By LAURA HAMMACK, guest columnist
When I was growing up, Labor Day marked the official end of summer. Without fail, school calendars were built such that the Tuesday following the holiday was the first day of school. I expect most readers had a similar experience.
Today, most schools in Indiana realize first days of the school year in early August. Students in Brown County Schools returned to school on Aug. 5, so Labor Day marks over a month of school already in session.
This year’s Labor Day offers a brief moment of pause to reflect on the “labor” that has supported our successful return to school during what promises to be a historic period of time.
School looks and feels different right now; however, I am happy to share with our readers that kids are still kids. They are resilient, funny, thoughtful and inquisitive. While the number of new regulations for our in-person learning experience is significant, students have proven to be incredibly responsible and committed to doing their part to maintain a safe learning environment.
To be honest, Labor Day feels a little more “earned” this year. Every day we have the opportunity to serve students both in school and remotely feels more special than it ever has before. However, it’s important for our school community to understand that there are also significant additional stressors this school year that are ongoing.
Coronavirus responsibilities are significant for every member of our school community. I haven’t met an employee in our organization who isn’t carrying more responsibilities. Additionally, students and families are continuously normalizing to patterns of school and extracurricular activities that are, in some situations, profoundly different. Change is hard and it can feel really heavy.
We see the work that is happening to make each school day possible. Commitment from our entire school community to show up to work and to school during these incredibly challenging times causes Labor Day to be “felt” a little more for its original purpose as opposed to a day off from school.
The history of Labor Day is an interesting one. This federal holiday was established all the way back in 1894. The Industrial Revolution had transformed workplaces into manufacturing powerhouses. As demand for materials skyrocketed and expectations for workers to create the same went unchecked, 12-hour days and seven-day work weeks became the norm and were often conducted in unsafe work environments.
Over the course of many years, labor unions organized to protest these working conditions. In May and June of 1894, employees of the Pullman Palace Car Company went on strike and called for a boycott of all Pullman railway cars. The federal government deployed troops to break the strike, which ended in many deaths and ongoing unrest.
In late June of 1984, in an attempt to repair relations with American laborers, President Grover Cleveland signed an act of Congress indicating Labor Day as a federal holiday. While Americans have come to enjoy the holiday as one of relaxation and the “official end of summer,” the history behind it is significant and provides an ongoing reminder that the working conditions we enjoy today were earned by others who fought for the same.
Like most everything experienced during this pandemic, Labor Day feels a little different this year. And that’s OK. Remembering the “why” behind this day from a pandemic perspective realizes a deeper appreciation for the same.
Laura Hammack is superintendent of Brown County schools. She can be reached at 812-988-6601 or [email protected].
