Category: Quick hits

The stubborn economic difficulties the nation is experiencing began seven years ago today, and may seem unique. But they have their antecedents in history. Most of us are familiar with the Great Depression of the 1930s. But 142 years ago, the nation was struck by the Panic of 1873, now called the Long Depression. It started because of a collapse in the demand for silver in Europe, and spread around the world. In the U.S., banks failed, railroads went bankrupt, …

Friday, September 11th. This was a day that didn’t exist in Colonial America in 1752, as the familiar calendar underwent what is called the “Gregorian correction,” switching from the ancient Julian calendar to adjust for errors accumulated over centuries. After September 2, the next day was September 14, and there was rioting by those who felt cheated and demanded the 11 days back. The British parliament’s Calendar Act of 1750 had also changed New Year’s Day from March 25 to …

Three important dates in American newspaper history occurred in September. These anniversaries span more than three centuries. On September 15, 1982, USA Today began publishing.  On September 18, 1851, the New York Times issued its first edition. And in September 1690, the first newspaper in America was published in Boston. Called “Public Occurrences, Both Forreign and Domestick,” it lasted for one day in Boston before being shut down by British authorities unhappy with its content. Although the industry is struggling, …

The first instance of debugging a computer was recorded on this date in 1947. The early Mark II computer being developed at Harvard University was balky, and a programming team — which included Navy Lieutenant Grace Hopper, a pioneer in computer history — found and fixed the problem. A moth had wedged into a relay board, causing a short circuit. The deceased moth was extracted and preserved. The log card containing notes on the debugging, and the appended remains of …

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 …

This is Labor Day — a time to honor the nation’s working men and women, and traditionally, the end of the summer season. The observance has more than the usual significance this year because of the recent years of slow employment growth. The first Labor Day was celebrated in September 1882 in New York City. By 1894, more than half the states were observing the occasion, and noting the first Monday in September as a national holiday became federal law …

Friday, September 4th. Today is the 234th anniversary of the founding of Los Angeles by the Spanish governor of California. It was a small village of just 11 families, but was given the name “The Town of Our Lady the Queen of the Angels.” The town had grown to some 6,500 residents when the Mexican Revolution overthrew Spanish colonial rule in 1821. California was among the territories ceded to the United States in 1848 after the Mexican-American War, and became …

Football season is soon to be in full swing again. Many colleges begin playing their schedules today, and the National Football League season starts a week from now. For many years, it was believed the first professional game took place on this date in 1895 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. It was considered professional because one player was paid the sum of $10. However, recent research determined that the first professional game took place in 1892 in Pittsburgh between two athletic clubs. …

To highlight its importance, both as a crop and as part of the changing U.S. diet, this is National Rice Month. Globally, rice is the world’s most important cereal grain. Reflecting both our increasing cultural diversity and awareness of good nutrition, Americans have increased their annual consumption of rice from 1980’s 9½ pounds to today’s 31 pounds each. Rice has been grown in America since the late 17th century and is currently a $3 billion a year crop. While raising …

“News is coming up next.” Such words are familiar to many of us, as Americans catch up on what’s happening around the world by listening to radio newscasts at home, at work, on their computers and in the car. One of the first daily news programs on the young medium launched on this date in 1922. It was called “The Radio Digest,” and was hosted by George Thompson over WBAY in New York City. At the time, there were just …

The 1950s may be recalled for many now-quaint things, but it was also a decade with antecedents for our current technological pursuits. On this date in 1955, William G. Cobb of the General Motors Corporation demonstrated the world’s first solar-powered car. This vehicle didn’t take the world by storm because it was a model a mere 15 inches long. The first solar powered car that could actually be driven was unveiled in 1962; a 1912 Baker electric car was fitted …

Friday, August 28th. What is believed to be the nation’s first radio commercial was broadcast on the new medium on this date 93 years ago. Station WEAF in New York City carried that first ad — not for soap or automobiles — but for a group of apartment buildings in Queens. The cost was $100 for a 10-minute sales pitch. At the time, there were just 30 stations in the whole country, and only 60,000 households had receivers. By 1929, …

The U.S. petroleum industry got its start on this date in 1859. That’s when blacksmith William Smith saw a dark film floating on the surface of the water in a hole he was boring near Titusville, Pennsylvania. Rising from a depth of just 69 feet, it was the oil he was seeking for his employer, Edwin Drake. Soon, the nation’s first commercial oil well was pumping out crude oil. Western Pennsylvania was the center of the infant industry, as new …

It is said that “every dog has its day,” and according to an animal welfare activist in the Pacific Northwest, today is the day for every dog. Now in its 11th year, this is National Dog Day, about five months after National Puppy Day. The occasion has two goals. One is to honor dogs, which serve humanity as companions, watchdogs, herders, and Seeing Eye dogs. They also aid in search and rescue, and in sniffing out explosives and drugs. The …

The Smithsonian Institution, founded this month in 1846, is the world’s largest museum and research complex, with 137 million artifacts in its collection. One was donated to the museum in August 1985 to mark the 25th anniversary of its commercial debut — the original Xerox 914 copying machine. Weighing in at just under 650 pounds, the 914 could produce seven copies per minute. The principle of xerography — producing images on paper using electricity — was developed in 1938 by …

One of America’s favorite snack foods is said to have originated on this date in 1853 near Saratoga Springs, New York. The chef at Moon’s Lake House, George Crum, was irritated at a customer who sent back his fried potatoes several times, saying they were too thick and soggy. Crum decided to slice potatoes wafer thin and stir-fry them. The customer was delighted, and so-called Saratoga chips became famous. The true origin of potato chips is unknown, but they are …