The Turn-of-the-Century Version of Ground Hog Day

Every February 2^nd we celebrate Ground Hog day in North America. Believe it or not, they did the same in the early 1900’s, except what was it called?

a.      Brigham day

b.      Shadow day

c.       Bear day

d.      I’m done with Winter day

 

Yesterday’s answer:

a.      Horse hair

In the 1850’s, the curriculum in Ann Jane Wilden’s school in Cedar City included sewing, something Ann dearly wanted to learn. She asked her mother for some quilting pieces, but her mother had none, so Ann found some old rags and also obtained a few pieces of cloth from some girls at school. Her mother refused to let Ann take her only needle to school, but desperate to learn, Ann took it anyway and promptly lost it. She took the punishment meted out at home, but later her mother was able to secure enough needles for both of them. However, they had no thread, so Ann resourcefully went to the barn, obtained some horse hairs, and sewed with them. Whatever else she learned in school, the fact that she ultimately became an expert at quilt making was the most practical long-range result.

Nearly Everything Imaginable, Walker, Ronald W., Doris R. Dant ed., (Provo, Utah: BYU Press, 1999), 377.