Calendar of Ideas

On 27 March 1868. Patty Smith Hill, schoolteacher, author and education specialist, was born at Anchorage (suburb of Louisville), KY. She was author of the lyrics of the song “Good Morning to All,” which later became known as “Happy Birthday to You.” Her older sister, Mildred J. Hill, composed the melody for the song, which was first published in 1893 as a classroom greeting in the book Song Stories for the Sunday School. A stanza beginning “Happy Birthday to You” was added in 1924, and the song became arguably the most frequently sung song in the world. Hill died at New York, NY, May 25, 1946.

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We love those old country music quirky song titles, and it’s time to create some new ones. How about “Put Me Out at the Curb Darlin’, ’Cause the Recycling Truck’s A-comin’, and You Done Throwed Me Out,” for starters?

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Mar 28, 1881. P.T. Barnum and James A. Bailey merged their circuses to form the “Greatest Show on Earth.”

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Kebabs, corn dogs, popsicles — you can eat them right off the stick, and it’s a satisfying way to dine. No wonder foods on a stick get their own day of celebration.

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On 28 March 1979, a series of accidents, beginning at 4 AM, EST, at Three Mile Island on the Susquehanna River about 10 miles southeast of Harrisburg, PA, was responsible for extensive reevaluation of the safety of existing nuclear power– generating operations. Equipment and other failures reportedly brought Three Mile Island close to a meltdown of the uranium core, threatening extensive radiation contamination.

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On 29 March 1867, an act of the British parliament established the Dominion of Canada, uniting Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. The remaining colonies in Canada were still ruled directly by Great Britain until Manitoba joined the Dominion in 1870, British Columbia in 1871, Prince Edward Island in 1873, Alberta and Saskatchewan in 1905 and Newfoundland in 1949. Union was proclaimed July 1, 1867.

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National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day on 29 March recognizes those very special husband-and-wife business owner teams that work and commune together. Take this day to strike a balance between business and love.

Traditional annual observance since 1933 to honor America’s physicians on the anniversary of the occasion when Dr. Crawford W. Long became the first acclaimed physician to use ether as an anesthetic agent in a surgical technique, 30 March 1842. The red carnation has been designated the official flower of Doctors’ Day.

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The pencil with an eraser on the end was first patented 30 March 1858 by Hyman Lipman.

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Bunsen Burner Day is a day to honor the inventor of the Bunsen burner, Robert Wilhelm Eberhard von Bunsen, who provided chemists and chemistry students with one of their most indispensable instruments. The Bunsen burner allows the user to regulate the proportions of flammable gas and air to create the most efficient flame. Bunsen was born at Gottingen, Germany, on 31 March 1811, and was a professor of chemistry at the universities at Kassel, Marburg, Breslau and Heidelberg. He died at Heidelberg, Germany, 16 August 1899.

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On 31 March 1927, Cesar Chavez, a labor leader who organized migrant farm workers in support of better working conditions, was born at Yuma, AZ. Chavez initiated the National Farm Workers Association in 1962, attracting attention to the migrant farm workers’ plight by organizing boycotts of products including grapes and lettuce. He died 23 April 1993, at San Luis, AZ. His birthday is a holiday in California.

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The Eiffel Tower opened on 31 March 1889. Built for the Paris Exhibition of 1889, the tower was named for its architect, Alexandre Gustave Eiffel, and is one of the world’s best-known landmarks.

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April Fools’ Day seems to have begun in France in 1564. Apr 1 used to be New Year’s Day, but the New Year was changed to Jan 1 that year. People who insisted on celebrating the “old” New Year became known as April fools, and it became common to play jokes and tricks on them. The general concept of a feast of fools is, however, an ancient one. The Romans had such a day, and medieval monasteries also had days when the abbot or bishop was replaced for a day by a common monk, who would order his superiors to do the most menial or ridiculous tasks.

According to Brady’s Clavis Calendaria (1812): “The joke of the day is to deceive persons by sending them upon frivolous and nonsensical errands; to pretend they are wanted when they are not, or, in fact, any way to betray them into some supposed ludicrous situation, so as to enable you to call them ‘An April Fool.’”

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In 1979 the National Exchange Club adopted the prevention of child abuse as its national project and established the National Exchange Club Foundation. The Foundation is a chartered nonprofit corporation in Ohio. The Foundation has established Exchange Club Child Abuse Prevention Centers throughout the US.

More than 690,000 families have received services from the Exchange Club Child Abuse Prevention network. Read more at https://www.childwelfare.gov/preventing/preventionmonth/.

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Apr 1, 1970. Radio and television ads for cigarettes were banned in the U.S.A. by legislation signed by President Richard Nixon on this date. The ban went into effect Jan 1, 1971.

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Confederate History Month is recognized annually by six state governments in the Southern United States to recognize and honor the history of the Confederate States of America.

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On the first day of each month, the genealogy community is urged to back up their genealogy data and all computer data.

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Distracted Driving Awareness Month – The National Safety Council observes April as Distracted Driving Awareness Month to draw attention to the epidemic of crashes caused by the use of cell phones while driving. Learn more at http://www.nsc.org/learn/NSC-Initiatives/Pages/distracted-driving-awareness-month.aspx.

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Apr 1– 30. Every April, Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM) highlights the glories of jazz as both a historical and a living treasure. Here is one special month to draw greater public attention to the extraordinary heritage and history of jazz and its importance to American culture. Musicians, concert halls, schools, colleges, museums, libraries and public broadcasters are encouraged to offer special programs during this month. The Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History (which operates the world’s most comprehensive set of jazz programs) leads this initiative in concert with a distinguished roster of federal agencies, nongovernmental organizations and broadcasting networks.

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Man Having Be Happy Sticky Note on Forehead During Office Break Time

1 April 2017 is National Fun at Work Day. Today and every day the workplace should be spiced with fun, laughter and a playful attitude. Morale will increase, productivity will soar and the bottom line will improve.

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2 Apr – 15 June 1982. Argentina, claiming sovereignty over the nearby Falkland Islands (called the Malvinas by Argentina), invaded and occupied the British Crown colony on Apr 2, 1982. British forces defeated the Argentinians on June 15, 1982. About 250 British and 600 Argentine lives were lost in the conflict. In 1986 three military officers, including General Leopoldo Galtieri (who was president of Argentina at the time of the invasion), were convicted and sentenced for the military crime of negligence. Commemorative ceremonies are observed as Malvinas Day in Argentina.

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Hans Christian Andersen, author of classic children’s literature was born on 2 April 2 1805 in Odense, Denmark.

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International Children’s Book Day commemorates the international aspects of children’s literature.

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