When I was growing up in the 1950's in the Appalachian foothills,
May Day was an annual event at our elementary school. This is evidence of the British Isles influence on our community as well as the last names of the children in my first grade classroom --
Wilson, Feeney, McDonald, Giles, and my own, Carroll.
The Maypole dance, however, was an annual spring event, which we began practicing for each April. It was part of a school festival, which I suppose, raised funds for the PTA or some such.
Each class would do a different dance, winding and unwinding the ribbons of pink, green and white.
As the ages of the children advanced, the intricacy of the designs increased. Each class danced to a different tune, played on a tinny sounding "record player." I loved this part of school, a reassuring ritual to a small child, heralding the return of spring and "hey" summer vacation on the horizon.
Do school children still dance around May Poles anywhere in this country?