Thursday, May 24, 2007

 

Spotlight: Who knew that this simple rhyme would become such a hit? "Mary Had a Little Lamb" was published on this date in 1830 by Sarah Josepha Hale. She was said to have based the rhyme on an actual incident: one day, a young girl named Mary Sawyer took a lamb to her school in Sterling, MA. The poem became instantly popular and Hale went on to write nearly 50 novels and books of poetry, and became the first female magazine editor, editing Godey's Lady's Book. Thomas Edison recited "Mary Had a Little Lamb" in testing his new invention, the phonograph, in 1877.

Quote: "'Why does the lamb love Mary so?' the eager children cry; 'Why, Mary loves the lamb, you know,' the teacher did reply." — Sarah Josepha Hale

Today's News:

• Mobile, Alabama: is the rainiest of all US cities (story)
• parthenogenesis: shark found to be capable of virgin birth (story)
• Hugh Laurie: House star becomes member of the Order of the British Empire (story)
• Jordin Sparks: is this year's American Idol (story)

Today's History:

• Brooklyn Bridge: opened to traffic (1883)
• Concorde: began flying to Washington, DC (1976)
• US Senate: Democrats gained control for the first time since 1994 (2001)

Today's Birthdays:

• Queen Victoria (1819-1901): one of the longest-reigning monarchs in British history
• Bob Dylan (66): singer of "Blowin' in the Wind"
• Kristin Scott Thomas (47): actress, The English Patient