Next Monday is labeled Presidents day... but what really is presidents day?

Its the day Congress labeled national holiday nationally known as President George Washington's Birthday; however many states started to change the name to President's Day decades ago, and it stuck even though Congress nor has the President ever voted for the day to be changed to 'President's Day'.

Soon after George Washington died, Americans began celebrating his birthday, long before Congress recognized it as a national holiday. Congress didn't actually recognize the day as a national holiday until 1879 under the presidency of Rutherford B Hayes, which is actually supposed to be observed on February 22 (Washington's actual birthday). People celebrated Washington's birthday on February 22nd into the 20th century when they enacted a law known as the Monday Holiday Law; which is meant to bring uniformity to the holiday and bring about more spiritual and economic life to the Nation as a whole.

Washington's birthday is to this day one of only eleven nationally recognized holidays that are permanent and established by Congress.

The Senate also takes part in a tradition of reading Washington's Farewell Address every year on his birthday, as a way to reflect and give growth to new ideas.

So my question remains, why does our college open on a day like today and why are the American people downgrading this major holiday to a mere President's Day?

All government agencies are closed today which includes the post office and banks, but FedEx and UPS are still running their routes.

Some schools choose to observe the holiday while others do not; we leave it up to each school.

If you look back 20 years ago we put so much more importance on this day then we do now, I can remember when I was in kindergarten and first grade we were without a doubt out of school... no questions asked. if you asked the question "do we have President's Day off?" people would look at you like you just walked out a loony bin. "Umm yes, most definitely we are out." Now, though, the tables have turned, and we no longer treat this day with that much respect. It is now just another ordinary day, except everybody keeps asking "Why is the bank closed?" with a bewildered look on their face.

We need to give respect back to this national holiday and return to the original name, remembering it as Washington's birthday.