February From The Editor 

 

February is home to the Washington’s Birthday/ Presidents' Day holiday and, not coincidentally, the birthdays of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. In 1879, a federal holiday was created to honor the first president of the United States, George Washington, on February 22nd, his birthday.  However, in 1968, the US Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act and changed the holiday from Washington's actual birthday to the third Monday in February. This created a 3 day weekend for federal employees, and allowed merchants to seize this time to have Presidents’ Day Sales Events, which have come to be associated with appliances, furniture, and tech items. The official federal holiday name is still Washington’s Birthday, but that reference seems to be fading in popular usage.

 

Let’s put all this in perspective: George Washington was a soldier who became a farmer. He then gave up that life to become General of the Continental Army, and was instrumental in defeating the British in the Revolutionary War. He was so highly thought of that he was unanimously elected as our country’s first president. He was re-elected for a second term, but refused to run for a third term, and ensured the peaceful transfer of the presidency to John Adams in 1797. He then returned to his farming life. As one source aptly puts it, “Without Washington, America would never have won its war of independence; he was the catalyst of the American founding. Even more significant, he proved that republican government was not only possible but indeed noble.” “No one did more to put the United States on the path to success than Washington. No one did more to assure a government with sufficient power to function but sufficient limits to allow freedom to flourish. No one walked away from power with more dignity or did more to assure the prosperous society we enjoy today. This is why Washington and Washington alone - not Jefferson, not Madison, not Hamilton - is the father of this country.”

 

“If Americans wish to honor George Washington, they should recall his deeds, recollect his advice, and once again call the holiday celebrating him what it is, in fact: Washington's Birthday.”

 

I agree. 

 

While we are on the topic of presidents, you have probably noticed that there are quite a few Old Time tunes named after presidents. So, in memory of George Washington’s lost birthday holiday, let’s appreciate him by enjoying 28 “presidential fiddle tunes” - one for each day in February. Bonus leap year tune included for 2028!

 

Mark​