Happy Father's Day
from your friends at Father's World....
History of
Father's Day
Father's Day, contrary to popular misconception, was not established
as a holiday in order to help greeting card manufacturers sell more cards. In fact when a
"father's day" was first proposed there were no Father's Day cards!
Mrs.
John B. Dodd, of Washington, first proposed the idea of a "father's day" in
1909. Mrs. Dodd wanted a special day to honor her father, William Smart. William Smart, a
Civil War veteran, was widowed when his wife (Mrs. Dodd's mother) died in childbirth with
their sixth child. Mr. Smart was left to raise the newborn and his other five children by
himself on a rural farm in eastern Washington state. It was after Mrs. Dodd became an
adult that she realized the strength and selflessness her father had shown in raising his
children as a single parent.
The
first Father's Day was observed on June 19, 1910 in Spokane Washington. At about the same
time in various towns and cities across American other people were beginning to celebrate
a "father's day." In 1924 President Calvin Coolidge supported the idea of a
national Father's Day. Finally in 1966 President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential
proclamation declaring the 3rd Sunday of June as Father's Day.
Father's
Day has become a day to not only honor your father, but all men who act as a father
figure. Stepfathers, uncles, grandfathers, and adult male friends are all be honored on
Father's Day.
You can send an electronic Father's Day card of your
choice to someone on the internet. You provide the email address and the message along
with picking which card you wish to send. Recipients of Father's Day cards get a message
alerting them to the card you have sent. They will receive a claim number that can be used
to retrieve the holiday card from this site. Enjoy!
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