham, Massachusetts. "We’re going to go have a picnic on our boat and play basketball together."
HISTORY LESSON
Each year, Americans celebrate Labor Day on the first Monday of September. While the holiday is reserved for honoring workers, most people spend it relaxing with family and friends.
This Labor Day weekend many Americans will be hitting the road. In Southern California alone, more than 3 million people are expected to travel during the holiday weekend.
"Many people are visiting friends on the coast," said Linda Heald of the Automobile Club of Southern California. "A good destination is anywhere that is 80 degrees." If you’re in Ohio, the place to be is the Cleveland National Air Show, which will feature gravity–defying maneuvers performed by the Air Force Thunderbirds.
Labor Day isn’t a vacation for everyone, however, especially American politicians. While the presidential candidates have been stumping for months, many 2008 hopefuls, like Democrats Hillary Rodham Clinton, Bill Richardson, and John Edwards, and Republicans John McCain and Rudy Giuliani, will spend full time on the campaign trail all weekend. Republican hopeful Fred Thompson will be hard at work preparing for his official announcement as a candidate set for September 6.
HISTORY LESSON
Labor Day was first observed in New York City on September 5, 1882. Residents there celebrated with a parade. Soon, similar traditions spread throughout the United States. U.S. officials declared Labor Day a national holiday in June 1894.
America’s northern neighbor, Canada, celebrates Labor Day on the same day as the United States. Many other countries, like Honduras, have their own holiday to pay tribute to their workers.
CRITICAL THINKING QUESTION
Read today's news story, and then answer the following question.
How will you celebrate Labor Day?
Join a discussion of this question on our bulletin board.
Karen Fanning is a contributing writer for Scholastic News Online.
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