From one proud and happy dad to all other dads,

Happy Father’s Day!

I love my two children, Paula and Michael.  You can see pictures of them on the About page.

I found the following online.  It relates the origins of “Father’s Day.”

The following article contains the most popular story for the origins of our modern day holiday, called, “Father’s Day.”

The most popular story about the origins of Father’s Day is when Mrs. John B. Dodds, from Spokane, Washington, campaigned for a Father’s Day celebration. The idea came to her while she listed to a church sermon on the virtues of Mother’s Day.

She 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.

She wanted all fathers to be honored with a special day all their own. She campaigned and worked to spread her message, and even got the help of friends and family to write letters to influential people who could make this dream happen for her.

After much hard work, Father’s Day was first celebrated on 1910 in Spokane, Washington. Mrs. Dodds wanted the date of the holiday to be on her father’s birthday, which was the fifth of June. But the events had to be moved to the nineteenth of June so there would be enough time to prepare.

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 honored on Father’s Day.

Again, to all the dads, “Happy Father’s Day!”  And if you’re a dad, feel free to leave a comment.