An interesting historical story.
The picture is of a gym class in a 1900 school, but let’s look at some facts about punishment in a Gilded Age school. A typical school philosophy was “Speak the truth, be honest, be punctual, be clean and kind.” Showing respect was also highly emphasized. Here is a list Read more…
A typical day in a Gilded Age one room classroom. Boys and girls enter the classroom single file, youngest to oldest. Girls enter first, curtsying to the teacher. Boys would bow. Hang your coat on the hook. Put your lunch pail on the shelf. You sat according to academic ability, Read more…
During his Illyrian campaign, Alexander faced a tough mountain people called the Taulantians. They held the high ground and would be very difficult to dislodge. Alexander had to figure out a way to draw them out into the open where his army’s superior discipline would be an advantage. He decided Read more…
Shouldn’t you know what you are celebrating? Before you say you are celebrating Mexican independence, you’re wrong. You are celebrating one of the rare victories of the Mexican army. S(orry to be blunt, but it’s the truth.) In early 1862, French Emperor Napoleon decided to take advantage of the American Read more…
Before the Battle of Cannae, Hannibal and his generals looked across the battlefield at the huge Roman army they would soon be facing. One of his generals, named Gisgo, voiced his concern about how many Romans there were. Hannibal responded in a loud voice: “You are right, Gisgo. The Read more…
In the Middle Ages, “benefit of clergy” referred to the ability of clergy members to avoid conviction for crimes. This benefit was later extended to cover anyone who could read a verse from the Bible. It was usually the first verse from the 51st Psalm. “Have mercy upon me, Oh Read more…
The phrase “the shot heard ‘round the world” comes from Ralph Waldo Emerson’s poem “Concord Hymn” from 1837. “One if by land and two if by sea” comes from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s “Paul Revere’s Ride” from 1861. The British could have marched across the neck of Boston (by land) or Read more…
The delusion that personal gain is made by crushing others. The tendency to worry about things that can’t be changed or corrected. Insisting that a thing is impossible because we can’t accomplish it. Refusing to set aside trivial preferences. Neglecting development and refinement of the mind, and not acquiring the Read more…
It was named the Spanish Flu because Spain was neutral in WWI and thus did not have press censorship. Their newspapers reported freely on it, especially after King Alfonso XIII got ill. We still don’t know where it originated. Possibilities are Kansas, the Western Front, or China. China seems most Read more…
The bride was dressed in her home by relatives. She wore a fire-colored veil and simple white smock. Her hair was separated into six tufts and arranged with a spearhead and held by ribbons. A sacrifice of an animal was made. The couple would sign the marriage contract and dowry Read more…