Tidbits of History, September 2

September 2 is:

National Blueberry Popsicle Day
National Grits for Breakfast Day
From: Foodimentary.com

• Grits (also sometimes called sofkee or sofkey from the Muskogee word) are a food of Native American origin common in the Southern United States and mainly eaten at breakfast.
• They consist of coarsely ground corn, or sometimes alkali-treated corn (hominy).
• Grits are similar to other thick maize-based porridges from around the world, such as polenta, or the thinner farina.
• Grits are usually prepared by adding one part grits to two-to-three parts boiling water, sometimes seasoned with salt or sugar.
• They are usually cooked for 5–10 minutes for “quick” grits or 20 or more minutes for whole kernel grits, or until the water is absorbed and the grits become a porridge-like consistency.

Anniversary of the historic Great London fire of 1666 which left four-fifths of London in ashes. The fire of began in the shop of the King’s baker. After burning for four days, more than 13,000 buildings had been destroyed.

From Today in Science
Julian Calendar
In 1752, today was the last day of the Julian calendar in Great Britain, Ireland and the British colonies, including those on the East coast of America. Eleven days were skipped to adopt the Gregorian calendar, designed to realign the calendar with equinoxes. Hence the following day was 14 Sep. For more than a century and a half before, following the decree by Pope Gregory XIII, Italy, and three other Catholic countries (Spain, Portugal and Poland) used the Julian calendar for the last time on 4 Oct 1582. France followed, ending Julian calendar use on 9 Dec 1582. Russia did not change until the early 20th century: 31 Jan 1918 was the last Julian date, followed the next day by 14 Feb 1918. Parts of China changed in 1912, but the Communist revolution, 1949, established Gregorian calendar use in all China.

Birthday of Lydia Liliʻu Loloku Walania Wewehi Kamakaʻeha, (September 2, 1838), last Queen of the Hawaiian Islands, overthrown in 1893. Remembered as the author of several songs including “Aloha Oe” (Farewell to Thee).

Birthday of Eugene Field (September 2, 1850), American jounalist; author of children’s verses such as “Little Boy Blue” and “Wynken, Blynken, and Nod”.

Little Boy Blue

The little toy dog is covered with dust,
But sturdy and stanch he stands;
And the little toy soldier is red with rust,
And his musket molds in his hands.
Time was when the little toy dog was new
And the soldier was passing fair,
And that was the time when our Little Boy Blue
Kissed them and put them there.

“Now, don’t you go till I come,” he said,
“And don’t you make any noise!”
So toddling off to his trundle-bed
He dreamed of the pretty toys.
And as he was dreaming, an angel song
Awakened our Little Boy Blue,–
Oh, the years are many, the years are long,
But the little toy friends are true.

Ay, faithful to Little Boy Blue they stand,
Each in the same old place,
Awaiting the touch of a little hand,
The smile of a little face.
And they wonder, as waiting these long years through,
In the dust of that little chair,
What has become of our Little Boy Blue
Since he kissed them and put them there.

Comment: I don’t know why but this was one of my mother’s favorite poems and probably the first one I ever learned.

1944 Future US President George H. W. Bush bailed from a burning plane during a mission in the Pacific.

September 2, 1945: Vietnam became independent, with Ho Chi Minh as leader.

The first automatic teller machine in the United States was installed on September 2, 1969 in Rockville Center, New York.