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This Day in History

February 6, 1917
Just off the coast of Ireland a German submarine torpedoed and sank a U.S. steamer, The California; it was carrying 205 passengers. The damage was such that the ship sank within nine minutes; a total of 43 people died. This occurred three days after President Woodrow Wilson warned Germany that American interests at sea should not be assaulted. On April 6, 1917 the U.S. entered the war.

February 8, 1918
The U.S. resumed publication of “Stars and Stripes,” a military newsletter for Union soldiers started during the Civil War. It was published weekly from February 8, 1918 to June 13, 1919 and was distributed to American soldiers dispersed across the Western Front to keep them unified and informed about the war effort as well as to provide them with news from home. Publication was resumed again during World War II.

 
Election Day: An American Holiday, An American History

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How a Dog Breeder, a Blind Man, and a German Shepherd Changed the World in 1929

In the early twentieth century, those without sight were marginalized members of society. They had no job options and no mobility, and had to rely on the kindness of someone who might lead them or help them with whatever needed to be done.

A series of circumstances on two continents was to change all that, and in the process, provide dignity and independence to those with visual impairment.

The Woman Who Led the Way
Dorothy Harrison Eustis (1886-1946) was born into a prominent family in Philadelphia and married Walter Abbott Wood, Jr., whose family had become wealthy farm machinery manufacturers. She moved to Wood’s hometown of Hoosick Falls, New York (near the border with Vermont) where she and Wood lived on a farm and ran an experimental cattle breeding program to increase milk production. In 1914 the couple traveled to Germany, and Dorothy, who loved dogs, brought home her first German shepherd.

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Almost Forgotten: The 1864 Battle That Saved Washington

Sometimes we lose in order to win. This was very much the case with the Battle of Monocacy, fought just outside Frederick, Maryland on July 9, 1864. The Union soldiers went down in defeat, but they accomplished a bigger goal — they saved Washington. In all the stories of the Civil War, the Battle of… continue reading ->

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Preservation of a 260-Year-Old Stove and Why It Matters

Earlier this month on my trip to Frederick, Maryland, the tourism board had organized wonderful days for me. Among the sites they planned for me to visit was Schifferstadt Museum. The house, now an architecture museum, was built by a German family in 1756 and is one of the oldest houses still standing in Frederick… continue reading ->

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New Postage Stamp Honors Late Cartoonist Bill Mauldin

If you have ever stopped by the post office to buy a special type of stamp for a wedding invitation or a holiday card, then you have had the pleasure of admiring the various stamp designs that the U.S. Postal Service offers.

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Assuring That Women’s Stories are Told

Gloria Steinem has been quoted as saying, “If we don’t see a history with women, we don’t know that we can create it.” My final post for the month of March, Women’s History Month, will be dedicated to two organizations — the Smith College Library system and Women’s eNews — both of which are assuring… continue reading ->

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