This is the weekend of every year that I dread the most, when we”fall back” to standard time from Daylight Saving Time.

In just a few weeks, it will be dark by the time I get home inthe afternoons a little after 5 o’clock. I like Daylight SavingTime, and I always hate to see it go. I don’t mind losing an hourof sleep in the spring when we move our clocks forward one hour. Tome it’s a good trade-off for the extra daylight.

This country has used Daylight Saving Time in some form oranother since World War I, and during World War II it was in effectyear round. The main purpose of DST, as I understand it, is to makebetter use of daylight, and thus save energy.

“Making” the sun “set” one hour later reduces the period betweensunset and bedtime by one hour. This means that less electricity isused for lighting and appliances late in the day. Less electricityis also used because folks are home fewer hours during the “longer”days of spring and summer.

Why won’t DST work in the winter, so we don’t have to reset ourclocks?

Well, those in-the-know say Daylight Saving Time saves energyfor lighting except for the four darkest months of the year(November, December, January and February) when the afternoonadvantage is offset by the need for lighting because of latesunrise.

Along with the longer days and saved energy, those who favor DSTpoint out other advantages:

Daylight Saving Time saves lives and prevents traffic injuries.The time allows more people to travel home from work and school indaylight.

Daylight Saving Time helps prevent crime. With people gettinghome from work and school in daylight, their exposure to crimesthat are common in darkness is reduced.

Of course, DST has its opponents, too.

Some don’t like the inconvenience of changing clocks oradjusting to a new sleep schedule. Another complaint is often heardfrom farmers, whose chickens and cows are own a schedule of theiron.

With various states handling Daylight Saving Time in differentways, Congress passed a law in 1966 stating the DST was to begin onthe last Sunday of April and end on the last Sunday of October.That law was changed in 1986, making DST’s official start at 2 a.m.on the first Sunday of April and ending it at 2 a.m. on the lastSunday of October.

So, love it or hate, DST will return in April.

In the meantime, I guess I can enjoy the moonlight.

Before you go to bed Saturday night, be sure to set your clocksback one hour.

Write to Nanette Laster at P.O. Box 551, Brookhaven, Miss.39602, or send e-mail to news@dailyleader.com.