October 10 “Keep smiling and stay informed”

October 10th is National Metric Day. I have “Science Experiences: Measuring” by Jeanne Bendick, 1971. This book explains how to measure, distance, sizes, volumes, and weights. It also goes into the history of the Imperial system, used by many English-speaking (USA). It also gives the history, like pace, foot, span, yard, cubit, and fathom.

The book then tells us that the rest of the world uses metric, and gives an explanation on how that program works. It doesn’t have us pick or choose, but rather explains how we measure, and how the rest of world measures.

I then have the book “The Metric Fallacy” published in 1904. It is really two books “The Metric Fallacy” by Frederick A. Halsey; and The Metric Failure, in the Textile Industry” by Samuel S. Dale. It was published because of the attempt by Congress to pass a Metric system of measuring.

In The Metric Fallacy”, the author states that “with their system of weights and measures as a foundation, the English-speaking peoples have built up the greatest commercial and industrial structure the world has known. This system they are asked to abandon for the benefit of others at a cost that is beyond estimate, and for compensating advantages that to themselves are wholly trivial and imaginary.”

In “The Metric Failure in the Textile Industry” that author states the specifics of using metric system in making of clothing, and the costs involved in changing machinery, and training employees. He also tells us that “if metric machines sell in England, why will not English machines sell in metric countries?” It was a kind of “why should we change, when the other people can also change.”

He then explains specific uses in garment making, and how detailed it is for the Imperial system. The author also stated that Congress only allowed two people talk about textiles-both pro-metric, and yet neither of them were experienced in planning of clothing, nor in the machining, to explain the costs of changing over, not just equipment, but the “recipes” as well; let alone a timetable for change.

The bill did not pass to change over to metric.

October 10th is International Newspaper Carrier Day. Also International Newspaper Week. First to honor those carriers, I have two Chicago Daily News aprons. These would be worn by the newpaper boys selling the newspapers. They have two pockets in front.

Then I have a few newspapers. The first one is The Waukegan New-Sun from October 17th, 1992. It commemorated the newspaper’s Centennial-1892 to 1992. The paper has seven sections with reprints of historic front pages, along with other stories and photos of the last 100 years reported by the News-sun. It was a large, Sunday-like publication.

This is one reprinted front page from Jan 26th, 1981. It was when the Iranian Hostages were released.

I also have some actual newspapers from the The Benton News, later to be called the Zion-Benton News. This newspaper was printed every Thursday. I have seven papers, dating from February 23rd, 1928 to April 26th, 1928.

This one from March 8th, 1928, had headline and articles on Wilbur Glenn Volova, who took over running Zion when John Alexander Dowie (the town’s founder) died. Volova believed the earth was flat, and even had that taught in the grade schools. He died in 1941, outcast from the town.

I have one last newspaper. This is The Boston Daily Advertiser, April 16th, 1850. This was given to me by a junior high friend Barry Newmiller. He and I had restarted the Westfield J.H. School’s newspaper, back in eighth grade.

“If you don’t read the newspaper, you’re uninformed. If you do, you’re misinformed” – Mark Twain.

Thanks for reading. It is an important habit.