Summer End! Just When?

I was reminded today by my brother who lives in Tennessee, that the schoolchildren south of the Mason-Dixon Line will be returning (if allowed) to school this week or next week. And I have also noticed the early school start has creeped up in the northeast and elsewhere.

Uggh! What has happened to Summer? In the past we thought of Memorial Day as the opening day to summer. June was used to finish up school, get packed for overnight camp or day camp, or for the family move to the forests, mountains, lakes, and ocean for the season. August was my favorite month for summer. There were the cooler nights for camp fires and storytelling. The water in the Northeast tends to be warmer for water sports and the temperature does not spike as often. During last week in August, we kids were dragged to retail stores to shore up what was needed for clothing on the first day of school.

Opening first day of school occurred after Labor Day. It has all be disrupted. No longer is the deeply rooted agricultural emphasis in the calendar respected. Powerful educational systems in the U.S. make the rules. To celebrate Labor Day, families must take the break away midst crazy traffic to reach their favorite summer setting to celebrate. And maybe, can’t, because school activities by this time are in full bloom

July is being infringed upon also with early sports such as football practices requirements. To me, September is living in my muscles and bones as a new day, a new start time. I can’t think that way about early August when I should be swimming or catching fish. I like change, but I don’t like unnecessary changes made without an extraordinary reason. I particularly don’t like changes inflicted on us without our input. I don’t ever recall being asked if I wanted school to start before or after Labor Day.

K. B. Pellegrino, Author