March 16th

Born this day in 1750, Caroline Herschel, astronomer credited with discovery of 7 comets and other Light in the night sky. Herschel's story to the stars is extraordinary ,one the time in history that she lived and two because of her physical appearance. At the age of ten, Caroline contracted typhus which stunned her growth- she never grew taller than 4' 3" and so her father assumed she would never marry and her mother trained her to be a servant which began with her own family home. Like a Cinderella story.  All six of the children were taught music and math and french, but not Caroline she was a servant. Her father did in secret train his daughter in music and she had a beautiful voice. Her father died and Caroline was a servant...until her brother William who was hired as a music director in Bath, England asked if Caroline would like to move with him to be his housekeeper.
In this life, William continued her voice lessons and Caroline was a favorite soprano in Bath. William's hobby astronomy grew, he created his own telescopes that could observe further into space, and Caroline was his assistant. She learned everything. This science changed their lives. William was recognized as a learned astronomer, hired as King George's astronomer he was able to quit his music job. Caroline his assistant. By the age of 32, Caroline was as able as her brother. And when her brother was away on business, she stood in his place. Caroline was the first woman, to receive a pension as a scientist from King George III.   No longer a servant.
Herschel's discoveries earned her a honored place in the history of astronomy.
...

observing the sky with a 27-inch (690 mm) focal length Newtonian telescope and by this means detected a number of astronomical objects during the years 1783 - 87, including most notably an independent discovery of M110 (NGC 205), the second companion of the Andromeda Galaxy. During 1786 - 97 she also discovered eight comets, her first comet being discovered on 1 August 1786. She had unquestioned priority on five of the comets[7] and had rediscovered Comet Encke in 1795.

Herschel lived to the age of 98; and though Caroline was only 4'3", she stands as a giant in the history of science of space.  And Caroline's Prince Charming was the science of the heavenly bodies of the sky.


Born this day in 1799, Anna Atkins, photographer and botanist. Atkins published(in two sections) the first book that used photographs titled Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions Part one 1843 and part two in 1853. It included 424 pictures. Making Atkins the first woman and or man to use this idea in a book form. It must be noted the inventor of the Cyanotype, Sir John Herschel, Caroline Hershcel's nephew!

March 15th

Born this day in 1838, Alice Cunningham Fletcher,pioneering anthropologist, author, and an advocate for Indian reform and Indian education. Best known for her field work of North America, mostly of the Omaha in Nebraska. In 1873, Fletcher was one of the founding members of Association of the Advancement of Women.
Fletcher began her studies of Indians of the past, but as her work progressed her work turned towards the present, their customs, music,and language. Working with others, Fletcher transcribed hundreds of Plains Indian songs.
Fletcher was an consultant to President Cleveland about the "Indian Problem". She was appointed by Congress, "oversee the allotment process of lands to Omaha, Nez Perce and Winnebago Indians." She helped write and get passed legislation which "...gave each Indian legal title to a plot of land and also granted them citizenship"
Now to list Fletcher's work, I see why her nickname was "Her Majesty".
In 1890, Fletcher was the first woman recognized as Fellow at Harvard University.
Lobbied Congress for the protection of Indian Ruins which failed but became to prototype of the Lacey Act in 1906.
A member of the American Association Advancement of Science in 1883.
A founding member of the American Anthropological Association.
First woman president of American Folklore Association.
"In 1911, The Omaha Tribe, co-authored with Francis La Flesche, an Omaha Indian was published. It is still considered to be the definitive work on the subject."

Living with my Indian friends...I found I was a stranger in my native land. As time went on, the outward aspect of nature remained the same, but change was wrought in me. I learned to hear the echoes of a time when every living thing even the sky had a voice. The voice devoutly heard by the ancient people of America I desired to make audible to others (as quoted in Temkin 1988:99).

March 14th

Born this day in 1814, Josephine Lang, German song writer and composer. Born into a family of musicians, her father Theodor Lang well known violinist and her mother, opera singer Regina Hitzelberger. Lang's mother taught her how to play the piano and by the age of 5, Lang was composing music. She taught music by the age of eleven. Family friendship exposed Lang to the greats, Mendelssohn and Hiller of the time who recognized her talents and helped with proper theory of song writing. Robert Schumann published Lang's song. Neue Zeitchrift Fur Musik in 1838. Sadly, Josephine suffered with poor health her entire life. While performing for the King and Queen of Bavaria, the queen noticed Lang did not look well and sent her to a spa in the Aples and it was there, Josephine met the love of her life, Christian Reinhold Kostlin, a lawyer. It was love at first sight. They married and it was a good marriage. Kostlin died suddenly in 1864 and this left Lang to return to her song writing. To find a publisher Hiller came to her aidel, Hiller wrote a publisher about Lang and from this connection, most of Lang's work was published. And was a success, giving Lang a means to support her family. Lang die in 1880. Forgotten, but in 2007 Herbert and Sharon Kerbs wrote and published a biography and Lang's music. and can be heard again after a long silence.

March 13th

Born this day in 1882, Bertha Mahony Miller, founding editor of the children's magazine, Horn Book. In 1916, Miller opened the first children's bookstore in the United States in Boston MA.

Born this day in 1892, Janet Flanner,Paris correspondent for The New Yorker 1925-1975 under the pen name Genet, Flanner's "Letter From Paris"....

she sketched profiles for her readers of such notable figures as Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Jean Cocteau, Albert Camus, and Charles de Gaulle. Her later editor at The New Yorker, William Shawn, described Flanner as “a poet among journalists.

On this day in 1906, Susan B. Anthony died. Anthony dedicated her life to the Women's Suffrage Movement. Traveling throughout the United States,lecturing from state to state, Taxation without representation is wrong all people are created equal, She was arrested in 1872 for trying to vote. Sadly, Anthony did not live to see the day when women could exercise their right to vote. In a time when men held on to laws that considered women, not fully human, brains too small to understand laws, weak minded Susan B. Anthony never gave up from Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 to the day she died, Anthony gave 100%. Thank you, Ms.Anthony.

March 12th

On this day in 1994,Church of England ordains 1st 33 women priests.



Born this day in 1862, Jane Delano, founder of the American Red Cross Nursing Service in 1909. Delano's first brief career was a school teacher. And then enrolled in Bellevue Training School for Nurses and graduated in 1886. "I can't say that anything romantic or sentimental determined me to be a nurse. Many young nurses start out with the statement that the sight of suffering impelled them to begin a career of alleviating distress..I think the nurse's profession is a fine one..."
Delano first job was 1888, treating a yellow fever outbreak in Florida. Delano created and organized routines of germ control for her patients. This lead to teaching these skills at nursing schools and in times of war, cleanliness and organized hospitals enabled recovery and control the outbreak of disease. Jane Delano changed field nursing and saved lives. Sadly, while in France, she became suddenly ill and died April 15th, 1919, her last words, "But what about my work? I must get back to my work."

On this day in 1912 , Girl Guides (the Girl Scouts) was founded by Juliette Gordon Low in Savannah, GA.