celebrateandlearn

Birthdays

Mar 252025

Mount Rushmore

John de la Mothe Gutzon Borglum (born Bear Lake, Idaho, 1867; died Chicago, Illinois, March 6, 1941) was an artist. In 1916 he sculpted Stone Mountain in Georgia, a memorial to the Confederate Army. He began to sculpt Mount Rushmore in 1927, but he died before it was completed. Children could learn more at: Gutzon Borglun.

Kate DiCamillo (born Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1964) writes books for children. Her books include Because of Winn-Dixie (a 2001 Newbery Award winner) and The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread (2004 Newbery Medal book). She also writes the Mercy Watson series. Children can visit her website at: Kate DiCamillo.

Richard Dobbs Spaight (born New Bern, North Carolina, 1758; died in a duel near New Bern, North Carolina, September 5, 1802) represented North Carolina at the Constitutional Convention. Following the convention, he served as the state’s governor and then one of its U.S. representatives. He also served as a state senator. Children can learn more at: Richard Dobbs Spaight.

Linda Sue Park (born Urbana, Illinois, 1960) writes novels, picture books, and poetry for children. Her books include A Single Shard (2002 Newbery Medal book) and A Long Walk to Water (2011 Jane Addams Children’s Book Award). Children can view her website, including the fun (quizzes) section, at: Linda Sue Park.

Interesting fact…both Kate DiCamillo and Linda Sue Park wrote stories for The Chronicles of Harris Burdick: Fourteen Amazing Authors Tell the Tales, based on Chris Van Allsburg’s book, The Mysteries of Harris Burdick.

Arturo Toscanini (born Parma, Italy, 1867; died New York, New York, January 16, 1957) was a conductor.

Bangladesh Celebrates Independence Day

Events

Mar 262025

Flag of Bangladesh

Bangladesh celebrates Independence Day. In 1971 Bangladesh declared its freedom from Pakistan. According to the CIA World Factbook, Bangladesh is about the size of the state of Iowa. About 161 million people live in the country, making it the eighth most populous country in the world. Dhaka is the capital. Farmers grow rice, jute, and tea in one of the rainiest climates in the world.

Lifeboat Patented by Joseph Francis in 1845

Events

Mar 262025

Lifeboat patented by Joseph Francis of New York New York, in 1845. He invented a lifeboat made from corrugated sheet iron in 1845. He received Patent Number 3,974. His invention saved 200 of 201 lives at danger when the ship Ayreshire ran aground in 1850. Children could see his patent at: Lifeboat.

Fire Extinguisher Patented by Thomas J. Martin in 1872

Events

Mar 262025

Fire extinguisher patented by Thomas J. Martin in 1872. Patent Number 125,063 called for a system of pipes and valves for a building. He did not patent the portable, wall-mounted fire extinguishers of today. Children can see his patent at: Fire Extinguisher.

Popeye Statue in Crystal City, Texas

Events

Mar 262025

Spinach farmers in Crystal City, Texas, built a statue of Popeye in 1937. About half the spinach consumed in the United States is grown in Texas. China is the world’s leading producer of spinach. Children can learn about spinach and its nutritional values at: Spinach.

Birthdays

Mar 262025

T. A. Barron (born Boston, Massachusetts, 1952) writes fantasy books for children and young adults. His books include The Adventures of Kate trilogy and The Lost Years of Merlin epic. Children can view his website at: T. A. Barron.

Nathaniel Bowditch

Nathaniel Bowditch (born Salem, Massachusetts, 1773; died Boston, Massachusetts, March 16, 1838) was an astronomer and author. He wrote The New American Practical Navigator in 1802, and many of his ideas still apply. Children could read Jean Lee Latham’s Carry On, Mr. Bowditch, published in 1955. The book won the 1956 Newbery Award.

Robert Frost (born San Francisco, California, 1875; died Boston, Massachusetts, January 29, 1963) was a poet. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1924, 1931, 1937, and 1943. Students might enjoy reading and hearing some of his poetry. One of his most famous poems is “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.” Children can read many of his works at: Project Gutenberg.

Katherine Johnson (born White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, 1918; died Newport News, Virginia, February 24, 2020) was one fo the first Black women to work in NASA. She manually calculated trajectories and launch windows. In May 2016 the new Katherine G. Johnson Computational Research Facility was named after her. Children can learn more at: Katherine Johnson.

Betty MacDonald (born Boulder, Colorado, 1908; died Seattle, Washington, February 7, 1958) wrote books for children and adults. Her children’s books include the Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle series and Nancy and Plum. Children could learn more at: Betty MacDonald.

Sandra Day O’Conner (born El Paso, Texas, 1930; died Phoenix, Arizona, December 1, 2023) was a retired Supreme Court Associate Justice. She was the first woman to sit on the Supreme Court, serving from September 21, 1981 to January 31, 2006. She also wrote several children’s books, including Chico and Finding Susie. Children can learn more at: Sandra Day O’Conner.

Jerry Pallotta (born Boston, Massachusetts, 1953) writes books for children. His books include the Who Would Win series and The Skull Alphabet Book. Children can visit his website, particularly the hidden secrets section, at: Jerry Pallotta.

Tennessee Williams (born Columbus, Mississippi, 1911; died New York, New York, February 25, 1983) was a playwright. One of his plays was The Glass Menagerie.

Cherry Trees Were First Planted in Washington, DC, in 1912

Events

Mar 272025

Japanese Cherry Trees in Blossom

Cherry trees were first planted in Washington, DC, in 1912. First Lady Helen Herron Taft and Viscountess Chinda (the Japanese ambassador’s wife) planted the first of three thousand trees. The original trees were a gift from Japan to the United States. Since then, some propagates from the trees have been sent back to Japan. Other propagates have been planted around Washington, DC, to maintain the lineage. Children can learn more at: Cherry Blossoms.

President Truman and His Family Moved back into the White House in 1952

Events

Mar 272025

White House Reconstruction

President Truman and his family moved back into the White House in 1952 after major renovations had been completed. The family had left in late 1948 when the building was deemed to be unsafe. Children can learn more about the White House at: White House.

Birthdays

Mar 272025

Julia Alvarez (born New York, New York, 1950) writes poetry, fiction, and essays. Her book Before We Were Free received the 2004 Pura Belpré Medal, and Alvarez earned another Pura Belpré Medal in 2010 for Return to Sender. Children can visit her website at: Julia Alvarez.

Nathaniel Currier (born Roxbury, Massachusetts, 1813; died New York, New York, November 20, 1888) was a lithographer. He was part of the famous Currier and Ives partnership. Their lithographs answered a need for reasonably priced art. Now the originals are very expensive.

Dick King-Smith (born England, 1922; died England, January 4, 2011) wrote at least 135 books for children. His book The Sheep-Pig became the movie Babe. Children could learn more at: Dick King-Smith.

Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen (born Lennap, Prussia, 1845; died Munich, Germany, February 10, 1923) discovered X-rays. He won a 1901 Nobel Prize for his work. Children can learn more at: Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen.

Edward Steichen (born Luxembourg, 1879; died West Redding, Connecticut, March 25, 1973) was a photographer. Children could view a collection of his photographic portraits at: Edward Steichen.

First Children’s Picture Book Published 1658

Events

Mar 282025

Johannes Amos Comenius

Johannes Amos Comenius published the first children’s picture book in 1658. Orbis Pictus, originally written in Latin, was also called A World of Things Obvious to the Senses drawn in Pictures. Children can read a 1727 English translation and a Latin version at: Project Gutenberg.

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