Celebrate and Learn

Three Interesting Patents Were Awarded Today

Events

Nov 042026

Artificial leg was patented by Benjamin Franklin Palmer in 1846. His invention received patent number 4,834. Children can read about Palmer and his invention at: Palmer.

Cash register was patented in 1879 by James Ritty and John Ritty of Dayton, Ohio. They invented the cash register, called “Ritty’s Incorruptible Cashier,” because they felt employees were stealing money from them. Children can see the patent at the Google patent site at: Cash Register Patent.

Refrigeration apparatus was patented by Thomas Elkins in 1879. He received patent number 221,222. Children can see his patent at the Google patent site at: Refrigeration Patent.

King Tut’s Tomb Was Discovered by Howard Carter in 1922

Events

Nov 042026

King Tut’s tomb was discovered in 1922. Howard Carter had been looking for the tomb for a number of years. His expeditions had been financed by Lord Carnarvon. Tutankhamen had become pharaoh when he was nine years old. He died at approximately age nineteen. His tomb was one of the few that had never been plundered. The National Museum at Cairo retains the relics. Children can find out more about Howard Carter and take an interactive tour of King Tut’s tomb at: Howard Carter.

UNESCO Was Created in 1946

Events

Nov 042026

Grand Canyon, a UNESCO Site

UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) was created in 1946. The goal of UNESCO is to promote “world peace and security through international cooperation in education, the arts, the sciences, and culture.” Children could learn about all the UNESCO World Heritage Sites at: World Heritage Sites.

Birthdays

Nov 042026

M. T. Anderson (born Stow, Massachusetts, 1968) is a children’s author. One of his books is The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing. Children could visit his very interesting website at: M. T. Anderson.

Laura Welch Bush

Laura Welch Bush (born Midland, Texas, 1946) was America’s First Lady from January 20, 2001 to January 20, 2009. She is the wife of George W. Bush, the forty-third president of the United States. She is the only First Lady to have twins. Children could visit a website at: Laura Bush.

Walter Leland Cronkite (born St. Joseph, Missouri, 1916; died New York, New York, July 17, 2009) was a journalist and television anchorperson. He was a pioneer in television news reporting. He was one of the first news reporters to break the news of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

Gail E. Haley (born Charlotte, North Carolina, 1939) is a children’s book author and illustrator. Her A Story, A Story earned the 1971 Caldecott Medal. Gail also received the 1976 Kate Greenaway Award for The Post Office Cat. Children could visit her website, filled with videos and activities, at: Gail Haley

Sterling North (born Edgerton, Wisconsin, 1906; died Whipanny, New Jersey, December 21, 1974) was a children’s author. He wrote Rascal, the 1964 Newbery Honor Award book. His hometown bought his childhood home and created a museum. Children could visit the museum’s website, especially the photos, at: Sterling North.

Will Rogers (born Oolagah, Indian Territory (now called Oklahoma), 1879; died in a plane crash near Point Barrow, Alaska, August 15, 1935) was a famous humorist, writer, and actor. Children can learn more at: Will Rogers.

Guy Fawkes Day Is Remembered in England

Events

Nov 052026

Guy Fawkes Day is remembered in England. In 1605 at least eleven people plotted to blow up Parliament and kill political leaders, including King James I. They hid twenty barrels of gunpowder in the cellar of the Parliament building. However, the explosives were discovered the night before the intended detonation. The conspirators were tried, convicted, and beheaded. Guy Fawkes is the name most remembered among the guilty. During the evening of November 5, bonfires and fireworks light up the skies. Children can check out the BBC site and play a Guy Fawkes game at: Guy Fawkes Day.

George B. Selden Patented a New Automobile Engine in 1895

Events

Nov 052026

Selden’s Patent Design

George B. Selden patented the first gasoline-powered automobile in 1895. Now you might think that this is rather a boring event, but you would be wrong. Selden patented this engine after seeing a slightly different one at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition in 1876. He and some partners tried to gain a monopoly over the automobile industry. However, Henry Ford and others won a lawsuit that had lasted over eight years. Ford’s reasonably priced cars won over the market, and Selden lost his monopoly. Children can see Selden’s patent at: Automobile.

“The Mousetrap” Opened in London in 1952

Events

Nov 052026

“The Mousetrap,” a mystery play by Agatha Christie, opened in London in 1952. It became one of the longest running plays in theater history. Nightly performances of the play continued until March 6, 2020, when COVID-19 caused the theater to close. The play reopened in May 2021. The play continues to run, and tickets are available at least through a large portion of 2025.

Hooray for Shirley Chisholm!

Events

Nov 052026

Shirley Chisholm

Shirley Chisholm was the first Black woman to be elected to the House of Representatives. Representing the 12th congressional district from New York, she was elected in 1968, and she served until 1983. She also ran unsuccessfully for President in 1972. Chisholm died in 2005. Children can read Shirley Chisholm: The Story of the First Black Woman in Congress, by Alicia D. Williams. Older children can read a biography of her at: Shirley Chisholm.

Birthdays

Nov 052026

Raymond Bial (born Danville, Illinois, 1948; died Danville, Illinois, January 1, 2021) was a children’s author. He combined his writing with photography to create photo-essays. He published over a hundred books, including The Underground Railroad and Mist over the Mountains.

Larry Dane Brimner (born Saint Petersburg, Florida, 1949) is a children’s author. He has written over 150 books. One of his books is Black & White: The Confrontation between Reverend Fred L. Shuttlesworth and Eugene “Bull” Connor. The book was named a Robert F. Sibert Honor Book, and it received the 2012 Carter G. Woodson Award. Children could visit his website at: Larry Dane Brimner.

Roy Rogers (born Leonard Slye in Cincinnati, Ohio, 1912; died Apple Valley, California, July 6, 1998) was a singer and an actor. He is famous for his cowboy roles in the early days of movies and television.

Ida Minerva Tarbell (born Erie County, Pennsylvania, 1857; died Bethel, Connecticut, January 6, 1944) was a writer and historian. She meticulously researched her subjects, and she set a new standard for investigative reporting. Children could learn about Tarbell at: Ida Minerva Tarbell. The could also read Ida M. Tarbell: The Woman Who Challenged Big Business – and WON, by Emily Arnold McCully. Finally they could read some of her works at: Project Gutenberg.

Rutgers Beat Princeton in the First Intercollegiate Football Game in 1869

Events

Nov 062026

Rutgers beat Princeton in the first intercollegiate football game in 1869. The two teams used a round ball, and each university had its own set of rules. Since the game was at Rutgers, they used the Rutgers rules. Players could only kick the ball; they could not throw the ball or run with the ball. The first team to score six points won. Rutgers won by two points.

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