It’s a special day at Today’s History Lesson. I’m just brimming with stuff to talk about, though I have but one subject.
For those of you that grew up watching Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, you know how relaxing…and calming…and soothing…and gentle that program was. Rambunctious children like you, by the millions, exorcised their “energy” demons with this magic [...]
Archive for the ‘Twentieth century (1901-1960)’ Category
Bob Ross: 30 Minutes of Awesome
Posted in Twentieth century (1901-1960), United States, tagged 1942, Bob Ross, Public Television, The Joy of Painting on October 29 | 5 Comments »
Chiseled in Stone
Posted in Twentieth century (1901-1960), United States, tagged 1927, South Dakota, Gutzon Borglum, Mount Rushmore National Memorial on October 4 | Leave a Comment »
South Dakota is one of the least populated states in the Union. With roughly 800,000 people calling it home, only Wyoming, Vermont, Alaska, and North Dakota have fewer residents. But between 2 and 3 million people call South Dakota “my/our vacation destination” every year as they venture to Mount Rushmore, one of the most famous National Parks [...]
Skip Caray: Voice of the Braves
Posted in Twentieth century (1901-1960), United States, tagged 1939, Atlanta Braves, Francisco Cabrera, Harry Caray, Ray King, Skip Caray, TBS on August 12 | Leave a Comment »
As a long-time Braves fan, it wouldn’t be right to let today go by without saying something about Skip Caray. Born on August 12, 1939, Skip joined TBS (Turner Broadcasting System) in 1976 and, for more than 30 years, entertained fans who either watched the games on TV or listened on the radio.
When I became a Braves [...]
Living on Keillor Street
Posted in Twentieth century (1901-1960), United States, tagged 1942, A Prairie Home Companion, Garrison Keillor, National Public Radio on August 7 | Leave a Comment »
Many years ago, Saturday evenings usually meant gathering in the living room and listening to the radio. Once the 500-pound device warmed up, families would listen through the static to whatever they could hear clearly enough to understand.
They might have included some comedy sketches from Lum and Abner, or maybe Amos and Andy. Or maybe the kids [...]
Lituya Bay: Back-Broke Mountain
Posted in Twentieth century (1901-1960), United States, tagged 1958, Alaska, Earthquake, Howard Ulrich, Lituya Bay, Tsunami on July 9 | Leave a Comment »
When the words “Lituya Bay” are mentioned (which, to be perfectly honest, doesn’t happen all that often), I think of those Old Milwaukee beer commercials from years past. You remember the ones? They go something like…
Lituya Bay and Milwaukee both mean something great to these guys. Lituya Bay means Alaska, America’s wildest frontier. Beauty, wildlife, fishing. And [...]
Drive, He Said
Posted in Twentieth century (1901-1960), United States, tagged 1953, Chevrolet, Corvette, ZR-1, Z06 on June 30 | 1 Comment »
There’s no denying that I’ve always been a car nut. I love cars. I’m always looking at them, thinking about buying them, and wondering how to improve the ones I own. And over the years, I’ve owned a number of them, foreign and domestic.
Back in 2001, I purchased a project car (actually my first purchase on ebay) [...]
North Korea: Then and Now
Posted in Twentieth century (1901-1960), United States, tagged 1950, 38th Parallel, Kang Nam, Kim Jong Il, North Korea, South Korea, USS John S. McCain on June 25 | Leave a Comment »
It seems somehow appropriate to talk about North Korea for Today’s History Lesson. Over the last several years, this secretive Communist stronghold, controlled by one that many consider to be a deranged lunatic, has managed to anger or threaten nearly every civilized nation on the planet.
Determined to establish itself as a “power with which to be [...]
Hal Lyness: Man About History
Posted in Twentieth century (1901-1960), United States, tagged 1924, Hal Lyness, History, Teaching on May 24 | Leave a Comment »
Most people that are fans of history weren’t just born that way. It might be true that passionate students of the past have some predisposition wired in to their makeups. But I think it’s one of those things that needs a spark, or a gentle push, to come to life. It may be the stories of [...]
The Sedition Act Reprise
Posted in Twentieth century (1901-1960), United States, tagged 1918, Espionage Act of 1917, President Woodrow Wilson, Sedition Act of 1918 on May 16 | Leave a Comment »
Nearly a year ago, we took a look at the Alien and Sedition Acts which were put into effect in 1798. We noted the Sedition Act in particular, which made writing false or malicious things about the government a crime, punishable by fines, imprisonment, or both. While clearly a violation of the U.S. Constitution’s First [...]
“Oh the Humanity!!”
Posted in Twentieth century (1901-1960), United States, tagged Hindenburg, 1937, Airship, Herbert Morrison, Lakehurst, New Jersey on May 6 | 1 Comment »
Herbert Morrison’s words, choked with emotion, still echo from the field in Lakehurst, New Jersey. And 72 years later, the photo (taken by a member of the U.S. Navy) is not only instantly recognizable, it’s one of the most famous pictures ever taken. And both Morrison’s audio, which was being recorded for radio station WLS in Chicago, and [...]
Pia Zadora’s Other-Worldly Acting
Posted in Twentieth century (1901-1960), United States, tagged 1954, Girmar, Mystery Science Theater 3000, Pia Zadora, Santa Claus Conquers the Martians on May 4 | Leave a Comment »
We’ll keep it brief today. Usually actors and actresses start their careers with bit parts or bigger parts in no-name B movies. Eventually they gain some experience and move on to bigger and more important roles. Some become superstars, and the movies for which they’re known bear little resemblance to the ones that started their careers.
Usually.
But [...]
Pluto: The Barking (Dwarf) Planet
Posted in Twentieth century (1901-1960), United States, tagged 1930, Planets, Pluto on May 1 | 1 Comment »
Pluto. It’s a lovable, cute cartoon dog and playmate of Mickey Mouse. It’s also the 9th (and smallest) planet in our solar system. Actually, since 2006, it hasn’t even been classified as a planet anymore. But you all knew that, right?
I had no idea that there was all kinds of debate about what constituted a [...]
Eric Geist: Tom Clancy Apostle
Posted in Twentieth century (1901-1960), United States, tagged 1947, Jack Ryan, Red Storm Entertainment, Tom Clancy on April 12 | Leave a Comment »
I first ran into Tom Clancy’s books back in college. A good friend of mine, Eric Geist, was a real fan of all things military, just like me. As we both had the same major, we spent a lot of “study” time talking about fighters, bombers, ships, and tanks.
It was he who first mentioned “Red [...]
Fred Rogers: The Best Neighbor Ever
Posted in Twentieth century (1901-1960), United States, tagged 1928, Fred Rogers, Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, PBS, Presbyterian on March 20 | Leave a Comment »
Hello Neighbor.
He was a man that never raised his voiced. He was never hurried, never harried, and never so busy that he couldn’t drop by the neighborhood for a half hour on PBS. Fred Rogers was the single most gentle TV personality that has ever graced (or will grace) the screen.
Mr. Rogers. And Mr. Rogers’ [...]
Dale Murphy: Superstar and Super Man
Posted in Twentieth century (1901-1960), United States, tagged 1956, Atlanta Braves, Baseball, Brett Butler, Dale Murphy on March 12 | 1 Comment »
The 1980’s were pretty bleak for Braves fans. There was the miracle year of 1982, when the Braves started the season with thirteen straight wins and never really looked back. Though they lost to St. Louis in the playoffs, the incredible run after so much badness gave fans hope for the future. But it was [...]
Paul’s “Sound” Doctrine
Posted in Twentieth century (1901-1960), United States, tagged 1904, Klipsch and Associates, Klipschorn, Paul Klipsch, The Apostle Paul on March 9 | Leave a Comment »
The title of Today’s History Lesson may give you the impression that we’re headed to the Bible for a discussion of Christianity’s greatest missionary. His writings are known world-wide, his travels were extensive, and the effects of his life are still being felt. All of these serve to make Paul worthy of print, but unfortunately, there [...]
Dam!!
Posted in Twentieth century (1901-1960), United States, tagged 1936, Boulder Dam, Colorado River, Highwayman, Hoover Dam, Lake Mead on March 1 | Leave a Comment »
Back in my grade-school days, I seem to recall a book or a movie series or maybe a TV series called “They Said it Couldn’t Be Done“. It was about an entire series of structures that were deemed impossible to build, but were completed anyway, due to incredible feats of engineering, planning, and the work of human [...]
U.S. Creates New Species: The Lame Duck
Posted in Twentieth century (1901-1960), United States, tagged 1951, 22nd Admendment, President Franklin Roosevelt, President George Washington, Term Limits, U.S. Constitution on February 27 | Leave a Comment »
When George Washington took the Presidential Oath of Office for the second time in 1793, he did so reluctantly. He had served his first term as the first President of the United States with distinction, and proved himself to be a very capable leader. But a second term? He wasn’t really in favor of that. [...]
Arizona: A Hot Valentine’s Day Gift
Posted in Twentieth century (1901-1960), United States, tagged 1912, Arizona, Desert, Grand Canyon National Park, Phoenix on February 14 | Leave a Comment »
Valentine’s Day. Day of flowers, and candy, and kisses, and the color red. And, course, it’s the day for chocolate. Well, for most people it is. My wife got me a box of chocolates…Little Debbie Swiss Cake Rolls. There are few things better in life than Swiss Cake Rolls. She also got me a little [...]
