Source
State Archives of Florida, Series S368
Description
Letter from S.R. Troydon, athletic director at Landon Junior-Senior High School, asking the governor to confirm the date of the Thanksgiving holiday in 1940.
General Note
In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued a proclamation moving the Thanksgiving holiday from the last Thursday of November to the second to last Thursday of the month to extend the holiday shopping season. The holiday was changed from November 30, the last day of the month, to November 23. Thirty-two states issued similar proclamations, but 16 states refused to make the change. Florida Governor Fred P. Cone decided not to move the date forward and left the holiday on its traditional day. The governor's decision received both praise and opposition, with many wanting to keep with tradition, while others criticized the governor for creating confusion throughout the state. Many Florida organizations chose one date to celebrate the holiday, while others recognized both days as Thanksgiving. The dispute remained unresolved in 1940 and 1941. The issue was finally settled on December 26, 1941, when President Roosevelt signed a joint resolution declaring the fourth Thursday in November as the Federal Thanksgiving Day holiday.
LANDON JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA
W. H. TURNEY, PRINCIPAL
January 2nd, 1940.
Governor Fred P. Cone,
Executive Offices,
Tallahassee, Florida
Dear Governor Cone:
I know you appreciate the difficulty we high school coaches are having in arranging football schedules for 1940. Many of the schools throughout the state have traditional Thanksgiving rivals. They also have required [numbers] of Conference teams to play. It is virtually impossible for us to arrange a schedule without knowing when the Thanksgiving date will be.
I am writing this letter at the request of one of your secretaries, who told me some two weeks ago over the phone, that is the proper procedure to take. If it is at all possible to let us know now the Thanksgiving date for 1940, we football coaches would certainly appreciate it.
Sincerely yours,
[Signature] S. R. Troydon
Athletic Director
GRT:F
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