Lake Pontchartrain Causeway opened in 1956. The 23.86 mile long bridge connects Metairie, Louisiana, and Mandeville, Louisiana. Until 2011 the structure was deemed the longest bridge over water in the world.
Aug 302026
Aug 302026
Hotline during Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidency
Direct telephone communication, nicknamed the Hotline, was completed between the White House and the Kremlin in 1963. Legend called the Hotline a red telephone, but it was neither red nor a telephone. At first a teletype machine was used; then Reagan implemented a fax machine. Presently the Hotline is a secure computer link.
Aug 302026
Ellen Arthur
Ellen Lewis Herndon Arthur (born Culpeper, Virginia, 1837; died New York, New York, January 11, 1880) was the wife of Chester A. Arthur, twenty-first president of the United States. She was the daughter of William Lewis Herndon, an explorer of the Amazon River. She died before Arthur was ever elected president. Children could visit a website at: Ellen Lewis Herndon Arthur.
Virginia Lee Burton (born Newton Centre, Massachusetts, 1909; died Boston, Massachusetts, October 15, 1968) was a children’s book writer and illustrator. She won the 1943 Caldecott Medal for The Little House. She also wrote and illustrated Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel. Children could learn more at: Virginia Lee Burton.
Donald Crews (born Newark, New Jersey, 1938) is a picture book author and illustrator. He has received two Caldecott Honor Awards: in 1979 for Freight Train and in 1981 for Truck. He received the 2015 Laura Ingalls Wilder Award for his body of works.
Laurent de Brunhoff (born Paris, France, 1925) writes and illustrates books for children. His father, Jean de Brunhoff, created the Babar series. Laurent continued to write 45 more Babar books after his father died. He has also written other types of books for children.
Millicent Selsam (born New York, New York, 1912; died New York, New York, October 12, 1996) wrote over 100 books for children. Her books include Greg’s Microscope and Egg to Chick. Children can learn more at: Millicent Selsam.
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (born London, England, 1797; died London, England, February 1, 1851) was an author. One of her most famous works is Frankenstein. She was married to poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, and she edited much of her husband’s work after he died. Children can read Frankenstein and many of her other works at: Project Gutenberg.
Roy Wilkins (born St. Louis, Missouri, 1901; died New York, New York, September 8, 1981) was a civil rights leader. The grandson of a slave, he was a driving force in the NAACP. Children could learn more at: Roy Wilkins.
Ted Williams (born San Diego, California, 1918; died Inverness, Florida, July 5, 2002) was a famous baseball player. He was a veteran of both World War II and the Korean War. An outfielder, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1966. Children could learn more at: Ted Williams.
Aug 312026
Flag of Malaysia
Malaysia celebrates Independence Day, granted from the United Kingdom in 1957. The country, located in Southeast Asia, has an area about equal to the area of New Mexico. The country has two main portions: part of the peninsula shared by Thailand and the northern portion of Borneo. Almost 30 million people live in this tropical country. The capital is Kuala Lumpur. Children could learn more at: Malaysia.
Aug 312026
Flag of Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago celebrate Independence Day. The two islands located off the northeastern coast of South America became free of British rule in 1962. The combined area is about the same as the area of Delaware, and over 1.2 million people live there. Port of Spain is the capital. The islands export petroleum, cocoa, and sugar.
Aug 312026
Flag of Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan celebrates Independence Day. Kyrgyzstan became free of Soviet rule in 1991. This landlocked country, located in eastern central Asia, has an area about equal to the area of South Dakota. Most of the country is covered with mountains. About 5.5 million people live in Kyrgyzstan, and Bishkek is the capital.
Aug 312026
John Blair died in 1800 in Williamsburg, Virginia. His exact date of birth (probably in 1732) is unknown. He represented Virginia at the Constitutional Convention and then served on the first United States Supreme Court from 1789 to 1796. Children can learn more at: John Blair.
Aug 312026
Charleston Earthquake
Charleston, South Carolina, experienced a major earthquake (measuring 7.6 on the Richter Scale) in 1886. The first major earthquake recorded in the eastern United States, it killed about one hundred people. The people of Charleston found unique ways to repair damage to their homes. Idea: Children could find out how and why earthquakes occur at the very interesting USGS site at: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/kids/.
Aug 312026
Conrad Buff II (born Speicher, Switzerland, 1886; died Laguna Hills, Calfiornia, March 11, 1975) wrote and illustrated fourteen books with his wife, Mary Buff. Theiy received a Caldecott Honor Award in 1943 for Dash and Dart. They received three Newbery Honor Awards: in 1947 for The Big Tree, in 1952 for The Apple and the Arrow, and in 1954 for Magic Maize.
Alan Jay Lerner (born New York, New York, 1918; died New York, New York, June 14, 1986) was a lyricist. He teamed with Frederick Lowe on many musicals, including My Fair Lady and Camelot.
Kenneth Oppel (born Canada, 1967) has written at least 35 books for children and young adults. His books include the Silverwing saga and the Airborn series. Young adults can visit his website at: Kenneth Oppel.
Itzhak Perlman (born Tel Aviv, Israel, 1945) is a famous violinist.
Deborah Kogan Ray (born Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1940) has written at least seventeen books for children. She has also illustrated at least 60 books for children written by other authors. Her books include Wanda Gag: The Girl Who Loved to Draw and Paiute Princess: The Story of Sarah Winnemucca. Children can visit her website at: Deborah Kogan Ray.
Sep 012026
World Beach Day
World Beach Day is today! The day reminds us that the beach is a necessary part of the world’s ecosystem. We must protect the beach, keep it clean, and encourage beach plant and animal growth. Birds, mammals, crustaceans, and insects thrive on beaches. Sea turtles nest on beaches. Many plants live in the dunes and slightly beyond. Children can visit a great site: Beaches.