SPIRIT OF MOTHER’S DAY LIVES ON

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22940, 7 May 1949, Page 6

SPIRIT OF MOTHER’S DAY LIVES ON

Tomorrow is Mother's Day—a day given over to nation-wide remembrance of mothers.

How Mother’s Day developed from a humble beginning to a day that has received world-wide recognition was told by Mr. Rex E. Hymas, an elder of the Mormon Church in Gisborne from 1939 to 1941, in a recent address in the United States. An ambition to observe Mother’s Day as a national holiday took a strong hold of Mary Towles Sasseen, a born teacher of Springfield, Ohio. From a great love of her mother not only did she teach children the value of their mothers, but succeeded in influencing many of the adult population to share her veneration.

Beginning with her own pupils In 1887, she observed Mother’s Day in her private school for several years. From then on Miss Sasseen instituted a regular campaign to nationalise the day. In the Springfield Teacher’s Manual for 1890 a day was set apart for observance of a Mother’s Day programme on the school curriculum. A sister of Miss Sasseen contributed largely to the success of the campaign. Miss Mary Sasseen’s marriage to Judge Marshall Wilson, Florida, interfered with her endeavours and within six years she died.

The mantle that had fallen from the shoulders of Miss Sasseen was caught up by Miss Anna Jarvis, a devotee of Mother’s Day, who succeeded in persuading an American Senator to introduce a bill in Congress designating the second Sunday in May as a national Mother’s Day. This date was selected because it was the day on which Miss Jarvis’ mother was born.