Krakatoa erupted in 1883, creating one of the biggest volcanic eruptions known. Located near Indonesia, the volcano had been dormant for over 200 years. Five cubic miles of the mountain were blown into the atmosphere, changing weather for years. Over 36,000 people died from the volcano or from the ensuing tidal waves. Most of the island was destroyed. Children could learn more about Krakatoa and volcanoes in general at: Krakatoa.
Baseball games were televised for the first time in 1939. New York’s WXBS broadcast a double header between the Cincinnati Reds and the Brooklyn Dodgers. Red Barber was the announcer. Few people had televisions then, but the event made experts realize the power of broadcast.
Lee de Forest (born Council Bluffs, Iowa, 1873; died Hollywood, California, June 30, 1961) was called the “Father of Radio.” The owner of hundreds of patents, de Forest also worked on the photoelectric cell, talking films, and television. Idea: Children could find out why he was arrested.
Carl Deuker (born San Francisco, California, 1950) writes novels for young adults. His work includes Gym Candy and Heart of a Champion. Young adults can visit his website at: Carl Deuker.
Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier (born Paris, France, 1743; executed Paris, France, May 8, 1794) is known as the “founder of modern chemistry.” He studied the processes of combustion and also plant respiration. He established a method of naming chemicals that is still used today. Idea: Older children could find out why he was executed. Children could learn more at: Lavoisier.
Albert Bruce Sabin (born Bialystok, Poland, 1906; died Washington, DC, March 3, 1993) created an oral polio vaccine. It replaced the vaccine developed by Jonas Salk. Sabin’s vaccine provided lifetime protection and could be swallowed. Salk’s vaccine had to be injected and had to be repeated. In 1971 Sabin received the United States National Medal of Science.
Bernard Wiseman (born Brooklyn, New York, 1922; died January 11, 1995) wrote at least 80 books for children. He is well-known for his Morris and Boris series.
Flag of Moldova
Moldova celebrates Independence Day. It broke away from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in 1991. Two of its boundaries are formed by the Dneister and Prut Rivers. This landlocked country, slightly larger than the state of Maryland, has fertile soil that promotes good agriculture. About 3.6 million people live in Moldova, and Chisinau is the capital.
First North American drama was performed in 1655 in Acoma, Virginia. Ye Bare and Ye Cubb was written by Phillip A. Bruce. Virginia was one of the few colonies that did not prohibit production of plays.
Petroleum was discovered in Titusville, Pennsylvania, in 1859. W. A. Smith found oil as he was sinking a shaft in Pennsylvania. The rig was soon producing twenty barrels of crude oil a day. Children can learn more about oil production and refinement at: Petroleum.
Confucius (born Lu, China, 551 BC; died 479 BC) was a great Chinese philosopher. His philosophy stresses proper relationships with others and personal responsibility. Children could read Confucius: The Golden Rule by Russell Freedman.
Lyndon Baines Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson (born near Stonewall, Texas, 1908; died San Antonio, Texas, January 22, 1973) was the 36th president (1963-1969) of the United States. He fought during World War II and was awarded the Silver Star. After the war, he was elected first to the House of Representatives and then to the Senate. He represented the state of Texas. He soon became the Senate Majority Leader. He was John Kennedy’s vice president and became president when Kennedy was assassinated. Important issues included the War on Poverty and the civil rights movement. The Vietnam War divided the country emotionally, and he did not seek another term in office. Children could visit a website at: Lyndon Johnson.
Suzy Kline (born Berkeley, California, 1943) has written at least 47 books for children. She is the author of the Horrible Harry books and the Herbie Jones series. Children could visit her website, filled with great actvities and readers’ theater possibilities, at: Suzy Kline.
Arlene Mosel (born Cleveland, Ohio, 1921; died Indianapolis, Indiana, May 1996) was a librarian and author. She is most known for writing Tikki Tkki Tembo and The Funny Little Woman. Blair Lent received the 1973 Caldecott Medal for the illustrations in the latter book.
Ann Rinaldi (born New York, New York, 1934; died Branchburg, New Jersey, July 1, 2021) wrote more than 40 books for children. Her works include Girl in Blue and The Redheaded Princess.
Suzanne Fisher Staples (born Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1945; died Nicholson, Pennsylvania, April 29, 2022) wrote books for children. Her works include Shabanu, which received a 1990 Newbery Honor Award. She also wrote The House of Djinn.
Mother Teresa (born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in Skopje, Yugoslavia, 1910; died Calcutta, India, September 5, 1997) was a missionary working with the poor in India. She received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for her work. Children could read Mother Teresa by Demi.
Henry Hudson in 1609 ventured into the Delaware Bay. He was exploring for the Dutch. Idea: Children could look at a map of Delaware Bay. They could find out how far upstream large ships can travel. They could also learn more about him at: Henry Hudson.
Ten women’s rights campaigners were arrested in 1917 while picketing outside the White House. The suffragists had started picketing in January. One of the leaders, Alice Paul, began a hunger strike in jail. President Woodrow Wilson was so concerned for his administration that he finally supported Amendment Nineteen to the Constitution so that women had the right to vote.
Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his I Have a Dream speech in 1963 in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. Children can read the original text at: Dream Speech.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial was dedicated in 2001 in Washington, DC. Situated between the Jefferson Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial, the very impressive Stone of Hope statue by Lei Yixin stands 28 feet 6 inches tall. Children could learn more at: MLK Memorial.