FATHER KOELZER'S DOG'S BIRTHDAY

I ATTENDED A PAROCHIAL GRADE SCHOOL, CHRIST THE KING, FROM
1953 TO 1961. EVERY YEAR THE PASTOR, REV. J. HENRY KOELZER , WOULD
MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE GRADE SCHOOL CHILDREN ASSEMBLED FOR
THE DAILY 8:00 MASS. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT WOULD BE MADE ON
APPROXIMATELY OCTOBER 9, 10, OR 11TH ANNUALLY. FATHER KOELZER
WOULD SAY, "WHEN I WAS A YOUNGSTER LIKE YOURSELVES, I HAD A LITTLE
DOG HARVEY, AND I LOVED MY DOG. 'E WAS A GOOD DOG AND HE FOLLOWED ME
EVERYWHERE. ONE DAY, BOTH HARVEY AND I WERE OLDER, AND HE GOT
SICK. WHEN I WAS TALKING TO HIM, I'D SAY THAT I'D ALWAYS
REMEMBER HIS BIRTHDAY, BECAUSE HE MEANT SO MUCH TO ME. HARVEY
DIED A SHORT TIME LATER. AND SO, CHILDREN, HARVEY'S BIRTHDAY WAS
OCTOBER 12, AND I'M REMEMBERING IT BY GIVING YOU A DAY OFF FROM
SCHOOL ON THAT DAY."

Submitter comment: IT WASN'T UNTIL LATER THAT I CONNECTED THIS BIRTHDAY HOLIDAY FROM
SCHOOL WITH COLUMBUS DAY. SINCE OCTOBER 12 WAS COLUMBUS DAY, AND
WAS A SECULAR HOLIDAY, I CAME TO BELIEVE THAT FATHER KOELZER WAS
HONORING CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS AS WELL AS HIS DOG HARVEY, IN GIVING
US THIS HOLIDAY FROM SCHOOL.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Date learned: 00001950S

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