Washing machine was patented by Nathaniel Briggs in 1797. A fire in the patent office in 1836 destroyed all records of his patent. However, his patent probably resembled a current wash board.
Mar 282025
celebrateandlearn
Mar 282025
Constantinople, Turkey’s largest city, changed its name to Istanbul in 1930. Also, Turkey’s capital and second largest city, Angora, changed its name to Ankara. Children can learn more about Turkey in general at: Turkey.
Mar 282025
First national curling championships were held in 1957. Today about 1.5 million people participate in curling events. Children could learn more about curling at: http://www.worldcurling.org/.
Mar 282025
Byrd Baylor (born San Antonio, Texas, 1924; died Tucson, Arizona, June 16, 2021) wrote books for children. Four of her books have earned Caldecott Honor Awards for the illustrators. Tom Bahti earned a 1973 Caldecott Honor Award for When Clay Sings. Peter Parnell received three Caldecott Honor Awards, one in 1976 for The Desert Is Theirs, one in 1977 for Hawk, I’m Your Brother, and one in 1979 for The Way to Start a Day,
Doreen Cronin (born Queens, New York, 1966) has written at least 24 books for children. Her book Click Clack Moo: Cows that Type earned the illustrator, Betsy Lewin, a 2001 Caldecott Honor Award. Children can learn more at: Doreen Cronin.
Mary Stolz (born Boston, Massachusetts, 1920; died Longboat Key, Florida, December 15, 2006) wrote at least 57 books for children and young adults. Her book Belling the Tiger received a 1962 Newbery Honor Award, and The Noonday Friends earned a 1966 Newbery Honor Award. Children could learn more at: Mary Stolz.
Mar 292025
Frozen Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls stopped flowing for one day in 1848. Ice had jammed the river. Children could learn more at: Niagara Falls.
Mar 292025
Herbert Hoover
White House had its first telephone installed in the Oval Office in 1929. Herbert Hoover was President. President Rutherford B. Hayes had the first White House telephone installed on May 10, 1877, but that telephone was located in the telegraph room.
Mar 292025
Cheese, butter, and meat were rationed in 1943 as part of the effort to win World War II. Shoppers received ration books with stamps. When the shopper no longer had stamps for a certain product, that product could not be bought until next month. Sugar, tires, and gasoline were also rationed. Rationing was lifted in 1946. Children could learn many more facts at the excellent website: Food Rations.
Mar 292025
Mariner 10
Mariner 10 flew by Mercury for the first time in 1974. Launched November 3, 1973, it first flew by Venus on February 5, 1974. After it flew by Mercury, it orbited the sun and came close to Mercury again on September 21, 1974. A third encounter happened on March 16, 1975. Data from Mariner 10 included 2,800 photographs of Mercury as well as information on a helium atmosphere and an iron-rich core. Mariner 10 ran out of fuel and stopped transmitting data on March 24, 1975. Scientists believe that it continues to orbit the sun. Children could learn more at: Mariner 10.
Mar 292025
Pearl Bailey (born Newport News, Virginia, 1918; died Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, August 17, 1990) was a singer. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1988.
Lou Henry Hoover
Lou Henry Hoover (born Waterloo, Iowa, 1875; died New York, New York, January 7, 1944) was America’s First Lady from March 4, 1929 to March 4, 1933. She was the wife of Herbert Hoover, thirty-first president of the United States. She was a geology and mining major at Stanford University when they met. She was First Lady during the Great Depression, and she often paid for White House social events with her own money. Children could visit a website at: Lou Henry Hoover.
John Tyler (born Charles City County, Virginia, 1790; died Richmond, Virginia, January 18, 1862) was the tenth president (1841-1845) of the United States. He was the first president to become so from the death of his predecessor. Prior to being the president, he was a representative, a senator and a governor. He was known as “His Accidency,” and he was not a popular president. After his presidency was over, he returned to the South. He was about to join the Confederate Congress, but he died before it convened. Children could learn more at: John Tyler.
Cy Young (born Denton True Young in Gilmore, Ohio, 1867; died Peoli, Ohio, November 4, 1955) was a very famous pitcher. The Cy Young Award honors the two best pitchers in Major League Baseball, one for the National League and one for the American League. Children can learn more at: Cy Young.
Mar 302025
Anesthesia was used for the first time in surgery in 1842. Dr. Crawford Long operated on a tumor on the neck of James Venable. The patient had been given ether. Long did not report the results of the surgery until 1849.