CUL NEWSLETTER

The DeGolyer Library, 

the Friends of the SMU Libraries 

and the Clements Center for Southwest Studies

co-sponsor:

 The Louisiana Purchase, 1803-2003

A Bicentennial Exhibition & Lecture Series

DeGolyer Library, S.M.U.

October 2003-February 2004

  Jan. 29, How the French Quarter Became Spanish Before

Becoming American in 1803, James Early, S.M.U.

Feb. 17, Multicultural New Orleans, Jeremy Adams, S.M.U.

 The exhibition, curated by Ben Huseman, features books, maps,

and prints from DeGolyer’s permanent collections,

telling the story of the clash of empires and cultures in the Trans-Mississippi region.

  All lectures are at DeGolyer Library (McFarlin & Hilltop.)

Free and open to the public.

 Receptions begin at 6:00 pm., lectures at 7 pm.

 For additional information, call 214-768-3231.

Friends of the SMU Libraries

and

Bywaters Special Collections Wing of the Hamon Arts Library

Meadows School of the Arts

• Feb. 2  3pm (Mon)
• Mar 5 10:30am CUL staff service awards (Fri) 
• April 1 10:30am (Thurs) 
• May 5 3pm for the SMU staff awards

INFORMATION COMMONS @ FONDREN LIBRARY CENTER

This is a new section in which a CUL staff member will be featured each month.  The purpose is to get to know each other a little better.  Please feel free to send me the profiles of your newest staff members (tvangoet@mail.smu.edu) so that we can introduce them to the rest of CUL.

If you have a staff member in your area that you would like to nominate (new or old) please contact me at: tvangoet@mail.smu.edu 
(You can even volunteer yourself :) )

International Studies: A World Learning Experience, October28, 2003-January 10, 2004.

Damaged Books, January 19, 2004- March 5, 2004

Stanley Marcus Mineral Collection: a View From Geology, March 9, 2004- April 23, 2004

Faculty Recognition Exhibit, April 27, 2004- May 15, 2004

January is:

Bath Safety Month
Blood Donor Month (National Volunteer) 
Book Blitz Month (National)
Business & Reference Books Month
Careers in Cosmetology Month (National)
Clown Month 
Crime Stoppers Month
Coffee Gourmet Month (International)
Hobby Month (US National)
Human Resource Month
Letter Writing Month (US National)
Oatmeal Month (US National)
Poverty in America Month
Prune Breakfast Month
Radio Month (US National)
Retail Bakers Month
School Board Month (US National)
Soup Month (US National)
Stamp Collectors Month (US National)
Tea Month (US National) 
Thyroid Disease Awareness Month 

February is:

African American History Month (Black History Month) 
American History Month 
Bake For Family Fun Month 
Bird Feeding Month (US National) 
Candy Month 
Canned Foods Month 
Cat Health Month (US National) 
Cherry Month 
Chocolate Month 
Creative Romance Month 
Embroidery Month (International) 
Friendship Month 
Grapefruit Month (National) 
Library Lovers Month 
Potato Lovers Month 
Snack Food Month (US National) 
Umbrella Month 

• January Astrological Signs:
  • Capricorn: December 22 - January 19
  • Aquarius: January 20 - February 18
• January Birthstone: 
  • Garnet
• January Flowers
  • Carnation
  • Snowdrop
• Most of the world uses the Georgian calendar, which has January as the first month of the year. It is named for Janus, a Roman god. 
• Roman legend has it that the the ruler Numa Pompilius added January and February to the end of the 10-month Roman calendar in about 700 B.C. Pompilius gave the month 30 days. Romans later made January the first month.
•  In 46 B.C., the Roman statesman Julius Caesar added a day to January, making it 31 days long. The Anglo-Saxons called the first month Wolfmonth because wolves came into the villages in winter in search of food. 
• In the northern half of the world, January is the coldest month. Nature is quiet and the birds travel less. The woodchucks and bears sleep day and night, in hibernation. The plants are resting, waiting for the warmer temperatures of the Spring. 
• In the southern half of the world, January is the warmest month. Animals are very active, and plants are growing. 
• Paul Revere, Revolutionary War patriot, born January 1, 1735. Paul Revere's Ride by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
• Flag maker Betsy Ross born January 1, 1752.
• Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, January 1, 1863.
• J. Edgar Hoover, director of the FBI from 1924 to 1972, born January 1, 1895.
• Georgia ratified the Constitution, January 2, 1788.
• Cicero, Roman statesman, born January 3, 106 B.C.
• Alaska was admitted to the Union as the 49th state, January 3, 1959.
• Utah became the 45th state, January 4, 1896.
• New Mexico became the 47th state, January 6, 1912.
• First American presidential election, January 7, 1789.
• Millard Fillmore, 13th President of the United States, born in Locke, N.Y., January 7, 1800.
• Amendment 11 to Constitution, modifying the Supreme Court's power, proclaimed, January 8,1798.
• Connecticut ratified the Constitution, January 9, 1788.
• Richard M. Nixon, 37th President of the United States, born in Yorba Linda, Calif., January 9, 1913.
• American civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., born January 15, 1929.
• Civil Service system established, January 16, 1883.
• Amendment 18 to the Constitution, prohibiting the sale of alcoholic beverages, ratified, January 16, 1919 
• Benjamin Franklin, American statesman and inventor, born January 17, 1706.
• U.S. space shuttle Challenger exploded, killing all seven crew members aboard, January 28, 1986. 
• William McKinley, 25th President of the United States, born in Niles, Ohio, January 29, 1843.
• Kansas became the 34th state, 1861.
• Congress authorized purchase of Thomas Jefferson's library as nucleus of the Library of Congress, January 30, 1815.
• Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd President of the United States, born at Hyde Park, N.Y., January 30, 1882. 
• Adolf Hitler named Chancellor of Germany, January 30, 1933.
• Mohandas K. Gandhi, spiritual and political leader of India, assassinated, January 30, 1948.

• February Astrological Signs:
  • Aquarius: January 20 - February 18
  • Pisces: February 19 - March 20
• February Birthstone
  • Amethyst
• February Flower
  • Violet
• According to the Georgian calendar, February is the second month of the year, and also the shortest month. February has 28 days until Julius Caesar gave it 29, and 30 days every four years. 
• According to tradition, Augustus, the Roman emperor, took one day off to add one day to August, the month named after him. 
• We now have February with 28 days, and 29 on leap years. 
• In the northern half of the world, February is a very cold month. 
• There are usually sunny days that show Spring is not too far off. 
•  The Southern hemisphere usually enjoy midsummer weather during February. 
• The second day of February is often referred to as GROUND HOG's DAY. The old stories told are that the ground hog comes out of it's burrow on February 2, to look for it's shadow. If there is sunshine and he sees his shadow, then he goes back to sleep and there will be more winter time. If he doesn't, then the spring time will begin. This is a superstition.
• VALENTINE'S DAY is celebrated on February 14 in most western countries. Children give valentines and have a party in school. Young and old exchange cards with loved ones. This custom is hundreds of years old, valentine greetings having been found that date back into the 1400's.
• The third Monday in February is PRESIDENT'S DAY. Both Washington and Lincoln's birthdays were in February. It is considered a Federal holiday for celebration of Washington's birthday, but most states also honor all president's on this day.
• The Roman Catholic Church celebrates February 2 as Candlemas Day. The candles used in the church during the rest of the year are blessed on February 2. 
• Supreme Court of the United States met for the first time, February 1, 1790.
• By the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Mexico gave New Mexico and California to the United States, February 2, 1848.
• Confederate States of America organized by a temporary committee that met at Montgomery, Ala., February 4,1861.
• Philippine Rebellion against the United States began, 1899.
• Amendment 24 to the U.S. Constitution, banning poll tax, proclaimed, 1964.
• Massachusetts ratified the Constitution, 1788.
• The United States Senate ratified the peace treaty ending the Spanish-American War, February 6, 1899.
• Ronald Reagan, 40th President of the United States, born in Tampico, Ill., February 6, 1911.
• Princess Elizabeth became Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, February 6, 1952.
• Amendment 20 to the United States Constitution, moving Inauguration Day to January 20, proclaimed, February 6, 1933.
• Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States, born near present-day Hodgenville, Ky., February 12, 1809.
• Oregon became the 33rd state to join the Union, February 14, 1859.
• Arizona became the 48th state, February 14,1912.
• Jefferson Davis took the oath as provisional President of the Confederate States of America, 1861.
• Thomas A. Edison patented the phonograph, February 19, 1878.
• Astronaut John H. Glenn, Jr., became first American to orbit the earth, February 20, 1962.
• Richard M. Nixon became first U.S. President to visit China, February 21, 1972.
• George Washington, first U.S. President, born in Westmoreland County, Va., February 22, 1732.
• The United States acquired the Florida territory from Spain, February 22, 1819.
• Amendment 25 to the U.S. Constitution, on presidential succession, proclaimed, February 23, 1967.
• Amendment 16 to the Constitution, authorizing the income tax, proclaimed, 1913.
• President Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines resigned from office and fled the country, 1986.

How many days in a millennium? The calendar system that was in use during a particular millennium determines the actual number of days that elapse during that time span.

• The First Millennium (1 - 1000 AD) consisted of 365,250 days. 
• The Second Millennium (1001 - 2000 AD) consisted of 365,237 days.  
• Our current Millennium (2001 - 3000 AD) will consist of 365,242 days. 

Leap year comes every four years. Every 28 years, February 1st comes on Sunday, and there are 5 Sundays in the month, ending on Sunday, February 29th. The last year this happened was in 1976. This year, being 2004, is 28 years since that month in 1976 that had 28 days. This year is leap year, not only with 29 days in February, but 5 Sundays, as well. 

History:

http://wilstar.com/holidays/valentn.htm 

http://www.pictureframes.co.uk/pages/saint_valentine.htm 

For those of you who have seen too many power point presentations, here is one you may enjoy: http://www.norvig.com/Gettysburg/index.htm 

It does make you think about which is more powerful a power point presentation or just a good speech??? 

Submitted by Dawn Youngblood