A: Labor Day, which is celebrated on the first Monday of every September, is a holiday dedicated to honoring the contributions U.S. workers have made to the strength and prosperity of our country. The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated Tuesday, Sept. 5, 1882, in New York City. The originator of this celebration was the Central Labor Union.

The creation of Labor Day has been credited to the works of two different people. Some historians believe Peter J. McGuire, the general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a cofounder of the American Federation of Labor, first suggested a holiday to honor those “who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold.” Others credit Matthew Maguire, a machinist and later secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Patterson, N.J., as the creator of Labor Day. Many say he proposed the idea of a holiday to honor the working class when he was serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York in 1882. What is agreed upon is that the Central Labor Union adopted a Labor Day proposal and appointed a committee to plan a demonstration and a picnic.

The first Labor Day holidays were celebrated with grand parades, picnics and sometimes even fireworks. Today, Labor Day is celebrated in many different ways but is still supposed to be a day set aside to appreciate the advancements, freedoms and prosperity our country experiences, thanks to the hardworking individuals that make up our great country.

Q Why do they call the left side of a ship the port side?

A: Most sources agree that “port” was used to describe the left side of a ship because that is the side of a ship that was typically next to a wharf or pier. If you look at the meaning of the word “port” itself, it means “gate,” which substantiates the idea that the port side of a ship was the side for loading and unloading cargo.

Other stories give the reason that the port side was so named because a red lantern was displayed on that side of a ship. This lantern was the color of port wine, which in turn took its name from Oporto, Portugal, where the wine was first made.

The right-hand, or starboard side, of a boat has a more straightforward derivation. The word comes from the Old English “steorbord” and is a combination of “steor,” meaning “steering oar,” and “bord,” meaning “the side of a ship or boat.” The rudder or steering paddle was only on the right-hand side of old ships.

Q What is the Fujita-Pearson Scale?

A: This scale was developed by Professor T. Theodore Fujita, of the University of Chicago, and Allen Pearson, the former director of the National Severe Storm Forecasting Center. It is used to classify tornadoes into seven categories of wind speed (F0 to F6), ranging from 40 to 380 mph estimated wind speed.

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Q How did September get its name?

A: Some of the months’ names came from Roman deities or emperors but others, including September, came from the numerical order the month fell in. During Roman times, March was the beginning of the New Year, and September was the seventh month. Thus, it derives from the word “septem” meaning “seven.”