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Show WASATCH COUNTY COURIER October 19, 1999 Local Members The Sordid History of Halloween to Attend 72nd and goblins National FFA them of the fallen leaves permeates the air, especially when the neighbors decide to — burn them. The days are warm and the nights are cool, perfect weather for — sleeping. B.Y.U. begins their annual ascent up the college football polls, only to quickly descend after they lose a game they should have won. Hunters go out in search of deer, elk, or a good excuse to sit around a campfire and tell stories. Best of all, Days, Smiths, and Kings stock their shelves with bags of Halloween candy. . alone. The Celts also tried to bribe the evil spirits to leave them alone by leaving offerings of sweets. Another part of the Celtic New Year as “mischief night.” Children dressed in celebration was the feast of Taman. The feast of Taman occurred re of Success” on Louisville, Ky., during the 72nd National FFA Convention, October 27-30. 16 members of the ren orange, FFA mem- ~ Wasatch FFA chapter will join fellow members from all 50 states, Puerto Rico, costumes and went door to door, begGuam and the Virgin Islands to develop — ging for lumps of coal to burn their effi_ premier leadership, personal growth and gies of Guy Fawkes. career success. Appropriately themed, The Pilgrims and the Puritans brought “Signature of Success” symbolizes the the tradition of Guy Fawkes day with agricultural education organization’s them when they came to America in desire to leave a positive impression on on November 1. During this feast, a bonfire was set high on a hill. The purpose of the bonfire was to fuel the autumn sun so that it would continue to burn during the cold winter months. The bonfire was also supposed to please and glorify the Celtic sun god. The Celts the 1600’s. Catholic colonists brought Halloween and All Saints’ Day to America. It didn’t take long for the two traditions to blend together into one holiday. ~ believed that horses were sacred to the sun. god, so they sacrificed horses in the their communities wy bright 49,000 bers and guests from across the nation are preparing to leave their “Signature eee Toe turn ‘Indianapolis—Over and the agriculture industry. This will be the first convention held in since r beings. lar The Celts rind to influence the Lord of the Dead’s judgement by making offerings of food and wine. The offerings were made in hopes that their dead ancestors would be allowed to return home for a brief visit. The Celts believed that the dead would be tired and hungry from their travels in the _ afterlife, so food and drink were set out for them bonfire. as well. To avert unwanted of the Parliament building. Christmas and Easter, it started out as a The pagan holiday that became part of the Christian tradition. Halloween is. the least serious holiday that we Americans celebrate. It shouidn’t be anything plan was discovered jusl as Guy Fawkes entered the cellar of the building to set off the gunpowder. He was immediately arrested, tried, and hung. Parliament _ then declared November 5 a national day of thanksgiving. This known as “Guy Fawkes Day.” became - The. hatred between the Protestants and the Catholics meant most. people in’ England no longer celebrated All more than a time to be with friends | and enjoy one another’s company. definitely not something It is to. be -taken: too seriously. As Orson Welles said at the end of “The War of the Worlds”, -was no martian, it’s just ) © Halloween.” Z. _ “That Trp me | has fascinated TUNIC Louisville, Ky. For the last 71 years, the was a kid. I always wondered how a national convéntion was held in Kansas decid‘Christianity spread across Europe from ~ In the 1880's, Victorian Meise holiday could inspire otherwise perfectCity, Mo. FFA made the decision to ed that Halloween was too wild and . the first century AD aah a the fourth ly normal children and adults to dress needed to be tamed a bit. Instead of |. move from Missouri to Kentucky due to century. up in ghoulish costumes on October.31 the quality and size of facilities in being about evil spirits and the walking and either beg for candy or soap your _ Rather than fight Celtic traditions, the Louisville. Over $300,000 has been dead, Halloween became a time of windows. In the olden days, Halloween early Christians incorporated those tra-_ given by sponsors to make the transition socially acceptable parties and parlor pranksters would also tip over your out- | ditions and beliefs into their religion. from Kansas City to. Louisville as games. Children’s magazines printed house. Clearly, Halloween has been Samhain was - assimilated into All nice pictures of fairies, witches, black smooth as possible. around a long time, but how many peo_ Saints’ Day, which was originally celecats, and jack-o-lanterns. Women’s ple realize just how ancient Halloween ? brated on May 13. In the eighth centu- - magazines printed articles on how to New features. at this year’s convention traditions are? ry, Pope Gregory III changed All include a fireworks extravaganza, a throw: a successful Halloween party. Saint’s Day to Novernber 1. He hoped nation-wide food drive, and an agriculHalloween costumes came back into eliowean: began as a harvest festival — that it would replace Samhain. The ture ambassador program that places | fashion, after disappearing for about — called Samhain, celebrated by the clergy encouraged people to bake bread - one hundred years. Halloween celelocal 4th graders with FFA members to . Celtic people centuries before the birth and pastries, called soul, cakes,. to offer .-brants, got younger and younger, until ‘teach about the food and fiber industry ’ of Christ. It was like Swiss Days, only in exchange for blessings, rather than Halloween finally.;became the chiland natural resources. Members will also with animal sacrifices and bonfires. I’m trying to appease spirits with food and dren’s holiday that it is today. have the chance to hear from speakers kidding about Swiss Days. Actually, the wine. The soul cakes were given to the Celts. were deadly serious about such as acclaimed actor Danny Glover, - As I mentioned earlier, Halloween is. - poor in exchange for prayers for dead Samhain. In fact, one reason for the worldwide adventurer Jamie Clark, also about playing practical jokes on relatives. The clergy encouraged people festival of Samhain was to honor the motivational speaker Dave Roever, and— friends and neighbors. My all time to masquerade on AII Saints Day, not Celtic dead. motivational humorist Emory Austin. favorite Halloween trick occurred on to fool evil. spirits, but to honor October 30, 1938. On that date, Orson Christian Saints. The Church also tried The Celts lived in what is now Ireland, Members will compete in career develWelles managed to convince many to convince people that the bonfires’ Scotland’ England, Wales, and northopment events, be recognized for outAmericans that Mars had invaded they lit in honor of the sun were really ern France. In the cool climate of that standing accomplishments in their Earth with his radio broadcast, “The to frighten the devil away. _ region, the Celts lived by hunting and supervised agriculture, experience, and War of the Worlds.” | herding. The Celts considered _ participate in leadership development On the eve of AII Saints’ Day, October November 1 the first day of winter, and 31, in medieval England, people sat _ Welles’ program started out as a musiworkshops. Delegates from. each state the first day of the new year. On the cal program of big band music, supposhollowed-out, candle-lit turnips on gate will discuss topics affecting the national first day of winter, the Celts brought to edly broadcast from a hotel in. New posts to ward off evil spirits. A bell organization and elect a new national shelter the finest animals from their York City. It was soon interrupted by ringer wandered’ the streets of British officer team. Members will also partici-_ herds of cattle and sheep. They slaughseveral _ announcement _ that towns and villages for the same pur- © an pate in a career show, featuring over 300 | tered the rest of the animals and held a unknown explosions had been observed pose. The poor people of the town or exhibitors from agriculture, business and great feast and celebration. The Celts on the surface of Mars. More music village came begging for soul cakes in education. dedicated the feast to the Celtic Lord played, then was interrupted by — exchange for prayers. of the Dead. This celebration was the er announcement. | FFA is a national organization of most sacred Celtic holiday of the year. ‘Halloween came to America as both 450,752 members preparing for leaderThis announcement said that several — All Saints’ Day and Guy Fawkes Day. The Celts believed that the dead rose ship and careers in the science, business large objects had landed in New Jersey. On November 5, 1605, a group of from their graves on the eve of Soon the objects opened and huge and technology of agriculture. The Catholic radicals, including a man Samhain, and that ancestral ghosts and monsters came out firing death rays and organization has 7,503 chapters located named Guy Fawkes, tried to blow up demons were set free to roam the earth, spraying poison gas. Thousands of peothroughout the United States, Puerto the British Parliament. At that time, harm crops, and trouble homes. Each | ple who missed the beginning of the Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands. there was a lot of animosity between year on Samhain, the Celts believed program were terrified. They had no the Catholics and the Protestants in FFA’s mission is to make a positive difthat the Lord of the Dead assembled all idea that it was a radio show and not’ the British Isles: Not much has lost souls for re-sentencing. Sinners ference in the lives of students by develthe real thing. Welles finally had to changed in nearly five hundred years. _were sentenced to live as lowly animals. interrupt the program to tell people oping their potential for premier leaderfor twelve months in the afterlife. Anyway, Parliament was sympathetic to - that it was only a radio drama. ship, personal growth and career success _ Good people were sentenced to twelve the Protestants, so Guy Fawkes and histhrough agricultural education. Local, Halloween can be a fun time if it is more months of death, but were - gang attempted to blow up them up by - state and national activities and award taken in the proper spirit. Like allowed to take the shape of human planting kegs of gunpowder in the celprograms provide opportunities for stuHalloween dents to apply knowledge: and skills learned in the classroom. _ Those members attending from the Wasatch Chapter will be Ryan Provost, Jared Jones, Kerri Park, Kelli Park, Jake “aise? ‘Shantel Keller, Kyle Mactenic, Anne Haueter, Wade Frisby, - Sara Varner, Sulser, Alan Rail, Tawnya | Lindsey Payne, Tyree Medler, Mr. Sulser and Miss Tinker.% i .. eT Creek maroon, and golden yellow. The smell Convention a Snake Day because it was a Catholic holiday. However, the British still liked a good party, so Halloween traditions -soon became a part of Guy Fawkes Day celebrations. People built large bonfires and burned Guy Fawkes in effigy. They also hollowed out turnips and carved grotesque faces into them. The night before Guy Fawkes Day became known a while. The leaves in Provo Canyon and . Saints spirits, the Celts disguised themselves as dead people. The Celts believed that if they were disguised, the evil spirits would mistake them for other evil spirits and leave ae School starts, and teachers and_ students are glad to be back, at least for a visits from malicious re [ love autumn. I can always plan on certain things happening in the fall. i Rich Rasband, » Contributing Writer rey The story behind where we get our passion for ghouls |