A cursory poll of my “little students” yesterday offered a mix of answers to the question how will you spend your Fourth of July? Not a single one mentioned the way I used to spend my Fourth: heading to a public park to celebrate and of course see a fireworks display. I posed this to my older students last night in class and we discussed the various reasons why 19th and 20th century-styled community gatherings are no longer en vogue. Too busy, too noisy, legitimate concerns of safety in large crowds. Too easy to sit at home in your hyper-individualized world with your iPad and smartphone. Just more “bowling alone,” I suppose, a phrase I consider more and more prescient (I used to consider it merely observant) these days.

In the 19th and early 20th century it was a common practice in towns across America for a public official, say a mayor or a justice of the peace, on the Fourth of July, to recite the Declaration of Independence in some public square, a courthouse lawn or public park for example. This practice faded in recent generations, and though I tried to revive it in Binghamton in the 2000s, I too let the ritual end. I guess I’m part of the problem, then, and yes, I plan to spend this Fourth of July at home. Dang. Well, I’m reading the Declaration of Independence today, to my son at least, and reminding him, and myself, of the great virtues of this country, established in its founding and hopefully continued today.