FROM THE FIRST LADY'S DESK: June Is Family Celebration Month
A Monthly Message By First Lady Gayle C. Manchin
While we always look forward to June as a time to welcome in summer, it is also a month of many family celebrations and lays claim to many unforgettable occasions. From weddings to commencements to Father’s Day, there is something for all ages.
We recognize that graduation ceremonies are important to all public, private and higher education institutions. From kindergarten to doctoral degrees, there is certainly a great deal of pomp and circumstance around mastering the subject matter. The most prominent event is the commencement, which by all accounts is the final affair, and yet by definition is actually the “beginning.”
We live in a day and age that entails many commencements throughout our lives, and the real joy is to see a parent or grandparent crossing a stage with graduates of a younger generation. This certainly reinforces first, our value of education, and secondly, our belief that learning is a lifelong process to enjoy and celebrate. In fact, Joe and I were each presented honorary doctorate degrees from Davis & Elkins College during their commencement ceremony, reminding us that every day is truly a learning experience.
Appropriately, after celebrating Mother’s Day, we now pause to honor our fathers. Sonora Dodd, of Spokane, Washington, is credited with first having the idea of a "Father's Day." Sonora wanted a special day to honor her father, William Smart, who was a Civil War veteran. His wife died while giving birth to their sixth child, leaving Mr. Smart to raise the newborn and his other five children on a rural farm in eastern Washington. Sonora's father was born in June, so, as an adult, she chose to hold the first Father's Day celebration in Spokane on June 19, 1910.
In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge supported the idea of a National Father's Day, and in 1966 President Lyndon Johnson signed a proclamation declaring the third Sunday of June as Father's Day. However, it did not become permanent until President Richard Nixon signed the law in 1972.
In our society today, where fathers are often absent, it is even more critical that we reflect on the importance of fatherhood. We are also celebrating the recent birth of a new granddaughter and enjoying being active grandparents, now with seven grandchildren spanning in age from 17 to four months. We also are pleased to attend a family wedding this month, reminding us of the joy and happiness of new love and the love of family.
In addition to celebrating commencements and Father’s Day, June is the month to celebrate a very important day for West Virginia. Our state’s birthday is on June 20 and this year, it is 147 years young. The Mountain State was the only state born out of the Civil War, and we have always been recognized for our outstanding and unyielding patriotism. We take pride in honoring our flag, our state and our nation.
Joe and I wish that each of you have many opportunities in June and throughout the summer to celebrate family activities.