One day, years ago, a student who was noticeably shy, but studious and “old” for his age, slowly sidled up to my desk after the final bell of the school day had rung and asked, “How do you know so much stuff? No matter what we bring up during the ‘5 minutes before’ and ‘5 minutes after’ discussions in front and behind the regular lectures and discussions, you seem to have something that applies to add to our words.”
My answer to him was a simple one. “I read voraciously as a student during my 16 years in public education (grammar school, high school, college), and the readings did not just take place in school settings but also in barber shops, tire stores, medical waiting rooms, relatives’ homes, bus and train stations, hotels, libraries, automobiles, etc. And I read anything that was available at those moments, from Mad magazines to comic books to World Book Encyclopedias to books of philosophical essays to Carolyn Keene mysteries to Better Homes and Gardens magazines to Argosy magazines to the Bible. I saw that young man a few years later and asked how and what he was doing those days, and he answered, “READING.”
1945: Delegates from 50 nations signed the United Nations Charter to “save succeeding generations from the ‘scourge’ of war.”
Fact: Beavers like to eat the bark of hardwood trees, various leaves, and shore and aquatic plants—but do not eat fish as many believe. They are herbivores!
Quote: Viola Dana said, “IMAGINATION is a wonderful companion.”
William Shakespeare coined the phrases, “All’s well that ends well.” and “All that glitters is not gold.”
Garrett Morgan (son of a former slave): This inventor’s “safety hood” gas mask saved workers trapped in a tunnel beneath Lake Erie when a Cleveland Waterworks explosion caused an emergency. (early 1900s)
1891: Supposedly, President Benjamin Harrison and his 1st Lady never touched the light switches that were installed in the newlyrenovated White House but called for a servant each time they wanted the lights on/off. They feared they would be “shocked.”
VOLCANOES are named after VULCAN (married to Venus, “goddess of love and beauty”), ancient Roman “god of fire.”
J. K. Rowling wrote The Cuckoo’s Calling (2013) under the pen name, Robert Galbraith, and critics considered the work a noteworthy read and good 1st effort. However, when word “leaked out” that the author was actually ROWLING, sales increased by 150,000 percent.
COFFEE is touted to be the most popular beverage in the whole world! Supposedly 400 billion cups are consumed yearly.
ART: Edgar Degas said that “Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” (Themer—Good poets always made me see “scads” more than what was written on the paper!)
WIMBLEDON—This tournament began when the “All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club held its 1st tennis championship matches, where approximately 200 viewers “shelled out” one shilling each to “spectate” the final match, won by one “Spencer W. Gore.” (1877)
“Baby Gays”—original name of the “swabs” now called “Q-Tips.” The “Q” stands for Quality!
1925—High School teacher, John Scopes, was found guilty of teaching evolution by a Tennessee jury, and his fine was set at $100.00. Scopes had hoped his trial would force the law against teaching EVOLUTION would be ruled “Unconstitutional.” In 1968, that ruling finally happened.
1960s—Jim Johnson (teacher, coach, and Scout Leader at that time) said that “Boys who are in Boy Scouts grow up to be better men.” (Themer—To this day, I still remember and use many skills I learned from SCOUTING.)
1965-1966—Ed Wilson (Principal and math teacher at that time) said that “if the algebra problems/solutions methods are ‘stumping you and causing you grief,’ just keep on working, thinking, and getting help. It may take a week or two, but one day, all of a sudden, ‘the light will come on,’ and it will all make perfectly simple sense!” (I was temporarily stumped; he was right!)
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