Labor Day
THE HISTORY OF LABOR DAY
The origins of Labor Day are more than a century old.
The first Labor Day parade in New York City was held in September 1982. Two men are credited with playing an important role not only in bringing about the parade but the holiday as well. Matthew Maguire, a machinist from Paterson, N.J., and Peter J. McGuire, a New York City carpenter who helped found the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners, are said to have suggested a holiday to honor working people in the United States. In 1887, Oregon became the first state to make Labor Day a legal holiday, and in 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed a bill making Labor Day a national holiday.
Labor Day is observed as a legal holiday on the first Monday in September throughout the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada. In Australia, Labor Day is called Eight Hour Day, and it commemorates the successful struggle for a shorter working day. In Europe, Labor Day is observed on May 1, also known as May Day.
POETRY
I Hear America Singing
I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear;
Those of the mechanics-each one singing his,
as it should be, blithe and strong;
The carpenter singing his, as he measures his plank or beam,
The mason singing his, as he makes ready for work,
or leaves off work;
The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat-
the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck;
The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench-
the hatter singing as he stands;
The wood-cutter's song-the ploughboy's, on his way in
the morning, or at the noon intermission, or at sundown;
The delicious singing of the mother-or of the young
wife at work-or of the girl sewing or washing-
Each singing what belongs to her, and to none else;
The day what belongs to the day-At night, the party of
young fellows, robust, friendly,
Singing, with open mouths, their strong melodious songs.
-Walt Whitman
Brass Spittoons
Clean the spittoons, boy.
Detroit,
Chicago,
Atlantic City,
Palm Beach.
Clean the spittoons.
The steam in hotel kitchens,
And the smoke in hotel lobbies,
And the slime in hotel spittoons:
Part of my life.
Hey, boy!
A nickel,
A dime,
A dollar,
Two dollars a day.
Hey, boy!
A nickel,
A dime,
A dollar,
Two dollars
Buy shoes for the baby.
House rent to pay.
Gin on Saturday,
Church on Sunday.
My God!
Babies and gin and church
And women and Sunday
All mixed with dimes and
Dollars and clean spittoons
And house rent to pay.
Hey, boy!
A bright bowl of brass is beautiful to the Lord.
Bright polished brass like the cymbals
Of King David’s dancers,
Like the wine cups of Solomon.
Hey, boy!
A clean spittoon on the altar of the Lord.
A clean bright spittoon all newly polished—
At least I can offer that.
Com’mere, boy!
RECIPES
CURRY DIP
Ingredients:
8-ounce container reduced-fat sour cream
1/3 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 tablespoons mango chutney
Combine ingredients in a bowl and keep chilled until ready to serve. Blanched fresh broccoli, cauliflower and carrots are excellent with this dip.
BROCCOLI SALAD
1-2 large heads of broccoli
1/2 red onion chopped
10-12 slices of bacon- cooked crisp, broken up
1/2 cup of raisins
DRESSING: 1 cup of mayonnaise 1/2 cup of sugar 2 Tablespoons of vinegar
Combine dressing ingredients. Mix all ingredients together. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours.
PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Ingredients:
1 stick real butter
1 stick margarine
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 baking soda
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350
Microwave real butter and margarine together until melted. Place in mixer the melted butter, white sugar, brown sugar and peanut butter - mix on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs and beat mixture for two (2) minutes. Reduce speed to low and add baking powder, baking soda, salt and vanilla. Add 2 cups of the flour 1 cup at a time allowing for blending into mixture. Remove from mixer and mix by hand the remaining flour. Add the milk chocolate chips and peanut butter chips, mix well. Scoop 1" balls of cookie mixture onto a greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
Yields 4 dozen cookies.
CRAFTS
Simple Patriotic Plant Pot
Supplies needed:
An unglazed terracotta plant pot
Red, white and blue acrylic paint
Brushes
Paint the rim of the flowerpot white and the lower part of the pot blue (or paint the rim blue and the lower part white). Let the paint dry.
A second coat may be needed, especially for the white paint. Paint white stars on the blue portion. Paint red stripes on the white part.
Stars and Stripes Shirt
You will need:
· Cotton or cotton-blend T-shirt
· Red and blue fabric paints
· Paint brush
· Stiff paper or light cardboard for star templates
· Heavy aluminum foil or shirt size cardboard
· Pencil
· Scissors
· Masking tape - 2 inch wide
Directions:
Prewash and iron the T-shirt.
Fold the T-shirt in half lengthwise to find the center; mark with tape. Place foil or cardboard inside the shirt to stiffen the fabric and protect the back. Smooth the front of the shirt flat.
Cut off a strip of masking tape a little wider then the width of the shirt. Place it across the front of the shirt so the bottom of the tape meets the bottom of both sleeves. Place another strip of tape down the center front of the shirt between the previous tape and the bottom of the shirt. Measure 2-inches on each side of the center tape and mark lightly with a pencil. Place two more strips of tape with the edges along your marks so all strips of tape are 2-inches away from each other. Continue placing strips of tape in this manner across the shirt. These will be your guidelines for painting the stripes.
Cut a star out of a piece of light cardboard. Use this star template to trace a star in the center of the shirt above the stripes. Trace two more stars on each side and slightly above the center star.
Paint the stars with blue fabric paint. Paint the stripes between the strips of tape red. Let dry for several hours. Remove the tape and the foil or cardboard from inside the shirt.
Press: Heat-set the paint if required by the paint manufacturer.
American Folk Song
I've Been Workin' on the Railroad
I've been workin' on the railroad,
All the live-long day.
I've been workin' on the railroad,
Just to pass the time away.
Can't you hear the whistle blowin'?
Rise up so early in the morn!
Can't you hear the captain shoutin',
"Dinah, blow your horn!"
Dinah, won't you blow,
Dinah, won't you blow,
Dinah, won't you blow your horn, your horn?
Dinah, won't you blow your horn?
Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah,
Someone's in the kitchen, I know!
Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah,
Strummin' on the old banjo and singin'!
Test Your Knowledge by Taking this Labor Day Quiz!