Published January 1965 — Download PDF of the original newspaper column
From the Office of United States Senator Robert C. Byrd Room 342, Old Senate Office Building. Washington, D. C. 20510 Volume V -- Number 5 1/29/65 Byrd's Eye View A Public Service Column by Senator Robert C. Byrd GROUND HOG DAY Farmers and gardeners in West Virginia will have an opportunity on February 2 to determine whether to begin spring planting early this year. That is, if they can locate a specimen of the terrestrial, herbivorous rodent family of the Marmot, and if they can catch sight of him quickly enough, as he emerges from his winter hibernation, to tell whether or not he saw his shadow, or just does not care for the present shape of the world, before he scurries back for another bit of snoozing. For centuries, the woodchuck, popularly known in northern North America as the ground hog, has been the means by which forecasts were made as to the coming of warm weather. According to an old superstition, on February 2, the ground hog leaves his burrow of many compartments, having nested and hibernated through the long winter months, bear-style, to take a look around. If he sees his own shadow, he promptly says a mental, "Br-rr-r! None of this for me!” and reverses his travels for a rapid retreat underground for another six weeks of good, hard sleeping. Thus a bright, sunny February 2 is automatically supposed to mean six more weeks of winter weather. This barometer of the seasons, however, has been in question for some decades, as some older European folk claim that the woodchuck (alias ground hog) was scared back into his underground home from the brightness of the many candles used in Candlemas processions, also traditionally occurring on February 2. In many churches, including the Roman Catholic and Anglican, that date is celebrated as the feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, it is ceremoniously observed as the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, and is marked by a procession of candles. On that day, too, for centuries, candles for use in churches and homes for the ensuing year are blessed. The symbolism of the candle has had a wide range of use in literature and art, as well as religion. The candle is frequently used to represent joy and reverence for the divine. However, it is more often used as a symbol of sacrifice (since the candle spends itself). The lighting of candles and carrying of them in a procession to attend a Mass, where blessings are said, is thus a tradition. And the ground hog, if he emerged from his long slumbers in the midst of a Candlemas parade, might have enough light to see his shadow, with or without the sun to cast it, but he also might be startled at the flickering candles and retreat in fright to his accustomed dark burrow. Perhaps West Virginians might just wish to give the sturdy ground hog, in his thick, coarse, brownish-hair, pelt, such respect as they feel he is due as a symbol and prefer to rely for weather forecasts on their trusty Farmers' Almanacs, or such portents as their elders derive from the effects of the changing weather on their rheumatic aches and pains. -30-