Maybe the calendar should start in September

January 1 marks the official beginning of a new calendar year. It was established by the Roman calendar and is accepted around the world. In many Asian countries the New Year coincides with Buddha’s Birthday. April 1 marks the official beginning of a new provincial and federal government year.
But wouldn’t it make much more sense to mark September 1 the beginning of the year.
When do children start school? September!
When does the college and university year start? September!
When do registrations for Hockey, swimming, figure skating, Judo, and a host of other athletic sports begin? September!
When do organizations and service clubs begin afresh? Right after Labour Day! That too is their new year.
After a hiatus of June, July and August, it seems to me that everyone is ready to roll up their sleeves and return to action. The summer months have passed. Growing up, our family as a good protestant family took the summer months away from the sanctuary of the church. September marked the beginning of the church year for us.
When does the new television season begin? September!
People look around their homes and see kitchens to be modernized, bedrooms to be painted and other home repairs all shouting for attention. As homeowners we begin the task with a new sense of vigor.
There is purpose back in our lives. New executives are elected. New budgets are approved for the year. Plans of action are laid out. There is a renewed sense of direction and purpose.
In some states in the US rather than using the calendar year to determine the age of children entering school, schools look at the start of the school year and a child has to be a certain age on the first day of September.
When I grew up, the new car year began in September. The dealers all seemed to coordinate the unveiling of the new models on a common day. The anticipation of the new cars would see school end at 4:00 and every boy eight years or older would head to Henry Motors, or Mel Newman or Fort Frances Motor Products or West End motors to ogle the new vehicles.
They had all been slipped into Fort Frances under cover of darkness. The model year began in September. Today the model year is more vague.
There is logic to making September the beginning of the New Year.

–Jim Cumming,
Publisher