VOL. V, NO. 13

Mai Jour est arrive, which means in French, May Day has arrived, is celebrated as a spring festival in many European countries today.

No one knows the origin of the customs which have clustered around this day. Some people believe the celebration of May Day started with the tree worship of the ancient Druids. Others think May Day goes back even farther, to the spring festivals of Egypt and India.

May Day was a favorite holiday for the people of English villages in the Middle Ages. In England today, May Day is still celebrated as it was years ago with dancing, gathering spring flowers, and choosing a King and Queen of the May. The old custom of the Maypole, set in the village square with dancing around it and children holding ends of ribbons which streamed from the top, is still enjoyed in parts of England. The Puritans frowned on May Day, and for this reason the day was never celebrated with the same enthusiasm in the United States as in England.

May Day has become an important patriotic holiday in the Soviet Union. It was chosen by the Socialist Party as the day on which working people would hold demonstrations. May Day is celebrated in this way particularly by members of the Communist‑dominated labor unions and political parties in many parts of the world.

Across the Pacific in Hawaii, "Lei Day" is celebrated on May 1st by dancing and the making of leis.

Various colleges today have revived the old custom of electing a May Queen and giving a May dance in her honor.

Although it isn't a national holiday in the United States, May Day is still recognized as an official Spring Day!