Labor Day

The Village of Lisle and the surrounding area was settled by people who farmed the land. As more people settled and the arrival of the railroad, people relied on the skills of each other. Jobs such as blacksmithing, store clerks, and doctors made up small towns. Some of the early businesses located in Lisle included several blacksmith shops, a dry goods store owned by the Yender family, a creamery which provided dairy products, a flower business and an ice business. Farming, whether for profit or necessity, was prevalent for many years. Living on a farm required working every day of the week. Animals need taking care of daily and crops need tending. Neither animals nor crops know what day of the week it is. People took care of these “chores” while taking care of their family, possibly working at another job, attending church and helping make decisions within the community. The idea of taking a vacation would have been foreign to a person who knew their animals and crops needed daily care as this was their way to survive.

Many people today do not have the responsibilities of taking care of farm animals and/or crops. For people in a “business model” job where work centers around an eight hour work day Monday through Friday, the reason behind the upcoming holiday of Labor Day has lost its meaning and significance. The first Monday in September is celebrated as Labor Day and according to the Department of Labor is “a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.”

The founder of Labor Day is disputed as either Matthew Maguire or Peter McGuire. Labor Day was first recognized in 1885 and 1886 by local municipalities. Congress passed an act on June 28, 1894, declaring the first Monday in September as the legal holiday to commemorate Labor Day. For many years Labor Day was celebrated with parades, festivals and speeches given by prominent members of the community. For many years, Labor Day was celebrated with people enjoying a day off of work with family picnics marking an end of summer. While that trend has continued, the retail industry has found that “Labor Day Sales” are a reason to bring people into their stores to purchase goods.

Labor Day will be celebrated this Monday, September 5, 2016. Whatever your plans are this year, take time to think about the first settlers and the meaning of the holiday.

Peace and blessings.


Source: https://www.dol.gov/general/laborday/history