How did July 4th become a National Holiday?
For the first 15 or 20 years after the Declaration was written, people didn’t celebrate it much on any date. It was too new and too much else was happening in the young nation. By the 1790s, a time of bitter partisan conflicts, the Declaration had become controversial. (Sound familiar?)
One party, the Democratic-Republicans, admired Jefferson and the Declaration. But the other party, the Federalists, thought the Declaration was too French and too anti-British, which went against their current policies. By 1817, John Adams complained in a letter that America seemed uninterested in its past. But that would soon change.
After the War of 1812, the Federalist party began to come apart and printed copies of the Declaration began to circulate again, all with the date July 4, 1776, listed at the top. The deaths of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams on July 4, 1826, may even have helped to promote the idea of July 4 as an important date to be celebrated. Celebrations of the Fourth of July became more common as the years went on and in 1870, almost a hundred years after the Declaration was written, Congress first declared July 4 to be a national holiday as part of a bill
to officially recognize several holidays, including Christmas. Further legislation about national holidays, including July 4, was passed in 1939 and 1941.
Hans Christian Anderson said: “To be of use in the world is the only way to happiness.”
Kiwanis gives us an extra way to be of use in the world, which means that Kiwanis gives each of us another way to be happy.
Kiwanis attendance is noticeably low during the
summer months. So, why don’t you contact someone and see if they are on vacation. They might have a good story to tell.
Also, take a few moments to answer these questions:
1. What keeps you coming to the club? Or keeps
you away? 2. What do you enjoy most about being a member
of our club? 3. What is our club’s greatest strength?
4. If you could change one thing about our club,what would it be? Why?
Tell one of our officers your answers to help make
your Kiwanis experience more enjoyable.
Myron sent us a new logo for our meals on wheels program. Luckily, we don’t have that issue here, but we do need more volunteers. See Kathryn Hart to sign up and maybe we can get you a faster bicycle.
Active leadership makes our club healthier and Kiwanis stronger. As a result, children’s lives will be changed in our community and around the world.
The secretary position will be open for next year and we are looking for someone who has the desire to serve. See Eric or Keith to discuss details.
Join Us
Thinking about joining? Read about us Here.
To pay your dues or make a contribution click on the Donate button.
Grants and Scholarships
Are you interested in a Kiwanis Grant to support a community or school activity or a Community Service Scholarship?
Grant Application Guidelines
For all you trivia buffs, let’s test your Kiwanis knowledge.
When and where was the second Kiwanis Club organized?
Attend a meeting to find out the answer. Did you know the answer last month?
"(16 clubs in 6 states)"
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Thanks to
Eric Krebs for his work.
