On the agenda for Monday’s City Council meeting is discussion of returning trick-or-treat hours to the evening.
What brought the question back before council was a petition presented by an 11-year-old, whose name escapes me this evening. If you ever doubt one person can make a difference, give her a call.
I have no idea which way my fellow council members are leaning. I won’t be at Monday’s meeting, which in the interest of domestic tranquility is probably a good thing.
I favor returning trick-or-treat hours to the evening. My wife Kathy does not.
To me, it is just the way it should be. And while I’m on that kick, I also personally thing trick-or-treat should be on Halloween proper.
Oil City moved trick or treat to daylight hours in the wake of the Shauna Howe kidnapping and murder. At the time it made perfect sense. Pedophilic killers were somewhere among us.
It was a tragedy where evil triumphed, but it was a tragedy that could have happened anywhere for evil is found everywhere. Unfortunately, Shauna’s tragedy seemed to define Oil City for many years.
It’s time to move on.
In my mind, trick or treat is just meant to be done by the light of the moon, with a little help from street lamps, porch lights and the flashlights of hovering parents. It might not technically be the witching hour, but for the kids it sure seems like it. I can’t imagine daylight trick or treating leaving nearly the same memories I gained 50 years ago schlepping a pillow case along darkened streets in the neighborhood where I was brought up.
I know there are advantages to daylight hours. I’m sure they will be enumerated Monday. Certainly, it is easier for motorists and from that sense safer for kids. It probably discourages some of teens who are or should be too old for door-to-door looting. And it probably results in less vandalism.
Still, I don’t remember huge problems when trick or treat was carried out in darkness.
So, do you favor the forces of light or the shadows of night?
(My ability to add your comments might be limited for the next week, but I will try to get them up as best I can)
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11 comments:
I'm with you John! Having grown up in Oil City, I have very fond memories of trick or treating in the twilight hours. There were certain houses that you just had to visit due to the effort they put forth in their decorations. Everyone, at least from the South Side, remembers the Great Pumpkin on Innis Street. I now have my own childern and would like them to have the opportunity to trick or treat at night in their own community. It's a special feeling that cannot be duplicated with daytime treating. I understand the concerns of safety, I also wish my children to remain safe. That is why it's so important for the parents to accompany the children and the drivers to slow down and enjoy the show of the costumes parading by.
I'm anxious to see what approach council will take to this question at Monday's meeting. I'll be sure to check the paper early Tuesday morning to read the results.
Dear John,
As a resident of the City and as a City employee, I am in full agreement with you regarding the return of trick-or-treat hours to night time on Halloween itself.
It is time, in fact it is past time, to return back to the traditional day and hours when children went out at night (with proper supervision) and experienced the fun and excitement of a time of rustling leaves, glowing jack-o-lanterns, and things that go bump in the night.
Night time halloween celebrations had nothing to do with that poor young girl's death. It was all about the evil intentions of three evil men and an opportunity they had that could have been excercised at any time.
Some in the City talk of the 'safety issues' involved. But until that tragic event, there was no mention of ongoing safety issues that threatened future Halloween nights. I am an admirer of our police force and its agressive and thoughtful chief, Bob Wenner. But I know of no studies by our police that have shown any correlation between night time trick or treating on Halloween and increased incidents of danger or pedophilic attacks on our children. In fact, I believe there have been no studies. There has only been some anecdotal talk regarding traffic and childrens safety, something that has already been effectively dealt with over the years.
And lets talk safety. If the City is indeed concerned with safety as a priority issue for night time Halloween hours, then how does that square with the First Night activities? On New Year's Eve, you have large numbers of people walking the streets of the City at night, who face drivers, many of whom are under the influence of alcohol. Yet no one suggests we discontinue First Night, even though one would assume that people subject themseles to a more perilous experience on our City streets. And who knows what types of individuals are out that night roaming our City?
But what bothers me the most regarding the Shuana Howe incident and the City's somewhat over the top reaction to it is that we have allowed the bad guys to win. When an evil act happened, we caved. We changed our behavior. We changed our traditions. We allowed 'them' to alter our how we live. How many times do you hear people say, "don't go in that neighborhood. It's unsafe". Or, "make sure you stay off that street, there are bad people there". Instead, our reaction should be eliminating the danger and taking back the streets and neighborhoods. The same applies here. We should go back to night time trick or treating on Halloween if only to show that we will not be intimidated, we will not be stopped in our pursuit of what we believe to be a fun and harmless activity for our children, and that we will stand up against evil and not change our behavior and cower against those who dare to strike at our community and our children.
And maybe, just maybe, Shauna is looking down from heaven (where all innocent children must go) and hoping that we return to that time before she was taken away from us.
I strongly believe it is time to once again open our doors at night and greet the little ghosts and goblins, hear their feet crunch against the fallen leaves, and rejoice at the echo of their laughter as they go house to house bathed in the glow of lighted homes, jack-0-lanterns, and the smiles of their parents.
Thank you John for giving me the opportunity to write this on your blog.
Sincerely,
Rick Cook
I don't live inside Oil City but I vote with you - twilight and ON Halloween. Just the way it should be. I pass out extra goodies to parents coming by dressed up with their kids :)
I know the last comment is up somewhat after the fact, assuming council took up the question last night.
Still, I think this is a worth discussion and I hope to see it continue.
The delay in getting comments posted is that I am traveling.
Thanks everyone for taking the time to be involved.
John
I guess I'm neutral on the subject and don't really care either way. I will say that the last few years I have been very disappointed at what has shown up at my door for treats. So much so, that I don't plan to participate this year. I live on the Southside so it may be different elsewhere, but by and large we had kids too old to be doing it, in either no costume or dark, slasher/murderer outfits. Very few traditional "dark" costumes like Dracula, Frankenstien, etc. We had gangs of youths in nothing more than "Scream" masks or gory attire. We also had adults bearing children well below the age to even eat candy (in strollers!). I got the impression that many viewed the day as a chance to get more "hand outs" and the costumes were an after thought - if at all. Very few were deserving of any kind of treat.
I'm sorry for being such a wet blanket, but if you saw what comes to our door you would understand. It's nice to be all nostalgic about your own Halloween memories. The reality today in Oil City is far different.
Wow - my family is from there, and I had no idea any of this had happened. Weird to see the city I was born in, in the news for such tragedy and long-running weirdness.
I'm glad to see they're going to let it go forward - letting fear dictate your action and your life is no life at all...
-Scotty Anderson
I hope your return to evening trick or treating is everything you want it to be. Maybe it will bring the community together in a way it did years ago. I am not from Oil City, just someone who was moved by the actions of a child wanting to participate in the fun of the season. Happy Halloween from Salem, MA. Blessed Be.
I'm with you as well Mr. Bartlett! I'm not from your area but I do believe it's time to move on and not live in fear. It's amazing a little girl, Miss Roess, made such a big difference! I applaud her...
It has been a long while since I did the whole dressing up thing but I do remember it was at night. The towns I lived in and the one I live in now allows trick or treating at certain times 6pm-8pm. Which I think is great for little trick or treaters. Even though Halloween is for fun, you should always think of safety...
Have a fun and safe Halloween!
June Butler
Its not just Oil City that has changed... The whole world has changed.. But you cant stop going to the grocery out of fear you will be mugged. (this is what happend to a close friend a couple months ago)You cant board up windows out of fear someone is looking in (happend to myself and sister as children.. i wont go into any more details there), You cant stop eating because there is tainted food and you fear you will eat it, you cant.......the list goes on and on.
Point is, terrible things happen..to alot of people in alot of towns.. You took away trick or treating (which, to them, only punished the children from enjoying something that has been around for years) instead of being more responsible with your children the next year.
I grew up in a small town...No one ever locked their doors.. some still dont. I Have been in the military as a police officer for 16 years. I have my own demons from childhood I have delt with. I have seen many horrible things..and have lived through my own tragedys. But you have to learn to overcome! Not keep a town locked in fear when a certain day/night approaches.
I speak from experience from my own life, from others lives that i have been involved in and I am also a parent..I pray every day when they go to school that they make it home safely. I do my best to protect them.. I do walk them every year for trick or treat--because common sense says to me. "it is dark out... predators know there will be alot of children out".
I keep that watchful eye on them as they smile and enjoy the night knowing I am right there behind them keeping them safe.
I have locator on their cells if they are not where they are supposed to be I can find them when needed. They know to call and check in when they are told and if they dont call they know i will call them.. There are no excuses allowed....teach your children that there are no excuses allowed and WHY they are not allowed!! But they also need some freedom to be a child and to enjoy those things children enjoy... Those things I enjoyed as a child when times were...well.....not different..... because the fact is.. these issues have been the same for years and years.. they are just more widely reported now. The same child offender that lived in my neighborhood those years ago without being noticed is the same one living in many neighborhoods in the US today. We are just more aware now.
Dont hold your children back for a fear they dont understand... Teach them, watch over them....but let them also be kids...
I am glad for the kids they got halloween back.....
Watch your children, Know where they are, who they are with, when they will return, how they will return... this things are completely reasonable to ask...
But most importantly, talk to your children... let them know your concerns and why they need to stay in contact with you.... doing this doesnt have to terrify them for life.... but will help them understand the importance of communication with every day life!
Great blog post. Great Story. I am so excited for the children of your town to once again be trick or treating with the rest of us!
Ny, NY
Both of my parents grew up in Oil City. I was born out of state in 1988, but my parents moved “home” in early 1990. I had just turned 4 when the murder of Shauna Howe occurred. I remember when Shauna was reported missing. Just one snap shot of memory. What I do not remember, however, is trick-or-treating at night.
Shauna Howe’s murder gave parents in this town a local example on why talking to strangers, and wondering away from your parents was bad. I know as a kid I always was careful not to leave my parents side when out in public because I didn’t want to be taken away from my mommy.
Everyone wants to keep their children safe, and that is perfectly understandable, but Halloween is the only day of the year where it is acceptable to “live a little” as a child. You get to dress up, go to the homes of “stranger’s” (though I was never allowed to go to a house where my parents did not know the people), and ask them for CANDY!!! Isn’t taking food from a stranger one of those “dangerous things” parent’s tell their kids not to do?!? It’s Halloween, general rules, and safety are meant to be pushed to the limits.
I understand why Oil City, and most of the surrounding area kept Trick-or-Treat during the day for so long. But, it is time for this town to persevere and fight back against the evils of not only Halloween, but society. For those of you who believe that Halloween is more safe during the day, you are perfectly justified in believing that, but I ask you these questions: Why send your child/children out trick-or-treating in the first place? If you are worried about them being hit by a car, couldn’t they be hit by a car in a parking lot or taking a walk with you on the street in the daylight? Is it not possible for your child to be snatched from your front or even back yard on any day of the year while you turn away for that split second? This all happens. It happens every day all across America.
Night time Trick-or-Treating adds to the element of doing something that is out of the ordinary on a day when unordinary is the norm. Sure, change is scary, especially when the change from night time Trick-or-Treating to daytime occurred because of such a tragic event, but to me, the change back to night time tick-or-treating shows how strong this community has come. Though it is taken 16 years for this town to learn to trust again, we are lead into this opportunity stronger, wiser, and more prepared than we were before.
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