This Day In History: 9-19-84

"Oh...it's that man teacher!"

A group of students in the Art room next to my classroom heard our raucous math game this morning and commented "Oh...it's that man teacher!" when they heard my voice through the air ducts.  It made me realize that I am indeed a minority in my school and in my profession.  My teaching partner is a male and there is a male kindergarten teacher but that is it for classroom teachers in our elementary school.  We have some males in the Unified Arts and lots of them in the middle and high school buildings.

However, that isolation is nothing compared to that felt by the men who have led this country.  I'm not commenting on the "selfie" brouhaha or the sign language boner from the recent Nelson Mandela memorial service.  Instead, I was struck by these recently released behind the scenes photos.  I cannot imagine what these men talk about...

Electoral Precedent

The original (with hover text), is HERE

This Day In History Thursday: July 5, 2012

I figured when I sat down to write today's post, the chances of finding another presidential marriage on this date was slim.  Looks like I was right.  Sorry, Tony!

But how about this:

On this date in 1841, Mary Arthur McElroy was born.  She served as First Lady for her brother, Vermont's own President Chester A. Arthur when he assumed the presidency!  Arthur's wife, Ellen Arthur, had died 21 months prior to Arthur's ascension.

You can read more about her well-respected time as First Lady HERE.

 

This Day In History Thursday: 6/28/12

Today is a big day in history....however, continuing last week's "unexpected history lesson" (said with tongue firmly in cheek, I'm guessing, by Tony Laplume, Sith Architect), more presidential marriage information!

On this day in 1919, future president Harry S Truman married Bess Wallace.  Longtime sweethearts, the two met in fifth grade but did not marry until they were in their thirties! And like our 33rd president, I lack a full middle name, instead using just a letter with NO punctuation!

This Day In History Thursday: 6/21/12

< Napoleon Dynamite voice> "Daily blogging is hard....gah!" </Napoleon Dynamite voice>


I guess I landed on this theme for Thursdays....and since my son and I are WAY into Presidential Trivia this week, I will let you know that....

On this day, two future Presidents married their future First Ladies!

In 1810, Zachary Taylor married Margaret Smith.  They had six children, including a daughter who married future Confederate President Jefferson Davis (though she died three months after their marriage, nearly 30 years before the Civil War)!

In 1940, Richard Nixon married Patricia Ryan.  Nixon is one of only two men to appear on a major party's presidential ticket five times....though not consecutively.

Both marriages, by most accounts, were strong and happy.  In each marriage, the spouses died within two years of each other.  

So, there you go.  I am actually looking forward to tomorrow's post.  And Saturday's theme.  I will be taking Sunday off!

Happy Birthday, President Lincoln!

Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through its greatest internal crisis, the American Civil War, preserving the Union and ending slavery.

Day of Infamy

From the address given by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt at the United States Capitol, Washington, D.C., on December 8, 1941:

"[On] December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.The United States was at peace with that nation, and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific."