Special Days and Their Observance: September 1919

In Short

Published by the New Jersey Department of Public Instruction in the wake of the Great War, this book is a pedagogical toolkit designed for early twentieth-century classrooms. It organizes the school year around patriotic holidays—such as Columbus Day, Lincoln's Birthday, and Memorial Day—providing teachers with specific poems, play scripts, and thematic guidance. By grounding education in national history, environmental stewardship, and moral discipline, it captures a specific era’s commitment to forging a unified, virtuous citizenry through the formal rituals of public schooling.

The Story

The arc of the book begins with the daily routine, establishing a foundation of "morning exercises" that prioritize health, hygiene, and the appreciation of beauty. Teachers are encouraged to use art, nature study, and practical lessons—like "Swat the Fly" or the "Care of the Teeth"—to prepare students for the broader duties of life. This daily preparation shifts focus as the calendar turns, moving into the major holiday observances that define the national experience.

The narrative of these holidays unfolds chronologically, beginning with Columbus Day, which frames discovery as an act of faith and the birth of democracy. The curriculum then progresses through Thanksgiving, emphasizing the humble, laborious foundations of the American settler experience. From there, the focus shifts to the nation’s "great companions," Abraham Lincoln and George Washington. The material for Lincoln emphasizes his honesty, his self-education, and his commitment to a unified nation, while the section on Washington centers on his role as a modest, virtuous statesman who prioritized law over personal ambition.

As the school year moves into spring, the focus shifts outward toward the landscape. Arbor Day acts as a bridge between historical reverence and civic duty; students are taught that forests are not merely resources but vital, interconnected organisms that serve the common good. The book reaches its emotional and thematic climax with Memorial Day and Flag Day. Here, the tone grows solemn and fervent. The text invokes the recent sacrifices of soldiers in the Great War, linking them to the heroes of the Revolution and the Civil War. It frames the flag not merely as a symbol, but as a living protector of democratic ideals.

The volume concludes by reinforcing the idea that the "unfinished work" of the past generation falls to the students. It leaves the teacher with a final mandate: to ensure that the children understand the cost of their freedom and remain committed to the ongoing struggle for a better world. The progression from the individual child’s health to the collective sacrifice of the nation completes a cycle of civic initiation, transforming the schoolroom into a training ground for the responsibilities of democratic citizenship.

How It Unfolds

The Daily Foundation The opening sections establish the schoolroom as a site for moral and physical development. Teachers are provided with lists of "morning talks" that range from color harmony in dress to the life history of a butterfly.

The Historical Anchors The middle chapters provide a scaffold for teaching the major American holidays. Each section includes specific historical summaries, lists of recommended readings, and suggestions for interactive activities like acrostic poems and memorial tablet dedications.

The Stewardship of Nature Arbor Day acts as a pivot point, focusing the students' attention on the natural world. Lessons on forest management and tree planting are presented as essential duties for the future health of the state.

The Call to Remembrance The concluding chapters focus on sacrifice and national identity. By highlighting the service of those who fought in the Great War alongside figures like Lincoln and Washington, the text creates a continuous lineage of duty.

The People

The book presents a cast of ideals rather than a traditional narrative ensemble. Abraham Lincoln and George Washington emerge as the primary archetypes of leadership. Lincoln is depicted as a man of the people, whose humble origins and self-taught wisdom make him accessible to children. He is the standard for integrity and empathetic governance, particularly through his famous letter to Mrs. Bixby. Washington is presented as the architect of stability, whose "Rules of Civility" are offered as a behavioral guide for the students themselves.

The "Little Girl" in the play The History of Cotton serves as the surrogate for the student. Initially bored and unappreciative of her surroundings, she is enlightened through a series of encounters with historical personages. She represents the target audience: a young person needing to connect her daily life—her clothes, her habits—to the deeper, wider currents of history and industry. Finally, the "Soldiers" of the Great War, often referred to as "our brothers," serve as the emotional center of the latter half of the book. They are the modern heroes whose recent sacrifices bridge the gap between the students' present and the nation's past, demanding that the living remain "worthy" of the dead.

In Its Own Voice

"The study of the wonderful things of the world, their beautiful fitness for their existence and function, the remarkable progressive tendency of all organic life, and the unity that prevails in it create admiration in the beholder and tend to his spiritual uplifting."

This passage introduces the section on Nature Talks, framing scientific study as a form of moral and spiritual education.

"He gave us a nation to make it immortal; He laid down for Freedom the sword that he drew; And his faith leads us on through the uplifting portal Of the glories of peace and our destinies new."

These lines, from a poem by J. Walker McSpadden, define the veneration of Washington that the book encourages teachers to instill in their pupils.

What It's Really About

The central theme is the cultivation of a cohesive national identity. The book operates on the belief that a stable democracy requires citizens who are not only literate but also emotionally invested in the nation’s history and natural resources. It argues that character is not innate but must be actively built through the study of historical heroes and the adoption of "civil" habits. The questions underneath the lessons are essentially teleological: What does it mean to be a good citizen? How does one honor the past without being trapped by it? By emphasizing both the "Rules of Civility" and the "Cost of a Republic," the book asserts that freedom is a fragile, collective achievement that requires constant, conscious maintenance from each new generation.

Why Read It Today

Readers interested in the history of education or the mid-twentieth-century American psyche will find this a fascinating document. It is not a casual read, but rather a window into how states standardized patriotism in the wake of global trauma. You will experience the fervor of a society striving to define its "national ideals" through the lens of moral discipline and historical reverence.

The book is undeniably a product of its time. You will encounter period attitudes regarding the "proper" way to view international relations and the role of the state in personal life. Some of the language is formal, and the patriotic sentiment is intense, occasionally bordering on the didactic. However, for those who enjoy archival materials, there is a profound sincerity in the writing. The sections on nature and the environment—which discuss forest health as a proxy for social stability—feel surprisingly relevant. It is a work that captures the specific, urgent optimism of 1919, providing a clear view of how American schools once sought to weave the individual child into the fabric of a grand, historical mission.