By the time this column is printed, Spring will be on the calendar if not outside the door. This is the first of a two-part series on how the season impacts the area.
This first
part deals with the special days historically observed following March 1,
called the first day of Spring by meteorologists. Some are major and even
legal, whereas others range from whimsical to disregarded.
Following
the tradition established in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, settlers in the
newly chartered local towns held meetings to elect officers, pass budgets, and
address common concerns.
The first
town meetings in New Hampshire were held in Dover and Portsmouth in 1623. The
first one in Vermont was held in March 1762 in Bennington.
Early town
meetings were held in larger private homes and as frequently as needed. “The
formal recognition of the first Tuesday in March as Town Meeting Day came in
1880. Before that state law simply required at some day in the month of March
annually at ten o’clock in the morning.”
New
Hampshire’s town meeting day is the second Tuesday of March, although state law
allows for variations. March was chosen to accommodate farm spring planting
schedules.
At first,
only landowning men were allowed to vote in town meetings. The ownership of
land restriction was dropped after the Revolution.
Women were
not allowed to vote in town meetings until 1917 in Vermont and 1920 in New
Hampshire, although both states had granted women voting rights in school
meetings earlier.
Both states
now allow towns to decide some of the issues through a combination of
Australian ballots and in-person deliberative sessions.
Since 1918,
on one Spring Sunday morning, Americans have awakened with one less hour of
sleep. Daylight Savings Time, an idea first proposed by Benjamin Franklin, has
been used to move daylight from early morning to evening artificially.
Over the
years, there have been manipulations to create a system that works for the most
part. In 1966, the system was set to run from the last Sunday of April to the
last Sunday in October, with exceptions for states that had state-wide
alternatives.
In 2007, the
Federal government extended day light savings from the second Sunday of March
to the first Sunday in November. By now, you have probably accommodated the
change that took place on March 8.
The Ides of
March entered the English jargon from Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar. In it,
Caesar was forewarned of his assassination on March 15, 44 B.C. When it came to pass, “beware of the Ides of
March” became linked to March 15.
As early as
1800, newspapers in both states, quoted it as a warning against political
opponents such as the Federalist or Andrew Jackson, both of whom wanted
increased power for the national government. It was later used against
anti-temperance groups and slave owners.
It was also used as a calendar notation for
upcoming March events. In 1896, The Burlington Weekly Free Press included the
following: “The Ides of March inevitably brings to the Green Mountain State
tidings of new maple syrup.”
As mid-March
weather can be unpredictable, “Beware of the Ides of March” was a warning
against a return to winter weather. From 1918 to 1955, that “beware” warning
was connected with the March 15th federal income tax deadline.
By the
mid-1800s, there was a growing number of Irish residents in New Hampshire and
Vermont. They celebrated St. Patrick’s Day in honor of Ireland’s patron saint.
While many
Roman Catholic churches with Irish parishioners held special services to mark
the occasion, the day featured activities that showcased the Irish residents’
“ethnic pride, faith, and community cohesion.”
As early as
1867, a St. Patrick’s Day parade was held in Burlington. The Irish Order of Hibernians
organized it. The parade included marchers, bands, and banners. By 1911, the
number of marchers had grown to over 700. Banquets and performances were added
to the day’s activities.
The festive
day expanded into the general public, and by the 1910s, stores offered greeting
cards, potted shamrocks, and party decorations.
A hearty
meal of corned beef and cabbage served with boiled vegetables, along with Irish
soda bread and festive desserts was central for many families. Stores featured
these foods in their advertisements.
Protestant
churches and community groups began to use the day for fundraising plays,
dances, and concerts. Schools marked the occasion with activities. Businesses
offered St. Patrick’s Day items, and bars sold green beer
Burlington’s
PaddyFest and Manchester, NH’s large parade are current examples of St.
Patrick’s Day observances. For many, wearing of the green has become a standard
mark of the day. One does not have to be Irish to be “Irish” on St. Patrick’s
Day.
About the
same time, three major religions hold significant observances. Easter is one of
the most ancient religious observances that falls during Spring. Celebrating
the resurrection of Christ, it may fall as early as March 22 and as late as
April 25. It was first widely celebrated in Catholic and Anglican
countries.
Protestants,
such as those in earlier New England, often rejected it as a “popish” holiday
and did not hold special services until the mid-19th century.
The 40-day
Lenten season precedes Easter. It begins with Ash Wednesday on which the
forehead of the faithful are marked with the ashes made from the palms from the
previous year’s Palm Sunday.
As Lent was
traditionally marked with fasting, prayer and penance, the period just before
was often time for Mardi Gras or carnival. New Orleans, Montreal, and Quebec
City celebrations were often mentioned in local newspapers.
Gradually,
Lenten services expanded to Protestant churches. Around 1950, local churches
began holding Sunday evening Lenten services. In 1959, for example, The United
Opinion reported “large attendance” at the union Lenten service at Bradford’s
Grace United Methodist church.
A week
before Easter Sunday, Palm Sunday marks the beginning of a week of observances.
Good Friday recalls the execution of Jesus.
Historically, some local businesses closed from noon to 3 pm. I recall
in the 1960s, schools did not hold activities on that Friday evening, much to
the puzzlement of many students.
Easter
Sunday begins in many communities with a sunrise service followed by a
breakfast. Bradford’s Summer Street, Thetford’s Academy Hill, and Orford’s Dame
Hill were sites for the early service.
As late as
the mid-1970s, local churches recorded capacity attendance at Easter morning
services. New outfits, special music, flowers, and baptisms were normal. Family
would then return to dinners of ham or lamb.
More
recently, commercialization that includes the Easter bunny, egg rolls, and
baskets filled with Easter candy and gifts as well as sporting events and hearty
brunches has replaced church attendance for many.
Passover,
the week-long Jewish Spring festival, falls between March 25 and April 25. This
annual celebration of freedom recalls the Israelite exodus from slavery in
ancient Egypt. The Seder, an elaborate symbol-filled dinner, is a highlight of
the festival. Copies of the Haggadah are used to lead the diners through a
structured meal filled with storytelling.
In the late
19th century, “Hebrew” synagogues were gathered in some cities in both states. Newspapers
carried news of Passover celebrations in Burlington and Rutland as well as
Manchester and Portsmouth, NH.
In 1927, the
Jewish community of St. Johnsbury established its own synagogue. Locally,
synagogues have also been established in Woodstock and Montpelier, VT and
Hanover and Bethlehem, NH.
It was not
until the 1960s that major chain stores in New Hampshire and Vermont advertised
Passover cards and specialty foods, a practice that is widespread today.
Traditional
Passover foods include flourless matzo, brisket, gefilte fish, potato kugels as
well as coconut macaroons and flourless chocolate cake.
There is another
religious observance that ends about the same time in March. It is the Muslim
observance of Ramadan, the 30-day period of fasting, prayer, reflection, and
community. Ramadan recalls the revelation of the Our’an to the Prophet
Mohammad.
From sunrise
to sunset, the faithful follow the prescribed observances. About March 30,
Ramadan concludes with Eid al-Fitr, a festive occasion. Families gatherings
highlight it with a celebration of “the spiritual accomplishments of Ramadan.”
While there
are many earlier mentions of Ramadan being celebrated in other parts of the
world, more local references only begin after 1995. Then, annual newspaper
articles reported that Ramadan was being celebrated by the growing Muslim
population in Chittenden and Rutland counties. Recent estimates indicate 6,500
Muslims living in Vermont.
Not all Spring observances are serious. April
Fool’s Day allow pranksters the opportunity to make others the butt of
countless gags. Originating in Europe, mention of the occasion began to appear
in Vermont newspapers in the 1820s.
In 1831, one
newspaper reported: “It is said that lovers of merry jokes have revived the ancient
custom of fool-making on April day.” A
prediction in 1851, that it “would pass away,” was off the mark.
April Fool’s
Day continues to be used an explanation for everything from an unusual April 1
snowstorm, irrational behavior on the part of officials or just individual
tomfoolery.
There is no
fooling around when it came to filing your income tax. Following the passage of
the Sixteenth Amendment in 1913, the original deadline for filing was March
1. It was later moved to March 15 and,
then in 1955, to April 15 to allow more time for taxpayers to file.
While Tax
Day is still around, at least one holiday has disappeared. In March 1681, John
Cutt, president of the New Hampshire Council, was seriously ill. To intercede on his behalf, the General Assembly
declared March 17 as a day of public fasting, prayer and reflection.
Cutt died,
but the tradition of fast days, originally rooted in 17th century Puritan
traditions, continued in New Hampshire.
Earlier, a
period of fasting was declared prior to the spring planting, asking God to
“bless us with peace and prosperity and to favor spring and seede time.”
In 1899, New
Hampshire’s official Fast Day holiday was set as the third Thursday of April.
In 1946, it was moved to April 19 to coincide with neighboring states’ Patriots
Day, and, in 1949, it was moved again to the fourth Monday of April. Many
businesses closed on the holiday.
New Hampshire continued as the only state to
observe this as a legal holiday until it was abolished in 1991. It had come to
signify the start of the Spring and tourist seasons, with special train fares
from southern New Hampshire to the opening of Boston’s professional baseball
season.
Earth Day
was first held on April 22, 1970. It grew out of environment concerns that developed
in the 1960s. Supported by a broad coalition of groups, it marked a major shift
in the modern environmental movement. It was estimated that over 20 million
Americans participated in the first Earth Day activities.
That
movement led to “swift and substantial political action,” including the
establishment of the US Environmental Protection Agency.
Vermonters
created their own take on the environment by holding their first Green-Up Day
on April 18, 1970. State-wide, an estimated 67,000 volunteers clean up some
10,000 miles of Vermont roads.
Locally,
citizens turned out to participate. In Fairlee, 200 workers participated in a
town-wide effort, while in Corinth, 80 students led the clean-up.
Vermont
continues to hold Green-Up Days annually; however, the date was changed to the
first Saturday of May to allow roadside melting to reveal trash.
As we know
Spring in our area of the country is elusive. Bright days warm the soil,
encouraging the first signs of green, only to be followed by snow and ice. This
winter has seemed especially long, so we look forward to whatever Spring we can
get.
