Adoption of the Ladybug as State Bug
Photo courtesy of Delaware Public Archives, Dover, Delaware
Legislators and Ladybugs Interact
Photo courtesy of Delaware Public Archives, Dover, Delaware
Joseph Frederick & Sons' advertising reflected the lingo of the day. Groovy, man.
State Bug
In 1974, a group of second-graders from Lulu M. Ross Elementary School in Milford, Del., read about Maryland adopting a state bug and decided that Delaware should have one, too. The children, taught by Mrs. Mollie Brown, voted for the ladybug and spent many months lobbying the General Assembly. They succeeded, and the ladybug was adopted as the official bug of the State of Delaware on April 25, 1974.
The ladybug is also the state bug of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Ohio, and Tennessee.
The following is an excerpt of an account written by Lulu Ross Elementary School teacher Mollie Brown in 1974. For the complete Ladybug story, Click Here:
Thursday morning, April 25, 1974 we arrived at Legislative Hall about 1:15PM. The children were looking for the "White House" so this had to be explained.
The time arrived. The House was in session. We marched around the chamber saying, "We want a state bug. We want the ladybug," while carrying our posters and signs of the ladybug, the girls dressed in their ladybug skirts, and Michael Peterman and Sammy Mullen dressed in their ladybug costumes. Every child wore a badge we had made with the ladybug on it and all the representatives were wearing the badges we had sent them.
Sharita Green stepped up to the mike and told the representative about the ladybug and how useful it is. Mark Mullen told them that we have other state symbols (with the class saying what they were) and that we should have a state bug to help save the state flower, the peach blossom. The applause was tremendous. Representative Harrington called for a vote, the roll was called, and all voted yes. Then we marched over to the Senate and repeated our performance, while followed by the press. The vote was taken, and it was unanimous. The governor was watching us in the gallery.
We all went in with the co-sponsors and Governor Tribbitt signed the bill on the back of Michael Peterman, who was dressed in a ladybug costume.