Daily Calendar for Wednesday, October 16, 2024

Noah Webster's Birthday

Noah Webster, America’s first lexicographer, was born on October 16, 1758. We remember Webster as the author of the first American dictionary, but he was also the first authority to advocate American English. His American Spelling Book, published in 1783 (later known as Webster’s Elementary Spelling Book), was the first to Americanize the spelling of English words such as colour and labour by dropping the u. He also espoused American pronunciation and usage. In a very real sense, Webster gave us the language that Americans think of as English. An estimated 60 million copies of Webster’s speller were sold during its first hundred years in print. In 1828, Webster’s American Dictionary of the English Language was published, with 12,000 more words and about 40,000 more definitions than any previous English dictionary.

What can I use to get rid of a mildew smell in a leather bag?

It’s tough to get that smell out of leather, but here’s a suggestion. Get a large plastic garbage bag and sprinkle baking soda in it, perhaps a quarter cup. Sprinkle a bit more baking soda inside the leather bag and leave it open. Place the leather bag in the garbage bag, seal it, and let it sit for a day. If the leather bag still smells, repeat the process with a new garbage bag and new baking soda, again and again, until the smell is gone.

If dry today, a dry spring.

Rid books of musty odor by filling a large brown bag with crumpled newspaper, putting the books in the bag, and sealing it tight. Leave the books in the bag for a day or so, then repeat the treatment daily until the odor is gone.

Celestial equator

The circle around the celestial sphere that is halfway between the celestial poles. It can be thought of as the plane of Earth’s equator projected out onto the sphere.

What small animal is turned into a large one by taking away part of its name?

Fox (ox)

Born

Noah Webster (writer) – 1758
Francis Lubbock (Texas governor) – 1815
Oscar Wilde (author) – 1854
Wallace Rupert Turnbull (Canadian aeronautical engineer) – 1870
Eugene O'Neill (playwright) – 1888
Angela Lansbury (actress) – 1925
Suzanne Somers (actress) – 1946
Tim Robbins (actor & director) – 1958
Kellie Martin (actress) – 1975
John Mayer (musician) – 1977
Naomi Osaka (tennis player) – 1997

Died

Marie Antoinette (Queen of France) – 1793
Gene Krupa (musician) – 1973
Deborah Kerr (actress) – 2007
Barbara Billingsley (actress) – 2010
Dan Wheldon (race car driver) – 2011
Ed Lauter (actor) – 2013

Events

Cape Breton Island was re-annexed to Nova Scotia– 1820
The Tremont House in Boston, considered by many to be the first modern first-class hotel in the US, opens– 1829
The first successful demonstration of ether took place at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts– 1846
John Brown, U.S. abolitionist, led an unsuccessful raid on government arsenal at Harper’s Ferry, in what is now West Virginia– 1859
Cardiff giant discovered in Cardiff, New York (near Syracuse)– 1869
First Quebec vs. Ontario football game– 1875
The copyright for the melody “Happy Birthday to You” was registered– 1893
Margaret Sanger and others open the first birth control clinic, in Brooklyn, NY– 1916
Sun-Times published first Ann Landers column by Eppie Lederer– 1955
Two American black athletes at Olympic Games, Tommie Smith and John Carlos, demonstrate for black power while receiving their medals. They are suspended by the Olympic Committee.– 1968
Henry Kissinger and Le Duc Tho were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize– 1973
The Roman Catholic College of Cardinals elected first non-Italian pope in 455 years, Cardinal Karol Wojtyla of Poland, who took the name John Paul II– 1978
7.1 Hector Mine earthquake, Mojave Desert, California– 1999
A magnitude-4.0 earthquake struck about 3 miles west of Hollis Center, Maine and was felt throughout New England– 2012

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88 degrees F in New York City– 1879

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