Labor Days of Old

Labor Day in East St. Louis back in my youth was perhaps the third most family-celebrated and significant holiday embraced by the river city residents. Consider please the fact that East St. Louisans were by the largest of numbers blue collar union people.

My family members and neighbors were proud and yes, boastful about their skills and work ethic. These most recent years, I hear many younger people brag about 'how much they get paid at their jobs for the little work they have to do.' That attitude would be foreign to my parents' generation; a generation, which championed the slogan: "If a job's worth doing it's worth doing well."

The East St. Louis Labor Day (without question) marked the end of summer because all city schools both public and private began school the Tuesday after Labor Day. The Labor Day parade had much to behold. Thousands of union men and women representing every trade union under the sun lined up near downtown East St. Louis and marched alongside all types of heavy duty machinery, decorated flatbed trucks and floats. Hundreds of kids riding decorated bicycles peddled alongside parade walkers while young and old darted from curb-side viewing spots to grab candies and other items tossed to onlookers.

As the parade disbanded at Jones' Park @ Baseball Diamond # 1, you noted thousands of people scurrying about to stake out their all-day picnic spot. Many families and neighbors played their favorite yard games while others found the swimming pool and young sweethearts staked out Lagoon side benches under the inviting Willow Tree shade. The aroma of meats swirling into the air from  open-pit fires was a memorable staple of the day.

It was a celebration that only gave way to the setting sun and the stark realization that the coming morning workers must 'clock-in' and school children must respond to that bell signaling class time.

I hope your Labor Day is enjoyed with friends and family with God's blessings.

PS. I'd sure like to go back and simply walk those old East St. Louis trails around Jones Park but I'll pass. That particular area of my hometown is one of the most crime-dangerous areas in America. I'll find a shady spot this afternoon in my backyard, close my eyes and reminisce.
(Touch)
Lazy Days of Summer