Twice a year Illinois has something occur in the change of time. The way the sun sets and rises in each part of the world affects the time everywhere. Daylight Saving Time is the practice of advancing clocks during summer months so nighttime falls later each day. Changing the clocks an hour back for the winter months so nighttime falls earlier.
The earlier concept of Daylight Saving Time was originated from Benjamin Franklin in 1784. Franklin wrote a satirical essay, “An Economical Project” in which he claimed to discover it.
“Daylight Saving Time first started in the United States in 1918,” according to WebExhibits, it was first brought up for modern time by the desire to see insects.
“The modern idea of Daylight Saving Time was proposed by an entomologist named George Hudson in 1885. He wanted more time in the day to be able to study insects in New Zealand,” history teacher Dan Foreman said.
A major reason for establishing Daylight Saving Time was for WW1 and WW11 in England and Germany. It was to preserve natural daylight and to provide a form of energy conservation.
“Most of the countries that participated in the war ended up adopting some sort of Daylight-Saving Time, with expectations being WW1 and WW11, until the passing Uniform Time Act,” Foreman said.
The Uniform Time Act in 1966 standardized Daylight Saving Time for the country. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, it is observed for many reasons. It saves energy, saves lives by preventing traffic injuries and reduces crimes.
Daylight Saving Time can save energy, by conserving lights used in people’s homes. It also saves lives by preventing traffic injuries due to the change in light levels outside when everyone is driving to and from work. Changing the time in the fall also gives trick or treaters more daylight time to get their candy and is safer for them when it’s still light out.
Daylight Saving Time can confuse people’s sleep and daily life schedules as well. It can take several days or more for people’s body internal clock to adjust to the change.
“In the winter it can be really depressing coming to school when it’s dark out and leaving school when it’s dark out being an athlete and having to go to practices,” junior Jack Kiefer said.
Daylight Saving Time occurred this year on March 8 for the summer months and will occur on Nov. 1 for the winter months. An easy way to remember which way to move a clock is, for summer months the U.S. loses an hour so, it’s called “spring forward” and in the winter months the U.S. gains an hour so, it’s called “fall back.”
“It’s pretty good when we get an extra hour of sleep, but when we lose an hour it’s annoying,” Kiefer said.
Some states are considering getting rid of it or already have done so. States are considering legislation to stop changing clocks for Daylight Saving Time including Illinois and 16 other states. Due to the safety of everyone and how it affects people. Generations have different opinions on which Daylight Saving Time switch they like better.
“Baby Boomers preferred to “spring forward” more than any other generation. Both millennials and Gen Xer’s had similar preferences to either turning clocks forward or back,” according to “Times up?”
It can affect every working adult, including high school teachers who wake up early.
“I personally don’t mind that Daylight Saving Time is still mandated in Illinois,” Foreman said. “I enjoy times in the summer months when the sun doesn’t set until after 8pm.”