From childhood cartoons to youthful classrooms, apples have become synonymous with teachers worldwide. In many situations as a gift of appreciation or on occasions such as Teacher’s Day – which in India falls on 5th of September every year – it’s customary for students to present their mentors with a token of significance like a fresh red apple. But more than just being a healthy snack, the tradition may have more significance than you might suspect.
A Religious Root
Since the Garden of Eden, apples have been a symbol of wisdom and knowledge (in that case the forbidden kind). In the early days of education, teachers played a much greater role than simply teaching children how to read and write, they would also be responsible for imparting lessons in morality, logic and social skills. And as such an apple would be a fitting gift to honour their contribution.
Education In Exchange For Apples
On a more practical note, others believe that the practice wasn’t simply a gesture of kindness, but a form of payment. Before the existence of schools, teachers would often reside with the families of the children they taught usually in exchange for room and board. In Sweden and Demark during the 16th-18th century, baskets of apples were often presented to teachers to compensate for the minimal wages.
A similar situation was underway on the American frontier where teachers were few and far between and families had very little to offer them in return for their services. At the time, apples were often sour and quite small but still held a lot of value as they could be cooked, stewed, baked or fermented into cider – which was safer to drink than water at the time. The school year often coincided with apple harvests in September and it's likely any teacher would be pleased with a large haul of apples as payment.
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As with so many little habits humans inculcate, this tradition spilt over to the modern age where schools and teachers to lead them became commonplace. The symbol of a shiny red apple became tied to the concept of teachers with singers like Bing Crosby ever crooning out “An Apple For The Teacher” in 1939, adding it to the bevvy of pop culture references it has racked up since then.
Over the years the habit of gifting an apple to your teacher has become a sign of appreciation, and while the origins are never going to be completely clear it’s one that means the same thing almost the world over. Even though today you’re more likely to see kids making cards or maybe a chocolate or two the apple is still a timeless symbol of the bond between teacher and student.