EVENTFUL: A History of Veterans Day - The 11th Hour of the 11th Day of the 11th Month

The eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918 resulted in the end of “the war to end all wars.” The armistice agreement of World War I between the Allies and Germany led to the creation of a day celebrating peace and honoring those who fought during the Great War. While celebrating the first Armistice Day, President Woodrow Wilson stated, “To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations.”

During the early celebrations of Armistice Day, business transactions were briefly halted beginning at 11:00 am, proceeding parades and public gatherings to honor those who served in World War I and brought peace to America. In 1954, after the conclusions of World War II and the Korean War, veteran service organizations persuaded the American government that the Act of 1938, which made Armistice Day a legal holiday, should be amended to include veterans of all wars, thus changing the name to Veterans Day.  

Over the years, several other military changes and commemorations came into effect on November 11th. On November 11, 1942, the draft age was expanded with on the onset of World War I. The registration of men between the ages of 21 and 36 was changed to include men between the ages of 18 and 37. By the end of the war, approximately 34 million men had registered, and 10 million had been taken into military service. On November 11, 1921, the Tomb of the Unknown was dedicated by President Warren G. Harding at Arlington National Cemetery during an Armistice Day celebration, a tradition which has been followed by the nation’s presidents ever since.

   

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

Images & Videos by History.com, Preceden.com, American-Hisorama.org

BOOK REPORT: Thanksgiving Must-Reads

November is a month of falling leaves, hot cider, and preparations for the holidays. With the onset of Thanksgiving, you might be interested to read several fun and interesting books to your young learner. Check these titles out at your local library and share the spirit and history of Thanksgiving with your child!

Mayflower 1620: A New Look at a Pilgrim Voyage, Peter Arenstam

Readers will learn about the realities of the Mayflower’s long voyage to America with primary sources detailing what the voyageurs wore, what they ate, the dangers of the journey, how they survived, and much more.  

Squanto’s Journey, Joseph Bruchac

A Native American descendant, Bruchac tells the story of Squanto, who, after being kidnapped by Europeans and taken to Spain, returns to his homeland and helps a group of new Europeans bear the harsh winter and create the Thanksgiving holiday celebrated today.

Magic Tree House: Thanksgiving on Thursday, Mary Pope Osborne

On another whirl-wind adventure, Jack and Annie are transported back to 1621 and must work together to help the pilgrims prepare the first Thanksgiving meal!

Thank You, Sarah, Laurie Halse Anderson

Anderson’s book shares the history behind how Thanksgiving became a national holiday! Through the persistence and petitioning of Sarah Hale, Thanksgiving become a nationally recognized holiday with Abraham Lincoln’s signing of the Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1863.  

Milly and the Macy’s Parade, Shana Corey

Based on the true story behind the inception of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, this book tells of Milly, a young Polish girl living in New York City during the 1920’s. Noticing the homesickness of her fellow immigrants, Milly persuades her father’s boss, the Macy’s shop owner, to host a parade in hopes of boosting spirits during the holiday season in a new country.  

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

Images by Amazon & Goodreads  

FRIDAY FOLDER: November 6

Weekly Highlights:

 Historic Anaheim Campus

Anaheim Hills Campus

North Tustin Campus

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

ARTS & CRAFTS: Corn Wreath

The crisp, cool weather of autumn has arrived! Usher in the season of thankfulness by making these simple, quick, and festive wreaths with your child!

Materials:

White and Green Construction Paper

Yellow, Orange, Red, and Brown Paint

Bubble Wrap

Hot Glue Gun

Cardboard

Twine

Instructions:

1. To create corn kernels, paint sections of bubble wrap with yellow, orange, red, and brown paint. The more sporadic and multicolored the bubble wrap becomes, the better. Press bubble wrap, paint side down, onto a large sheet of white construction paper, then remove.
2. Once dry, use scissors to cut the painted construction paper into individual corn shapes.
3. Next, cut husk shapes from green construction paper, matching the husks and corn in length.
4. Using scissors, cut a doughnut from cardboard and hot glue the ears of corn into their husks and around the inner edge of the doughnut so that the corn is fanned out, spaced evenly, and covers the cardboard.
5. Hot glue a loop of twine to the backside of the cardboard for hanging.
   
   

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

Images and Craft Instructions by Purely From the Heart  

EVENTFUL: Spruce Goose Flies on this Day in History

 Movie producer and founder of the Hughes Aircraft Company, Howard Hughes was a successful aircraft designer and builder who is most famous for the design and creation of the Spruce Goose. Affectionately known as the “Flying Boat,” the Spruce Goose took its one and only flight on this day in 1947 in the harbor of Long Beach, California.

As the United States entered World War II, Hughes was commissioned in 1941 by the United States government to build an aircraft capable of carrying mass amounts of soldiers and supplies across large distances. With a wingspan larger than a football field and costing over $28 million ($453 million in 2015 dollars) to construct, the Spruce Goose project resulted in an airplane made entirely of spruce and birch wood (due to wartime restrictions on heavy metals) capable of carrying over 700 men. Powered by eight propeller engines, the massive machine was finally completed in 1946, following the war’s conclusion.

Piloted by Hughes, who personally tested each of his own designs before manufacturing, the Spruce Goose was put into flight on November 2, 1947. While thousands of spectators crowded around the Long Beach harbor to observe the test flight, the Spruce Goose taxied on water, then lifted 70 feet above the water’s surface and remained airborne for one mile, turning disbelievers into true believers.

The largest plane ever constructed, the Spruce Goose never made it into production after critics doubted the plane’s ability to withstand the wear and tear of multiple flights. A tribute to American industry and ingenuity during World War II, the “Flying Boat” is currently housed in the Evergreen Aviation Museum in McMinnville, Oregon.

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

Images by History.com, Mediamerge.com, & Fridrichdesign.com  

FRIDAY FOLDER: October 30

Weekly Highlights:

 Historic Anaheim

Anaheim Hills

North Tustin

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

EVENTFUL: A Grown-Up's Guide to “Treating” Trick-or-Treaters

"Trick or treat?" How you answer that question on Halloween night will impact your household’s reputation for the entire year. Children have a sixth sense when it comes to scouting out the best candy houses and are quick to discover which houses to swarm and which to avoid during their night of scavenging. Since this is the only time when taking candy from strangers is socially acceptable, remember to play by the rules in order to become the beloved Willy Wonka of your neighborhood. As any trick-or-treater will tell you, not all candy is created equal.

Golden Rule – While “fun size” is fun, “king size” is better.

Rule #1 – No Popcorn Balls or Homemade Pinterest Attempts

Popcorn balls are good for two things: pelting siblings and gunking up a child’s candy receptacle. And unless you’re hosting a Halloween bash, refrain from dispensing homemade treats to wandering children. Popcorn balls do not belong in a pillowcase or plastic pumpkin. No parent is going to let their child eat treats made by the hands of a stranger, no matter how nice and unassuming you seem. Give Pinterest a rest and don’t waste your time in the kitchen. Think pre-wrapped and store-bought.

Rule #2 – Chocolate > Hard Candy

Not only is chocolate far superior in taste and satisfaction in comparison to hard candy, chocolate also has the bonus of being less of a choking hazard. Lemon Heads, Jolly Ranchers, and the like are delicious, but no kid can resist the smooth taste of a Snickers or Hershey's Kiss.

Rule #3 – Fruit Spoils Happiness

Unless you want to be known as the Grinch of Halloween, do not answer the door holding a bowl of fruit. Nothing makes a child’s gleeful smile disappear quicker than an apple or clementine on Halloween night. The same goes for toothbrushes and raisins. Save yourself the embarrassment and keep the fruit for your own kid’s lunches.  

Rule #4 – Protect Your Candy

For one night only, candy is king. Like a scene from a zombie movie, parents allow their children to wander the streets in search of these nutrient-lacking nuggets. So, protect your stash. Don’t leave your candy bowl unattended on the porch. It only takes one punk teenager with a heart full of greed and a mouth full of cavities to ruin the fun for a gaggle of tiny trick-or-treaters. No one wants that.

Rule #5 – Stay Away from Wax Lips & Wax Fangs

No one knows what these are, or why they were created. Enough said.

Rule #6 – Mom & Dad Tax

Think about being the house on your street that caters to the Mom & Dad Tax. Candies such as caramels, Almond Joys, Good & Plenty, and Mounds are usually lower on a child’s candy-trading scale and therefore act as acceptable payment for the Mom & Dad Tax at the end of the night.

Rule #7 – Accidental Lighting

Don’t be the person who is clearly home and has left the porch light on, but refuses to answer the door. If you run out of candy or don’t wish to be greeted by ghouls and goblins, turn off the porch light. Think of those little tykes patiently waiting for candy, and then realizing there is none.

Have a happy Halloween!

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

Image by Clip Art Sheep