Father’s Day

For most people, Father’s Day is a happy day, but it has a sad start to its history.
On 5th July 1908, a memorial event was held to honour the lives of 362 men
who had died in an explosion at the Fairmont Coal Company mines in West
Virginia, USA. Many men who died were father figures: fathers, stepfathers,
uncles, grandfathers, godfathers and carers.

One year later, a young woman named Sonora Smart

Dodd heard a church sermon about Mother’s Day.
Sonora’s mother had died when she was 10 years old
and she was one of six children who had been raised by
her father. She decided to try to gather support to start
an official national day to honour fathers.

Sonora talked to a number of groups about her plan.

She talked to churches, the YMCA, shopkeepers, and
the government. Finally, 19th June 1910 was chosen
by Washington State to be the world’s first official
Father’s Day. Other countries chose their
own official days to celebrate Fathers’ Day.
Australia celebrates Father’s Day on the
first Sunday in September each year.

Did You Know?

• In the UK, Father’s Day is celebrated each year

on the third Sunday of June.

• Sonora Dodd originally wanted Father’s Day to be

celebrated on the 5th of May, which was her father’s
birthday.

People in Australia celebrate Father’s Day in many different ways. It is a good

time to show appreciation to any man who acts like a father. Some of the most
common ways to do this might be to spend quality time with that person, to
give a thoughtful gift that suits him or to perform a thoughtful gesture that
could brighten up his day.

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 Father’s Day

Questions
1. Why was a memorial service given in West Virginia in July 1908?

2. Who was Sonora Smart Dodd?

3. Who did Sonora try to get support from?

4. In what year was the first official Father’s Day in the world celebrated?

5. Other than biological fathers, who else might be celebrated on this day?

6. What does ‘role of a father’ mean?

7. How will you celebrate Father’s Day?

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 Father’s Day

Answers
1. Why was a memorial service given in West Virginia in July 1908?
The memorial service was given in West Virginia to honour the lives of 362 men who
had perished in an explosion at the Fairmont Coal Company mines.

2. Who was Sonora Smart Dodd?

Sonora Dodd was a young woman who tried to establish a national day to
celebrate fathers.

3. Who did Sonora try to get support from?

Sonora tried to get support from churches, the YMCA, shopkeepers and the government.

4. In what year was the first official Father’s Day in the world celebrated?
The first Father’s Day was celebrated in 1910.

5. Other than biological fathers, who else might be celebrated on this day?
Any man who plays the role of a father in someone’s life might be celebrated on this day
(e.g. stepfathers, uncles, grandfathers, godfathers, carers, friends, mentors).

6. What does ‘role of a father’ mean?

To play the role of father means that a person acts like a dad/ father to somebody who
isn’t necessarily their child.

7. How will you celebrate Father’s Day?

Various answers.

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 Father’s Day
Although it is seen around the world today as a day of celebration, Father’s
Day actually has its roots in a tragedy. On 5th July 1908, a memorial event
was held to honour the lives of 362 men who had perished in an explosion at
the Fairmont Coal Company mines in West Virginia, USA. A great number
of the men who died were father figures in their communities.

The following year, a young woman named Sonora Smart Dodd

was sitting in church and heard a sermon about Mother’s Day.
Sonora’s mother had died when she was 10 years old, and she
was one of six children who had been raised by her father. She
appreciated all the love her father had given to her and all
the hard work he had done in raising her, so she decided
to try to garner support to start an official national day
to honour fathers.

Did You Know?

• In the UK, Father’s Day is celebrated each year

on the third Sunday of June.

• Sonora Dodd originally wanted Father’s Day to be

celebrated on the 5th of May, which was her father’s
birthday.

She successfully petitioned a number of groups, including

churches, the YMCA, shopkeepers, and the government.
Finally, 19th June 1910 was chosen by Washington State
to be the first official Father’s Day in the world. Since
then, countries around the world have chosen their own
official days to celebrate Fathers’ Day. Australia celebrates
Father’s Day on the first Sunday of September each year.

There are no set traditions for how people celebrate Father’s Day in Australia
because no two people are exactly the same. People have different ways of
showing their appreciation, not only to their biological fathers, but to any
man who plays the role of a father in their lives. The most common ways to do
this would be to spend quality time with that person, to give a thoughtful gift
that suits him or to perform a thoughtful gesture that will brighten up his day.

visit twinkl.com
 Father’s Day

Questions
1. What happened on 5th July 1908 in West Virginia?

2. Why do you think Sonora Dodd was so determined to have a national day just for fathers?

3. What does the word ‘garner’ mean?

4. When will Father’s Day be celebrated in Australia this year?

5. Other than biological fathers, who else might be celebrated on this day?

6. What does ‘appreciate’ mean?

7. How will you celebrate Father’s Day?

visit twinkl.com
 Father’s Day

Answers
1. What happened on 5th July 1908 in West Virginia?
A memorial event was held to honour the lives of 362 men who had perished in an
explosion at the Fairmont Coal Company mines.

2. Why do you think Sonora Dodd was so determined to have a national day just for fathers?
Sonora Dodd was determined because she wanted to show appreciation for her father,
who had raised her and her siblings on his own.

3. What does the word ‘garner’ mean?

Garner means to gather or collect

4. When will Father’s Day be celebrated in Australia this year?

Father’s Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of September (3rd September 2017; 2nd
September 2018; 1st September 2019; 6th September 2020, etc.)

5. Other than biological fathers, who else might be celebrated on this day?
Any man who plays the role of a father in someone’s life (e.g. stepfathers, uncles,
grandfathers, godfathers, carers, friends, mentors).

6. What does ‘appreciate’ mean?

Appreciate means to feel grateful or thankful for something or someone.

7. How will you celebrate Father’s Day?

Various answers.

visit twinkl.com
 Father’s Day
While it’s now seen around the world as a day of celebration, Father’s Day has
its roots in a calamity. On 5th July 1908, a memorial event was held to honour
the lives of 362 men, who had perished in a devastating blast at the Fairmont
Coal Company mines in West Virginia, USA. Many of the men who died were
father figures in their communities.

Less than 12 months later, a young woman named Sonora

Smart Dodd witnessed a church sermon about Mother’s Day,
which sparked her imagination. Sonora’s mother had passed
away when she was 10 years old and she was one of six
children who had been raised by her father. She appreciated
the complexities of the job her father had in raising her.
She decided to try to garner support to start an official
national day to honour fathers.

Did You Know?

• In the UK, Father’s Day is celebrated each year

on the third Sunday of June.

• Sonora Dodd originally wanted Father’s Day to be

celebrated on the 5th of May, which was her father’s
birthday.

Sonora Dodd successfully petitioned a number of groups,

including churches, the YMCA, shopkeepers, and the
government. Finally, 19th June 1910 was chosen by
Washington State to be the first official Father’s Day in
the world. Since then, countries around the world have
chosen their own official days to celebrate Fathers’ Day. Australia
celebrates Father’s Day annually on the first Sunday of September.

There are no hard-and-fast traditions on how people celebrate Father’s Day

in Australia because no two people are identical. People have diverse ways of
showing their appreciation, not only to their biological fathers, but to any man
who plays the role of a father in their lives. The most common ways to do this
would be to spend quality time with that person, to give a thoughtful gift that
suits him, or to perform a thoughtful gesture that will brighten up his day.

visit twinkl.com
 Father’s Day

Questions
1. What does ‘calamity’ mean?

2. What happened on 5th July 1908 in West Virginia?

3. Why do you think Sonora Dodd was so determined to have a national day just for fathers?

4. What does the word ‘garner’ mean?

5. How could you work out the date of Father’s Day next year?

6. Other than biological fathers, who else might be celebrated on this day?

7. What does ‘hard-and-fast’ mean?

8. How will you celebrate Father’s Day?

visit twinkl.com
 Father’s Day

Answers
1. What does ‘calamity’ mean?
Calamity means tragedy/disaster/a damaging or distressing event.

2. What happened on 5th July 1908 in West Virginia?

A memorial event was held to honour the lives of 362 men who had perished in an
explosion at the Fairmont Coal Company mines.

3. Why do you think Sonora Dodd was so determined to have a national day just for fathers?
Sonora Dood was so determined to have a national day just for fathers because her
mother had died and she wanted to show appreciation for her father, who had raised
her and her siblings on his own.

4. What does the word ‘garner’ mean?

Garner means to gather or collect

5. How could you work out the date of Father’s Day next year?
Father’s Day is on the first Sunday of September (3rd September 2017; 2nd September
2018; 1st September 2019; 6th September 2020).

6. Other than biological fathers, who else might be celebrated on this day?
Any man who plays the role of a father in someone’s life might be celebrated on this day
(e.g. stepfathers, uncles, grandfathers, godfathers, carers, friends, mentors).

7. What does ‘hard-and-fast’ mean?

ˈHard-and-fastˈ means set/fixed/strict.

8. How will you celebrate Father’s Day?

Various answers.

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