December 12th

Born this day in 1869, American playwright and producer, Rachel Crothers. Ms. Crothers plays revolved around the issues of the 20th century woman. Her play's dialogue was known for sounding real and honest, be it a comedy or drama. "The Three of Us" was her first big success. And Crothers wrote and produced about a play a year. Howard Taubman wrote,"..used the stage to articulatethe case forwoman's freedom. Battle won-she did not shrink from poking fun at theliberated woman's pretensions." She was also known for helping to found "The American Theatre Wing" and many other relief programs. In 1939 Crothers was awarded the "Chi Omega" Elanore Roosevelt presented the gold medal. Crother's career spanded from 1903-1949.

December 11th

Annie Jump Cannon, born this day in 1863. Astronomer, theorist, first woman to receive a Honorary doctorate from Oxford University,and the first woman elected to the American Astronomial Society.
In 1896, Edward Charles Pickering hired Ms. Cannon to help complete the Draper Catalog which was "mapping and defining the stellar Heavens." Cataloging the photographic stars by temperature to 9.
Early on in the project there was disagreement on how to go about the cataloging. One system was too complex and the other simpler. Annie Cannon stepped in and created a third system which included ideas from both. "OBAFG--KM" Which they remember with the mnemonic. "Oh, Be A Fine Girl--Kiss Me!" And this system is still in use today. "O" being the hottest and "M" the coolest temperature.
Ms. Cannon, discovered 300 stars in her career. Nick name: "Cenus Taker of the Sky Society" She classified 230,000 stellar bodies. No one has topped it.

December 10th

Born this day in 1815, Lady Ada Byron Lovelace, daughter of the great poet, Lord Byron and she is also the very first computer programmer! Ada was tutored in math and music because her mother did not want her daughter follow in her famous father's very romantic and poetic footsteps.
At age 13, Ada designed a flying machine.
Ada considered herself, a Metaphysician and Analyst. She is the founder of SCIENTIFIC COMPUTING. While translating Charles Babbage's lectures about the Analyic Engine(these lectures took place at the University of Turin, Italy in 1840- Luigi Menabrea wrote them down and had them published in the Universelle de Geneve in 1842)
In 1842 Ada Byron translated the lectures from French to English. And while doing this Lady Lovelace made "NOTES", her very own ideas and calulations. These NOTES contain the very first ALGORITHM and the structure for the very first computer. Ada wrote out in these much of what a computer could be used for- including music! 110 years ahead of her time. Please, google Ada Byron Lovelace NOTES and read about this awesome woman's vision. Lady Lovelace, the bluestocking,the scientist, the daughter of the poet Lord Byron, wife of Lord Lovelace and the mother of 3. A visionany of how computers-engines would change the future. Modern Science.



And born this day in 1830, the great and wonderous poet, Emily Dickinson! Another visionary that wrote in future ideas. Modern poetry.


Poem  314

“Hope” is the thing with feathers -

That perches in the soul -

And sings the tune without the words -

And never stops - at all -

And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -

And sore must be the storm -

That could abash the little Bird

That kept so many warm -

I’ve heard it in the chillest land -

And on the strangest Sea -

Yet - never - in Extremity,

It asked a crumb - of me.

Two very modern women.

December 9th

Grace Murray Hopper was born this day in 1906. One of the first computer programmers, Harvard Mark 1 computer. She developed the first compiler for computer programming langugages. Conceptualized the "idea of machine-independent programming langugages". And this science lead to the development of "COBOL". One of the first modern programming langugages. And when a moth flew into the computer, creating a glitch- Hopper coined the computer term, "bug and then debugging." And Hopper was a Rear Admiral in the Navy. And her nick name- "Amazing Grace", of course! Salute to Grace Murray Hopper!

December 8th

On this day in 1854, Pope Pius IX proclaimed "The Immaculate Conception" meaning Mary, Mother of Jesus, was free of Original Sin.
Also on this day in 1952, television acknowledged a pregnancy- and of course that was Lucille Ball in the sitcom, "I Love Lucy." Now, the "network" would not allow the word pregnancy. So Ricky, says, "spectin'?" Lucy did not want to take time off for duration of the pregnancy. They had a hit show. First the excutives said, "No." So, Lucy and Desi contacted a Catholic Preist, a Rabbi, and Protestant Minster and asked if it was immoral to acknowledge a pregnancy on television. They all said,"No".
So this is the day that points out repeatedly throughout history that pregnancy is a blessed time.
Oh, and Lucille Ball was the first woman exceutive producer in the television industry. She had to prove to the network that she knew her audience. They did not like the pilot for "I Love Lucy". They thought Americans would not like a Cuban married to an American. So, Desi and Lucy hit the road selling out in theatre's throughout the United States. So network gave them a shot. And the rest is TV history. One of the most popular television series of all time!
I wonder if the Arnaz chose this date to announce to TV land that they were, "spectin'"; in honor of the Immaculate Conception. All Catholics would have gone to Mass that day. And then at night in front of the TV, Lucy is "spectin'".