Gregorian Calendar 1582

 Events
Feb 242026
 

Pope Gregory XIII in 1582 issued a ruling stating the Julian calendar would be corrected in October 4 of the same year. The Julian calendar, the then-existing calendar, was erring by ten days. The new calendar, called the Gregorian calendar, did the following:
• Ten days were not included in October
• New standards were set to determine Easter
• New rules were established regarding Leap Day
Not everyone adopted the Gregorian calendar right away. Even those who adopted the calendar were not happy because they thought they had lost ten days of pay. Great Britain and colonial America did not change until September 1752. We still use the Gregorian calendar today.

Birthdays

 Birthdays
Feb 242026
 

Wilhelm Karl Grimm (born Hanau, Germany, 1786; died Berlin, Germany, December 16, 1859) and his brother, Jacob, wrote Grimm’s Fairy Tales. Children could read portions of Grimm’s Fairy Tales at: Project Gutenberg. They could learn more at: Wilhelm Karl Grimm.

Winslow Homer (born Boston, Massachusetts, 1836; died Prout’s Neck, Maine, September 29, 1910) was an artist known for his outdoor scenes. Children could learn more about him at the National Gallery of Art site: Winslow Homer.

Steven Jobs (born Los Altos, California, 1955; died Palo Alto, California, October 5, 2011) co-founded Apple, Inc.

Uri Orlev (born Jerzy Henryk Orlowski in Warsaw, Poland, 1931; died Jerusalem, Israel, July 25, 2022) published over 30 books for children. He grew up in the Warsaw Ghetto. His mother was killed by Nazis, and he was placed in the Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp. He received the 1996 Hans Christian Andersen Award. His books include The Lady with the Hat and Hairy Tuesday.

Honus Wagner

Honus Wagner

Honus Wagner (born John Peter Wagner in Carnegie, Pennsylvania, 1874; died Carnegie, Pennsylvania, December 6, 1955) was a famous baseball player. He was nicknamed the “Flying Dutchman.” Children could read Dan Gutman’s Honus and Me: A Baseball Card Adventure. They could also learn more at: Honus Wagner.

Bryce Canyon National Park Was Established in 1928

 Events
Feb 252026
 

Thor’s Hammer (hoodoo)

Bryce Canyon National Park was established in 1928. Located in southern Utah, the park encompasses 35,835 acres. Bryce Canyon National Park is really not a canyon but a series of natural amphitheaters. Its distinctive features are hoodoos, pinnacles caused by frost erosion and erosion of the sedimentary rocks. Archaeological evidence shows that Native Americans lived there about 10,000 years ago. The Paiutes moved in when other groups left, but they were pushed out around 1873 when Mormon settlers started overgrazing the land. The park has three distinct life zones, determined by altitude. At least 400 different species of plants have been identified. Although hundreds of different animal species live there, the mule deer is the most common animal. Children can learn more at: https://www.nps.gov/brca/index.htm.

Birthdays

 Birthdays
Feb 252026
 

Frank Bonham (born Los Angeles, California, 1914; died Arizona, December 16, 1988) wrote at least 48 westerns and novels for young adults. His books include Nitty Gritty and Durango Street.

Ida Lewis (born Newport, Rhode Island, 1842; died Little Rock Island, Newport, Rhode Island, October 24, 1911) was a lighthouse keeper. She is best known for making many daring rescues at sea. Children could read Rowing to the Rescue: The Story of Ida Lewis, Famous Lighthouse Heroine by Doris Licameli.

Pierre Auguste Renoir (born Limoges, France, 1841; died Cagnes-sur-Mer, Provence, France, December 17, 1919) was an impressionist painter. One of his most famous works is The Luncheon of the Boating Party. Later in his life, arthritis crippled his hands. He had paint brushes tied to his hands and learned to paint in broader strokes. Children could view some of his works at: Auguste Renoir.

Cynthia Voigt (born Boston, Massachusetts, 1942) is an author who writes for children and young adults. She wrote Dicey’s Song, the Newbery Medal winner for 1983. She also wrote A Solitary Blue, which earned a 1984 Newbery Honor Award. Voight received the Margaret A. Edwards Award in 1995 for her body of work. Children could view her website at: Cynthia Voigt.

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