s’ or just s after the word Teacher?

 “Teachers Day” or “Teachers’ Day” is never an issue in spoken English. However, as we greet our teachers “Happy Teachers Day” in writing, the manner of presenting the second word becomes a problem. Others basically ask before putting down the word on the page, whereas most don’t care. This seems not worthy as a topic for discussion but we can’t deny the fact that this matter causes petty arguments among students as the event comes and they need to write the words to express their appreciation of their teachers’ efforts. Believe me, even teachers themselves find this confusing.

I was in my ELT 505 class when I heard my professor said, “There’s no need for apostrophe s in the phrase Teachers Day because the day is not of the teachers. It’s for the teachers, a celebration for the teachers.” I believed my professor and started writing Teachers Day thereafter. Why I did so? Because right after our class I checked the internet and found the following pieces of information concerning the matter.

First and foremost, I rechecked the use of apostrophe and found the following. The punctuation is used to indicate:

     1. ownership, like for example in Jenny’s cat, Jem’s bicycle, Laura and Tony’s mansion and others.
    2. contractions, as shown in it’s (it is), they’re (they are), we’ve (we have), etc.
    3.  pluralization of letters as reflected in the expression “mind your p’s and q’s” (www.merriam-webster.com).

Apparently, none of those listed relate to the apostrophe used in teacher’s. I went on looking for an explanation about the use of apostrophe and an article from owl.excelsior.edu provided a kind of test called “of” test whether an apostrophe is needed in a phrase. For instance,

my friend’s DVD                   the DVD of my friend

Beth’s zombie plan               the zombie plan of Beth

The examples given clearly suggest the need for apostrophe in the words friend’s and Beth’s. In Teacher’s Day, we will have day of teachers; however, considering that teachers can’t and don’t own the day, this appears to be incorrect.

Next, to justify the use of apostrophe, others even cited Valentine’s Day as an example.  Both are occasions, yes but they are of different origins. Valentine’s Day is a celebration named after St. Valentine. The holiday pertains to the saint, thus the possessive indication(writingexplained.org).  Teachers Day, on the other hand, is a celebration to honor the teachers. As history indicates, it started in India in 1962. The time when Indian teachers and students asked Dr. Sarvepalli Radhaskrishnan, a great teacher, a philosopher, a scholar, and a politician to allow them to hold a grand celebration of his birthday. He acknowledged their request in a condition that it would be done in respect of all teachers, thus making the event a celebration for teachers (www.fnp.com.). Obviously, the background provided for Valentine’s Day validates the use of apostrophe but indicates the opposite for Teachers Day.  “Apostrophes are not necessary when “for” is implied and not “belonging to” (writingexplained.org).

 “Teachers’ Day”  or “Teachers Day” is employed in articles published either in print or on the web, thus giving me an idea that we can write the phrase in either of the forms. In any case, it’s the greeting and honouring the teachers that matter. We all communicate our heartfelt appreciation of our instructors’ or mentors’ efforts and sacrifices and that act is more significant  than anything else.

However, in my case, I chose to write and will always write the phrase Teachers Day for I am convinced that the celebration is for the teachers. It is neither owned nor named after the teachers.