REFORMING THE CALENDAR 583 



occur on Sunday. Another nuisance is the inequality in the length of 

 the months and the random fashion in which the various lengths occur 

 — this irregularity even requiring the memorizing of pretty little poems, 

 such as "Thirty days hath September, etc." Still another evil is the 

 starting a new year about one-third way through a season instead of 

 each beginning at the same time. Still another is the ten days dis- 

 crepancy between the beginning of the calendar year and the solar year, 

 there being no good reason why they should not start together — say at 

 the winter solstice, instead of a little after, as at present. 



There is hardly room herein to fully discuss the question historically 

 or to analyze all that is now being done to effect a reform in our curious 

 calendar. It may, however, be interesting to get an idea of a modern 

 view of the case by compiling a resume of a series of articles upon 

 calendar reform, written by various students of the subject during the 

 past year or so. 



Eef erring to Science, Vol. XXXII., p. 154, a communication from 

 Professor Eeininghaus advocates changing the present Gregorian calen- 

 dar by starting the year with six months of 28 days (four whole weeks 

 each) followed by a half -month of two weeks, then by six more such 

 months and another half -month. This completes 364 days of the year. 

 To them is added a non-week day, followed in leap-years by another 

 day. 



On page 306, same volume, Dr. Slocum quotes Mr. Cotsworth, of 

 England, as recommending thirteen 28-day months, putting the extra 

 one in midsummer and calling it " Sol." He then puts in an extra 

 day, calling it " Christmas," and each four years inserts a " Leap-day." 



On page 513 Professor Patterson quotes Sr. Hesse, of Chili, as advo- 

 cating thirteen 28-day months, plus one or two necessary non-week days, 

 suggesting that the new month shall come in winter and be called 

 ' ( Trecember." Professor Patterson, however, prefers to have the new 

 month in summer and suggests " Roma " for its name. He also advo- 

 cates that we number the hours of the day from 1 to 24, instead of put- 

 ting in duplicate groups of twelve each, as now. 



On page 556 Mr. Dabney agrees with the 13-month advocates above 

 mentioned. He refers to possible difficulties in arranging the legal 

 holidays, which seem to depend somewhat upon politics and public 

 enthusiasm. He thinks that outside of the four old-fashioned ones, 

 they had better be made to occur on Sundays so there would not be too 

 many of them to interfere with regular weekly occupations. 



On page 628, Dr. Cohen fears differences of opinion among followers 

 of the various great religions, should some calendar reform be made 

 universal. He proposes that we do not name the days at all, but simply 

 number them from one to seven in each week as do now certain of the 

 religious denominations, and as did the ancient Hebrews. 



