Daylight Savings Time

November 09, 2010

Another period of Daylight Savings Time has expired, and we return to what my mother always referred as God’s time. We all have stories about daylight time miscues, misadventures, and (as my granddaughter calls them) mess-ups. My favorite daylight saving story comes from a discussion during a book signing by Suzanne Arruda (author of the Jade Del Cameron mystery series). Her stories are well known for their meticulous research into period and location, especially concerning post WWI African history. While doing research for The Leopard’s Prey set in Nairobi, she had been reading the newspapers of the 1920s and 30s looking for local color and detail. When she noticed that many articles, editorials, and letters to the editor were taking sides and professing authority about daylight savings time. The battle raged on for over two years, each side claiming absolute wisdom concerning the right course for Nairobi. Finally, after countless squabbles back and forth, one astute writer pointed out that Nairobi lies mostly on the equator; therefore, every day of the year has twelve hours of daylight and twelve hours of darkness. Not much daylight to be saved there.

Pat B.
Claycomo Branch