Father’s Day is for honouring fathers and showing them how much they mean to you and that you love them very much. The day varies from country to counrty but many countries celebrate it on the third Sunday in June.
This year, we celebrate it on Sunday, June 20. Junior Observer honours father’s today..
History
The first recorded Father’s Day service took place in Fairmont, West Virginia, USA on July 5, 1908, after hundreds of men died in the worst mining accident in U.S. history.
Grace Golden Clayton, the daughter of a minister, proposed a service to honour all fathers, especially those who had died. However, the idea did not catch on and very few people outside the area knew about it
In 1909, Sonora Smart Dodd, a lady living in Spokane, Washington, was inspired by Anna Jarvis and the idea of Mother’s Day. Her father, William Jackson Smart, a farmer and an American Civil War veteran, raised Sonora and her five brothers by himself, after his wife Ellen died giving birth to their youngest child in 1898.
In 1909, Sonora aged 27 attended a Mother’s Day church service in 1909. It was during this service that she was inspired to come up with the idea of a Father’s Day. Sonora convinced the Spokane Ministerial Association and the YMCA to set aside a Sunday in June to celebrate fathers. She wanted it to be on June 5, her father’s birthday, but the ministers chose the third Sunday in June so that they would have more time after Mother’s Day (the second Sunday in May) to prepare their sermons. June 19, 1910, saw the first Father’s Day events taking place.
Sonora gave presents to handicapped fathers, boys from the YMCA wore fresh roses on their coats (red for living fathers, white for the deceased) and the city’s ministers devoted their sermons to fatherhood. Since then, Father’s Day has been celebrated on the third Sunday in June.
However, Catholic Europe has been celebrating the occasion on March 19 (Saint Joseph’s Day) since the Middle Ages.This celebration was brought by the Spanish and Portuguese to Latin America. Spain, Italy, Croatia, Portugal, Bolivia, Honduras, celebrate Father’s Day every March 19.New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and Latvia celebrate Father’s day during September.
In the USA, President Lyndon Johnson proclaimed the third Sunday of June as Father’s Day in 1966.The national holiday was finally signed into law in 1972 by President Richard Nixon.
Sources: KidsKonnect, Britannica, Wikipedia, national Geographic
Our dada
God knew that my dada needed a best friend so he gave him me, a son. While he used to live and work overseas, I would speak to him on skype each night because I missed him. One day he surprised me when he flew down for my birthday.
Rugby is my dada’s favourite sport which he used to play, and now instilled in me. At present everytime we watch a game we debate to amuse ourselves.
As I see how he teaches me lives moments, I believe my dada is the most caring person and nothing could replace him. I would love to bake cookies for fathers day but it might cost my dada not only his complete earnings but more on his size. I may act like him as loud as he is, but yet I have my mama’s attitude.
Ten years ago afraid of the big world ahead, I met my dada who taught me not to be fearful, whilst he smiled and laughed with me through the years. He supports me in my tennis matches with always a task ahead, he guides then shrieks at me when I am wrong, he laughs with me when I am sad.
Our dada is exclusive in many ways, we know that nothing can stop us in life because we know our dada is just a thought away. We are both a noisy little hand full but our dada is the best person to have in our lives. He is our forever super hero and role model. Anyone should be blessed to have a dada like him.
Mckyle and Mckaella Karunaratne
Grade 9 and Grade 6 S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia/ Ladies College, Colombo
Learning from my father
My father’s name is Harshana. He’s a wonderful father. He helps me when I have problems with my school subjects. He always makes up the funniest jokes. He works hard during the week but during the weekends we always do something special.
Almost every Saturday he takes us out for walks near the paddy fields. Every Sunday he makes us yummy dinners.
My father is a professor of English literature. When I was smaller I used to visit him in his office after school. I have learnt many things from him.
The two most important lessons I have learnt from him are that it is never too late to start learning something new and that we should have an open mind and not be racist or sexist.
My father’s favourite colour is black. His favourite animal is a dog – he had three dogs when he was a child. His favourite bird is an eagle I like eagles too. My father takes good care of my three grandparents.
For instance, when my grandmother hurt her leg badly, he took good care of her and rushed her to the hospital. He is truly a very caring person. I love my father very much.
Heili and Vithulya
Rambukwella
Grade 7 and Grade 4
Methodist College
Colombo
My world’s hero
He goes to work, he studies a lot
And works hard to make us live
He brings me gifts, he takes us trips
He buys me foods I love to eat
He holds my hand and lifts me up
To catch the stars to light my world
He is a hero not known by the world
But a hero in my world
Senuthmi Weerasekara
Grade 7
Bishop’s College
Colombo.
Father
Father is such a special word,
The finest one I’ve ever heard.
Fathers are always there,
Show you that they always care.
‘To the world,
You are a father.
To your child,
You are the world’.
No matter,
How tall you grow,
You must look up to,
The person you call Father,
The one who always greets you with a cheery ‘hello’.
Every hero doesn’t wear a cape,
There’s one who has been with you the entire time,
He is the one you call ‘Dad’
The one who will wait and help you for years,
So that you can finally cross the finishing line.
A father is someone,
Who is always by your mum’s and your side.
This bond is one that can never be broken,
One that is firmly tied.
Happy Father’s Day,
To all the wonderful Dads,
Care and support,
Forever and forever,
Nothing more than family,
Could ever be better.
Elmira and Thahaara Perera
Elmira - Grade 7 and Grade 1 Colombo International School, Colombo