Month: July 2022

Hartford Circus Fire (1944)

The Hartford Circus Fire was one of the worst fire disasters in US history. While thousands of spectators in Hartford, Connecticut, were enjoying an afternoon performance of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, a fire broke out in the tent. The big top, waterproofed with a coating of paraffin and gasoline, quickly collapsed in flames, trapping hundreds beneath it. About 169 people died. What song is traditionally used by circuses to discretely alert staff when an emergency arises? Discuss

Jan Hus Day

This day is celebrated in the Czech Republic to commemorate Jan Hus, an early 15th-century Czech priest and reformer who advocated the idea of a poor Church that limited itself to Biblical teachings and spiritual affairs. Hus was summoned to the ecclesiastical Council of Constance in 1414; when he refused to recant his teachings, Hus was excommunicated and burnt at the stake on July 6, 1415. Jan Hus Day is a national holiday in the Czech Republic. A wreath is placed on his monument in Old Town Square in Prague, and the national flag is flown at all public places. Discuss

Janet Leigh (1927)

Leigh was “discovered” by actress Norma Shearer, whose late husband, Irving Thalberg, had been a senior executive at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). Though inexperienced, Leigh secured a contract with MGM, left college—where she had been studying music and psychology—and went on to appear in dozens of films. She is perhaps best known for her performance in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 film Psycho, which earned her a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination. What famous actress is Leigh’s daughter? Discuss

Philately

Philately is the collection and study of postage stamps and of materials relating to their history. People began collecting postage stamps soon after the first one was issued in 1840, and the scholarly study of stamps—their history and details like watermarks, perforations, and cancellations—followed within decades. Though their primary purpose is to provide proof of postage payment, stamps also serve as a sort of historic record. What was philately called before the term was coined in 1864? Discuss

Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica Published (1687)

Newton’s Principia represents one of the greatest milestones in the history of science and marked the beginning of the modern period of mechanics and astronomy. The text includes Newton’s three famous laws of motion, treatises on dynamics and fluid motion, the unification of terrestrial and celestial mechanics under the principle of gravitation, and an explanation of Kepler’s laws of planetary motion. Principia grew out of Newton’s correspondence with what famous astronomer? Discuss

Armenia Constitution Day

On July 5, 1995, four years after Armenia gained independence from the Soviet Union, the national government adopted a new constitution. Constitution Day, a public holiday, commemorates the creation of a new governmental framework and the beginning of another era for this small country, which for over seven decades had been a Soviet satellite. The government rewards the public sector with a day off on Constitution Day. Victory Park, located in the capital city of Yerevan, usually stages performances that feature traditional music and dance. Discuss

Jean Cocteau (1889)

Cocteau was a French author and filmmaker who worked in many artistic mediums. In the years when he was addicted to opium, he produced some of his most important works, including the novel Les Enfants Terribles. In addition to the play La Machine Infernale and the film Beauty and the Beast, Cocteau wrote ballet scenarios and librettos for Erik Satie and Igor Stravinsky, and he illustrated numerous books with his vivid drawings. What was his connection to Pablo Picasso? Discuss