Monday Open Line

The first coast-to-coast highway in the United States opened on this date in 1913. Known as the Lincoln Highway, the road originally ran for almost 3,400 miles through 13 states. Nicknamed “the Main Street across America,” the highway brought economic progress to many cities, towns and villages along its route. As a young army officer, Dwight Eisenhower drove in an army convoy on the Lincoln Highway — an experience that fostered his support as president for the Interstate Highway System we enjoy today. Across the U.S., there are just over 4 million miles of roads, about three-quarters of them in rural areas. You can find more facts about America’s people, places and economy from the American Community Survey at <www.census.gov>.

Sunday, September 9th. California became the 31st state on this date in 1850 — just one year after the discovery of gold within its borders. The Gold Rush started a steady flow of migration to California, and through the years people have been attracted to the state for various reasons — its climate, jobs in Silicon Valley, aerospace, the entertainment industry, and in agriculture. When admitted to the Union, California was home to 93,000 people. Today, it is the largest state in the U.S., with a population of more than 37 million, about 12 percent of the nation’s total population. California is notable for its wide racial and ethnic diversity. Nearly 38 percent of its residents are of Hispanic origin. You can find more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at <www.census.gov>.

Saturday, September 8th. Of the millions of students going to class in the new school year, many are attending junior high schools, or middle schools. The first such school in the U.S. opened its doors this week in 1909 — the Indianola Junction Junior High School in Columbus, Ohio, with seventh, eighth and ninth grades. Ninth grade students were offered courses in English, German, algebra, science and geography, as well as manual training, domestic science, history, and the government of Ohio. Today, most middle schools are composed of grades six to eight, some even five to eight, with a much broader curriculum. Across the nation, there are more than 3.5 million students in each of grades six to eight. You can find more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at <www.census.gov>.