by Mary Tyrer

Created on: June 09, 2008   Last Updated: August 09, 2008

Calvin Coolidge is the President that would establish Fathers Day as a national holiday. President Coolidge would begin the tradition in 1924. However, no one can give any solid facts to who started the idea or the Fathers Day movement, many places that lay claim as being the first to come up with the idea, and celebrate Fathers Day. Exploring a few can be confusing since so many versions are said to be true.

One of the first things to note is the United States is one of a handful of country that celebrates Fathers Day. It seems June has always been the month designated as being the month to celebrate Fathers Day. That part of the tradition that is all that is known for sure. People from Virginia in 1908 and others believe the first Fathers Day celebration was held in Vancouver, Washington. A woman whose name Mrs. Bruce John Dodd of Spokane Washington. Her father was killed in the Civil War, and wanted to honor him and laid claim to celebrating the first Fathers Day in his honor. The date she picked to be June 5th for this was her father's birthday. She asked her preacher if the children in her parish could make presents to give to their own fathers to show their own appreciation to their own fathers. On June 19, 1909, the ceremony was held for the fathers of her church.

Still another theory is Harry Meek from Chicago a part of the Lion's Club organized and celebrated the first Fathers Day in 1915. This time it was celebrated on the third Sunday of June, since this was Harry Meeks birthday in 1915.

States started lobbying President Woodrow Wilson to make Fathers Day an official holiday in 1916. Believing it would bring fathers closer to their families and children President Wilson believed it was a good idea and started to get congress on board for the holiday to become nationally recognized. Consequently, Calvin Coolidge would be the one to pass Fathers Day in 1924, stating, "Establish more intimate relations between fathers and their children and to impress upon fathers the full measure of their obligations"(Encarta, 1997-2008).

Now Fathers Day is still recognized in June, and is always the third Sunday of the month. This is a time to give dads, step dads, granddads and all the special dads in your life a day off, take them to dinner, let them know you appreciate them and let's not forget those ties we all know they love to hate.

Reference

encarta.com The origin of Father's Day
Http//:www.encarta.com.fathersday

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