JAMES: NEXT TUESDAY, MARCH 20TH, SPRING OFFICIALLY
BEGINS AT 12:16 A.M.
EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME.
DEAN: BUT DO YOU KNOW WHY WE CALL SPRING,
SPRING?
LET'S SHOW YOU!
(STOP)
JAMES: WELL, SPRING IS SIMPLY SHORT FOR THE
PHRASES, "SPRING OF THE LEAF" AND "SPRING
OF THE YEAR."
SPRING OF THE LEAF IS OBVIOUS BECAUSE LEAVES
DO LITERALLY SPRING UP OUT OF BRANCHES AT
THIS TIME.
BUT WHAT DOES SPRING OF THE YEAR MEAN?
DEAN: BEFORE 1752 IN ENGLAND AND AMERICA,
THE NEW YEAR BEGAN ON MARCH 25TH, THE FIRST
DAY OF SPRING.
IN OTHER WORDS THE NEW YEAR SPRANG UP AT THE
SAME TIME THE LEAVES SPRANG UP.
IN FACT, WHEN GEORGE WASHINGTON AND BEN FRANKLIN
WERE YOUNG, THEY ALL WISHED EACH OTHER "HAPPY
NEW YEAR" ON THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING-- UNTIL
THE ENGLISH PARLIAMENT REFORMED THE CALENDAR
AND DECLARED THAT AFTER 1752 THE NEW YEAR
WOULD BE CELEBRATED ON JANUARY 1ST.
JAMES: SO HAPPY SPRING AND HAPPY 'OLD' NEW
YEAR!
BOTH: KEEP LOOKING UP!