Labor Day ~ Monday, September 4, 2023

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 Aqua Sunrise -  September, 2023

photo by Styrous®
 

 

Two days put me in the mood of a new beginning, Labor Day & New Year's Day. New Years, the beginning of  a new year, obviously. But why Labor day? 

 

I suppose it's from my early childhood; as my life revolved around school, I considered Labor Day the end of summer and the end of the school year; the day marked the start of a whole new year of school. My recollections of school from the first grade to the beginning of high school are fond, I was excited about getting ready for it, the anticipation of learning new things, meeting new friends. High school ended that (link below).      

 

From Wikipedia: 

Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United States.  

 

Beginning in the late 19th century, as the trade union and labor movements grew, trade unionists proposed that a day be set aside to celebrate labor. "Labor Day" was promoted by the Central Labor Union and the Knights of Labor, which organized the first parade in New York City. In 1887, Oregon was the first state of the United States to make it an official public holiday. By the time it became an official federal holiday in 1894, thirty states in the U.S. officially celebrated Labor Day.  

 

There is debate as to who started Labor Day, both Peter J. McGuire and Matthew Maguire are given credit. 

 

 

 

The first Labor Day parade was on September 5, 1882, in New York City . . .

 

 

 

 

Occasionally Labor Day turned out to be violent. There is much more information, history and great photos to be seen on the U. S. Department of Labor official website (link below) and postage stamp images on the Smithsonian.                       

 

 

 September 3, 1956, postage stamp

Designed by Victor S. McCloskey, Jr.
 

        

        

        

Viewfinder links:        

        

Polytechnic High School shield - 1957       

Postal stamps        

        

Net links:                

History Channel ~ Labor Day 2023: Facts, Meaning & Founding     

NY Times ~ What Is Labor Day? A History of the Workers’ Holiday 

PBS ~ Workers Rights Activists And The History of Labor Day       

Smithsonian ~ Labor Day            

U. S. Dept. of Labor ~ History of Labor Day         

US News ~ Have We Forgotten the True Meaning of Labor Day?      

The White House ~ A Proclamation on Labor Day, 2023      

        

YouTube links:        

        

CBS News ~ Why do we celebrate Labor Day?        

U. S. Dept. of Labor ~ History of Labor Day        

        

         

 

 

 

So, here's to the start of the New Year!

        

        

        

        

         

        

Styrous® ~ Labor Day, Monday, September 4, 2023                 

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Polytechnic High School shield - 1957

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 Polytechnic High School shield - 1957

 photo by Styrous®

 

 

 

WOW! I was rummaging through old boxes and came across my old Poly High shield. The memories that flooded through my mind were asounding!

 

I can't believe it's been sixty-eight years, around this time of year, since I ended my first year at Polytechnic High School in San Francisco, California! I was revved up* and ready for a luxurious summer vacation.   

 

My previous summer vacations had been in elementary school and the summers had stretched out for what seemed like forever! I was ready for THAT! But a strange thing happened to me that year.

 

The summer went by in a flash! The next thing I knew I was getting ready for the fall semester. I remember being stunned that summer was over. What happened? Where did the time go?       

After that year, I NEVER had a summer that lingered anywhere near like they did when I was a kid (the one exception was a week I thought would never end in Midland, TX) A new perception of my world, my existence had been born.          

 

The shield is the same material as my Polytechnic High School pennant, black and dark red felt (my favorite color combination). I bought the pennant during my first year there. It  also brought a flood of memories when I found it a few years ago (link below)!             

       

        

Polytechnic High School pennant - 1956

 detail photo byStyrous®

It's strange! I'm just now realizing, while holding my shield in my hand, when the end of my childhood innocence took place. 

All hail to Polytechnic!

            

*Dictionary.com:

The verb rev is an abbreviation for revolution, alluding to the rate of rotation of an engine. The idiom dates from about 1920 and has been used figuratively since the mid-1900s.     

 

 

 

                     

Viewfinder link:          

           

Poly High School ~ 65 years ago           

The Poly Math*          

          

Net link:                     

          

Polytechnic Alumni Association          

          

          

          

          

          

          

          

          

Styrous® ~ Monday, June 26, 2023          

          

          

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John Trent McLaughlin

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February 6, 1940 

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June 24, 2021

      

      

      

      

John Trent McLaughlin - 2008     

photos by Styrous®      

      

      

Last week I heard the news of the passing of John; as we had been friends for over seventy years, it struck me deeply.        

We became friends at the Mission Dolores grammar school in the mid-forties. Due to circumstances, my folks had to take me out of parochial school and transferred me to public school. John and I lost touch at that point.         

Six or so years later we met again when I went to Polytechnic high school (link below) and we picked up our friendship again. He had become friends with John Ferretti and the three of us became inseparable; by the time we got to our senior year, we were a wild trio!    

 

 

Poly High School 1958 yearbook photos

 

When we graduated from high school in 1958, the three of us got a five room apartment on Nob Hill; the rent was $75 a month or $25 for each of us! I was making $125 a month so I had a hundred to spend as I pleased. I lived like a king. However, Ferretti got drafted; John couldn't afford splitting the rent two ways and i couldn't afford the place by myself so we split up again but stayed in touch this time.    

In 1959 John met Chris, whose last name I can't remember, and they got married. They had an adorable little boy they named Brian.          

 

The photos below are from one evening we spent together in 1960; it was just about this time of year during the holidays. They are scans of 3-D slides I took (link below) which I gave to John years ago. If I find others, I'll add them.           

1960

John and Chris split up at some point and she took Brian with her. Once again, John and I lost contact with each other until around 2000 when we reconnected again but I can't remember how.     

Our friendship was interrupted physically in 2020 because of COVID-19 but we talked on the phone sporadically until June of this year when I stopped hearing from him entirely. I discovered his phone was disconnected and he didn't reply to my emails. Last week a friend suggested I Google his name, which I did; it's how I discovered he has gone on to the next plane of existence (link below).       

So, it seems our lives have been destined to cross no matter how much time passes or what happens. We have been friends again and again for over seventy years but it seems like a blink of an eye.       

 

This is how I will always remember him

 

Adios hasta la próxima, John! 

 

 

Viewfinder link:           

           

Paul Klee ~ Dada & Senecio          

The Poly Math      

Stereogram            

      

Net link:           

 

Dignity Memorial ~ John Trent McLaughlin

 

 

 

     

Styrous® ~ Tuesday, November 16, 2021   

      

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Adiós mis amigos . . .

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Poly High School & Covid-19

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I just found out that Covid-19 is effecting even the past. The sixth annual Polytechnic Alumni Association 2020 luncheon which was scheduled for September 12, has been cancelled due to the virus (link below).       

       

NOTICE:

The Polytechnic Alumni Association  2020 luncheon

 

The Polytechnic Alumni Association board of directors deeply regrets canceling this year's luncheon scheduled for September 12, 2020.  It is a huge disappointment for all of us but for health & safety considerations we were unanimous at yesterday's board meeting. The majority of PAA members are senior citizens and even if our event were to be held social distancing would prohibit the usual camaraderie.  We will see you again next year and in the meantime please keep that Polytechnic High School spirit going strong!

Francie Simonson

President

Polytechnic Alumni Association 

       
       
Viewfinder links:          
       
Corona Virus articles          
The Poly Math           
          
Net links:                     
       
Polytechnic Alumni Association        
         
       
       
         
         
       
Styrous® ~ Thursday, June 11, 2020          
          

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