Happy Mother's Day

The origins of Mother's Day are attributed to different people. Many believe that two women, Julia Ward Howe and Anna Jarvis were important in establishing the tradition of Mother's Day in the United States. Other sources say that Juliet Calhoun Blakely initiated Mother's Day in Albion, Michigan, in the late 1800s. Her sons paid tribute to her each year and urged others to honor their mothers.

Around 1870, Julia Ward Howe called for Mother's Day to be celebrated each year to encourage pacifism and disarmament amongst women. It continued to be held in Boston for about ten years under her sponsorship, but died out after that.

In 1907, Anna Jarvis held a private Mother's Day celebration in memory of her mother, Ann Jarvis, in Grafton, West Virginia. Ann Jarvis had organized "Mother's Day Work Clubs" to improve health and cleanliness in the area where she lived. Anna Jarvis launched a quest for Mother's Day to be more widely recognized. Her campaign was later financially supported by John Wanamaker, a clothing merchant from Philadelphia.

In 1908, she was instrumental in arranging a service in the Andrew's Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton, West Virginia, which was attended by 407 children and their mothers. The church has now become the International Mother's Day Shrine. It is a tribute to all mothers and has been designated as a National Historic Landmark.

The holiday was declared officially by the state of West Virginia in 1910, and the rest of states followed quickly. On May 8, 1914, the U.S. Congress passed a law designating the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day and requesting a proclamation. On May 9, 1914 President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation declaring the first national Mother's Dayas a day for American citizens to show the flag in honor of those mothers whose sons had died in war.

In 1934, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt approved a stamp commemorating the holiday.

In May 2008 the U.S. House of Representatives voted twice on a resolution commemorating Mother's Day, the first one being unanimous (with 21 members not voting). The Grafton's church, where the first celebration was held, is now the International Mother's Day Shrine and is a National Historic Landmark.

Mother's Day has become a day that focuses on generally recognizing mothers' and mother figures' roles. Mother's Day has also become an increasingly important event for businesses in recent years. This is particularly true of restaurants and businesses manufacturing and selling cards and gift items. 

SLANT refers to how students should relate to the classroom, the professor, and other students during class. It means learning how to play by the rules of the game. It is the kinesthetic tie to information.

S - Sit Up Straight

Sit up straight to get the benefit of the doubt from the professor. Act involved. Be engaged. Be attentive. Above all, sit with confidence.

L - Lean Forward

Lean forward and act like you are really excited. Sit as if you were at a basketball or football game and your team was winning. Leaning forward makes the mind-body link to make education exciting. If you believe the class is, `so incredibly boring,` your approach  AND your grade will reflect that attitude.

A - Ask Questions

Ask questions because 1) you get information and 2) you show you care about the course. Professors like to know you care. Jump up and down. Raise your hand as in wanting to answer a question in class!

N - Nod Your Head

Nod your head because you want to establish a personal relationship with your professor. You have to work harder to do this. The professor sees that you are studying, paying attention, understanding what they are saying. This completes the student-professor loop.

T - Sit in the T-Zone

Sit in the T-Zone, across the front and down the middle of the classroom. Be sure the professor knows you BY NAME. The T-Zone insures that you will pay attention; you`ll be seen. Back in the corner, it is too easy to get distracted, fall asleep, let your mind wander. Better to be up front when you are tired.