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April 2006
Students at USM’s Lewiston-Auburn College (USM/L-A) will be hosting a special “May Day”celebration on campus Monday, May 1.
Organized by students in the “Labor, Literature, and the Arts” course, this event highlighting the labor movement will include a family picnic, music, guest speakers and presentations, and information tables. If the weather permits, it will be held outdoors; otherwise it will be held in the Function Room. All are welcome to participate.
May Day is a name for various holidays celebrated on May 1, the most famous of which is International Workers' Day, which is the commemoration of the social and economic achievements of the labor movement. On May 1, 1884, at the convention of the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions of the United States and Canada, (forerunner of the American Federation of Labor) a resolution was introduced to crystallize labor’s support for the eight-hour workday in the United States.
The May Day event at USM/L-A will include an opening breakfast of coffee & baked goods to be held from 10 to 11 AM. It will include a presentation by John Casey on “Australia, Spain, America, & the World Social Forum Movement.” Other speakers will also address the group. At noon, there will be a free Somali catered lunch and a potluck picnic. Everyone is encouraged to bring a favorite food to share. Several invited guests will then make brief presentations on topics such as “From Theory to Practice - Working People’s Politics,” “Industrial Unionism and the University,” and “Youth Looks to the Future.” This will be followed by an open mike session and discussion.
Throughout the day, the USM/L-A “Singing Workers” will provide musical entertainment with selections from the Little Red Songbook. Several organizations will have information tables, including the Maine Labor News publication, Maine Social Forum, Maine Socialist Alliance, Industrial Workers of the World, Communist Party USA, Let Cuba Live, and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 567.
As an added attraction, the “Eighth Annual Mousetrap Car Race” will also take place that day from noon to 2 PM. Students from the Auburn Middle School will compete against USM/L-A students in the Applied Physics class. The students will enter their cars in various categories such as fastest car, furthest distance, decoration, and technology. Judges will include noted race car drivers and art teachers. A stock car will be on display in the parking lot.
This event is free of charge and will be held at USM/L-A on 51 Westminster Street in Lewiston. The public is invited to attend and children are welcome. Anyone interested may also contact Dr. Barry Rodrigue at 753-6574 or rodrigue@usm.maine.edu.
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