Children posing with a Maypole

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A photograph of children posing around a maypole for a group photo. The maypole was used to celebrate the coming of summer. This celebration traditionally occurred on the first day of May.

Maypoles were generally decorated with multicolor ribbons and then to music children would grab a ribbon and walk or dance around the pole weaving a pattern around the pole. The pattern slowly extends the whole length of the pole, from the top to the bottom. The children would then repeat the process in reverse. The longer the ribbon, the longer the days of summer will be.

The maypole tradition comes from Austria, Germany, and parts of Ireland. We think the tradition was brought to Glassboro by many of the glassworkers that immigrated to Glassboro from Germany. The location of this photo is unknown.