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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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/.