ELIZABETH HOWARD - Making an art of everyday life

By ELIZABETH HOWARD

Last weekend I realized my knowledge of when Labor Day became a national holiday was vague. I could guess, but would probably not have the correct answer if questioned during a game show. With a little research, I learned that the recognition of Labor Day began in various states and was then accepted by a vote in Congress on June 28, 1845, designating Labor Day as the first Monday in September as a celebration of the social and economic achievements of American workers.

What I didn't know was that the Secretary of Labor, who was largely responsible for the creation of Social Security, unemployment insurance and the federal minimum wage, was a woman. Frances Perkins Wilson, an American sociologist and workers' rights advocate, served as the U.S. Secretary of Labor from 1933 to 1945, the individual serving the longest time in that position, and the first woman appointed to the U.S. Cabinet. The United States Labor Department building in Washington is named for her.

There is Labor Day, the very last gasp of summer, and there is "Back to School." Even as adults, we remember the night(s) before the first day of school. There is the anticipation of meeting up with friends, finding a new classroom, possibly adapting to a different school building, and, of course, meeting new teachers. There is the anxiety about how difficult the work will be, how much homework will be assigned and will we like the new teacher? Or, most importantly, will he or she like us? No two years of school are ever the same. What I particularly remember about going back to school is selecting a new pencil box. I still love the small vertical boxes that just have enough room for a few pencils, an eraser and a small plastic pencil sharpener.

I worked on Monday, Labor Day, and in fact, found it a particularly productive day, as most people were not working. There was time to focus on projects that require concentration and attention. I read a few pages from my well-worn copy of "Choices: Making an Art of Everyday Life," the catalogue that accompanied an exhibition at the New Museum of Contemporary Art (Feb. 1 – March 30, 1986). The late Marcia Tucker, founder of the New Museum, was considering the question of "Life and art – the relationships between the creative process and the lived experience." Individuals, in deciding to be an artist, have often made the choice to combine their lives and art.

People in other professions combine their life and work too. They may be engineers, doctors, lawyers, nurses, sales associations, plumbers, teachers and certainly entrepreneurs. They are passionate about their field of work and probably regard Labor Day as a celebration of the freedom we have as Americans to pursue our "labor." We have choices in whatever we do to make an art of our everyday life.

Labor Day and the beginning of the school year come together and it is like approaching a dead-end highway with the only option to turn in one direction. The year has reached a point of maturity when there is no turning back. The glorious blue warmth and yellow sun of summer connects to the gray quiet and often comforting cool of autumn.

Fall is glorious in New Hampshire for its pure beauty and there are many festivals and activities around the Lakes Region. I cannot believe I will miss Herman's Hermits on Sept. 23 at the Laconia Middle School. Those of us who can remember their first hit songs, "Mrs. Brown you've got a lovely daughter" and "I'm into something good" are now card-carrying members of the AARP. If you have started thinking about the Pumpkin Festival it is being held in Laconia this year on Saturday, Oct. 22. In New Hampshire, life and art are inextricably linked, and define our Lake Style.

Elizabeth Howard's career intersects journalism, marketing and communications. "Ned O'Gorman: A Glance Back," a book she edited, was published in May 2016. She is the author of "A Day with Bonefish Joe," a children's book, published by David R. Godine. She lives in New York City and has a home in Laconia. You can send her a note at Elizabeth@laconiadailysun.com.