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BOSSY MOMENTS THROUGHOUT HISTORY – Mother’s Day.

First you have this hussy to thank:

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She’s Julia Ward Howe — and in 1872 she was all up in Boston’s face trying to promote peace and whatnot, so she called for A Meeting of Mothers. Of course Julia Ward Howe was the one who wrote The Battle Hymn of the Republic and this we know about Julia Ward Howe: she was not a subtle broad:

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword
His truth is marching on.

Next we jump to Michigan. On May 11,1877 three guys were roaming the streets of a town called Albion and they were totally wasted. Because — get real — it’s Albion. What else is a brother gonna do in Albion?

But this made the town madder than a wet hen because all three of the boys were sons of strict temperance advocates. Also? One of the boys was the pastor’s son.

The very next Sunday the pastor was so upset about his son that he had to leave the pulpit before the services were over. This is where we meet a certain Juliet Calhoun Blakeley:

Julietblakeley

Juliet Calhoun Blakeley was sitting in the front row that day and she gladly pointed her sassy Victorian lace-up boots in the direction of the pulpit and took over the sermon for the remainder of the thing, calling on other mothers to join her.

So this whole Mother’s Day deal was originally an anti-drinking campaign!

Then for years after, Mrs. Blakeley’s super perfect wouldn’t-be-caught-dead-drinking-in-the-streets-of-Albion sons decided to honor their mother — and all mothers — with a churchy celebration held the second Sunday in May. In Albion. Albion Michigan, which only had like sixty-five residents, three of them drunkards.

So how did Mother’s Day grow from that to this?

As always we get to blame Philadelphia. Because this is one of its turn-of-the-century residents, Anna Jarvis:

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Anna Jarvis launched an intense campaign in 1908 to honor the memory of her own mother by creating a national day dedicated to all mothers. She called on local clergymen, business leaders, and department store owner John Wanamaker – who offered the use of his store for the first Mother’s Day service, attended by 15,000 people.

Equation1

The final element of the equation stepped off a train in Kansas City two years later holding two shoeboxes under each arm that contained postcards.

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And that chucklehead was J.C. Hall, the 18-year old founder of Hallmark.

Equation2

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Comments

  2. Ah. So the whole mothers + drunkards thread throughout the fabric of our history comes down to this. And, of course, MADD. Bossy’s history lessons are always tres enlightening.

  5. My daughter just said that she wants to meet you. This revelation came about after she spent approximately 69.347 seconds laughing at your Dick Cheney post.

    Also, weirdness = I am as scientific-minded, blasphemous, nonreligious as humanly possible, but I flipping LOVE Battle Hymn of the Republic. Sadly, I am very serious.

  6. Bossy you crack me up!
    I can always expect a good laugh when I come to visit your blog.
    Now, on another note, I wish I could buy those two shoeboxes of vintage hallmark’s, and the pretty shirt off MS JArvis’ bosom.

  8. P.S. Why do you have an ad for the Conservative Book Club (featuring Bill O’Reilly, Ann Coulter, and Sean Hannity) in your sidebar?

    Has Bossy gone to the dark side?

  10. There had to be more than three drunkards in town in 1881… Albion College (my alma mater) was founded in 1835. But you are correct, there really isn’t much to do in town. 😀

  12. That is so great! {my mum in the UK said she had heard something about how different our Mother’s Day traditions were on the radio] I meant to check it out [but didn’t get around to it] Now I don’t have too.
    Cheers

  13. bossy you need to write a history book with all this stuff…i’d buy the first copy. A toast to all mothers, I will never look at this day the same now..

  14. OK, Scott-o-rama is so right – suddenly Bossy’s blog is the cornerstone of Republican advertising! The touchstone communiqué!

    All because Bossy’s Google Advertisers (what fabulous luxury item will Bossy buy with her high-earning $1.63?) don’t know from exaggeration. All they know is the mention of Dick Cheney and they’re foaming at the penis.

    And this is great news – all this pro-Republican propaganda on Bossy’s very own blog – because Bossy forgot her Google Advertising password and secret I.D. number! So she can’t access her Google Ads account! To yell profanities! In some Google Ad executive’s ear! And to get the fooking things off her site forever!

    Just. Breathe.

    Bossy now returns you to her regularly scheduled commenters, who Bossy loves with all her hearts. Heart.

    Happy freaking Mother’s Day.

  15. Hee hee hee… now I see ads for “Marriage Counseling” and “When Husbands Cheat.”

    Is Google Ads trying to tell us something about you Bossy?

  19. Long-time lurker finally coming out of the woodwork to tell you that if you wrote a history book like this post I’d TOTALLY buy it and make my kids read it. Well written, as always. I am one of those moms who cannot stand the celebration of Mother’s Day (but since my kid loves it, I guess I have to be a good sport).
    I also finally figured out you were local (because I came here via Lauren) when I drove by your house the other day and recognized it. Don’t worry, I’m not a stalker. Honestly. Ask anyone, I never leave my house and sit in front of a computer all day…

  20. I say Mother’s Day should be a day where we drop off our moms at therapy sessions while we sit at the local bar and ponder how many sessions will it take to either a) get her sane and quit nagging or b) for me to get drunk and forget everything.

    That would be awsome.

  21. I 2nd Brando’s comment. 50 must’ve been the new 90 back then.

    Happy Mother’s Day, BOSSY! Hope you have a great day.

  22. LOL… As a retail whore myself, this walk through history is a hoot! See my family doesnt understand why I dont like these types of holidays.. Its not because I dont love my mother or father or because I dont like getting presents at christmas.. No it is because working in retail has taught me that these holidays are nothing more than a retail cash cow! They have all lost the significance of family and love and become a pissing contest to see who loves you more based on how much the person spends on you. Trust me I see it wide eyed and in awe every holiday that comes by… Great post brought a smile to my face.

  25. Once again, history comes alive through your daft (er, deft) touch. We have to get you your own television show. In fact, Katie Couric’s ratings are lousy – why don’t you apply for the job?