November 16: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

November 16, 2021 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1934, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “Epidemics of infantile paralysis, with their periodic toll of dead and crippled children, may in the near future become as rare as smallpox or the bubonic plague. Announcement by Dr. William H. Park, director of the Municipal Bureau of Laboratories, that a vaccine providing immunity against the disease had been tested on 25 children and found to be effective was hailed today as bringing the possibility that the disease would be practically wiped out. Dr. Park said that the vaccine, developed by Dr. Maurice Brodie, had been given to the children six weeks ago. Dr. Sidney D. Kramer of 141 Henry St. had also been experimenting with an infantile paralysis vaccine, with which he found, he reported some time ago, a considerable degree of success. Speaking for the Kings County Medical Society’s press reference committee, Dr. Carl H. Laws of 12 Pierrepont St. said today: ‘In view of Dr. Park’s reputation and high standing, we may accept what he says of his vaccine. And if what he hopes for it proves to be true, it would mean that, if another infantile paralysis epidemic breaks out, it could be kept under control even if the supply of the vaccine is limited.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1935, the Eagle reported, “A brand new rumpus was precipitated today over the use of foreign materials on government-financed projects as American cement manufacturers demanded an immediate halt on the purchase of French cement for public schools in this city being constructed with PWA funds. That latest protest came directly on the heels of the flareup caused by the employment of German-produced steel on the Triborough Bridge. The American cement interests contended that the use of foreign materials was wholly out of line with the PWA’s objective to remedy the unemployment situation in the United States and asked that action be taken at once to stop the importation of all foreign products for use on the 25 schools now being built with the aid of federal money. The domestic manufacturers declared that the new rules put in force by PWA Administrator [Harold L.] Ickes relative to the employment of foreign materials on projects under his supervision do not necessarily cover the purchase of foreign cement for the new schools here.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1953, the Eagle reported, “A band of dissident Lincoln High School students, ostensibly protesting ‘prison-like’ conditions, staged a short-lived strike this morning outside the Coney Island school. Voicing disapproval of the school policy to keep all students inside the grounds during the day, thus not permitting them to eat lunch any place other than the school cafeteria, some 100 to 200 students stood grumbling across the street from the school trying to persuade others to stay out. Apparently their salesmanship wasn’t too good, because by the time the late bell rang, all but a handful had reported to the co-ed institution. The urge to return to school may have been accelerated by the presence of three Coney Island Precinct squad cars, a number of detectives, foot patrolmen and PAL and Juvenile Aid Bureau cops, and ten truant officers. According to Acting Principal Arthur Hirschberg, the ‘strike’ was touched off by seven or eight boys who were caught outside of school last week by Attendance Bureau officers. The boys maintained, the school official said, that they didn’t like the cafeteria food and wanted to eat elsewhere.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1954, the Eagle reported, “WASHINGTON (U.P.) — Secretary of State John Foster Dulles said today any moves by Red China to carry out its professed intention to conquer Formosa [Taiwan] would involve hostilities with the United States. Dulles also told a news conference that the Tachen Islands, where Chinese Reds sank a Nationalist China destroyer escort, conceivably could be involved in the defense of Formosa. He would not say outright that the U.S. 7th Fleet should participate in the defense of the Tachen Islands where naval action has flared. He refused to say under what circumstances the U.S. would participate in the defense of the islands. While the islands are 200 miles from Formosa, he said they embraced early warning systems which would detect air raids from the Red China mainland.”

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Marg Helgenberger
John Shearer/Invision/AP

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include “Cry Baby” singer Garnet Mimms, who was born in 1933; singer-songwriter Troy Seals, who was born in 1938; singer-songwriter Chi Coltrane, who was born in 1948; “CSI” star Marg Helgenberger, who was born in 1958; former N.Y. Mets and Yankees pitcher Dwight Gooden, who was born in 1964; singer-songwriter Diana Krall, who was born in 1964; “The Bold and the Beautiful” star Maeve Quinlan, who was born in 1964; “The Cosby Show” star Lisa Bonet, who was born in 1967; “The Goonies” star Martha Plimpton, who was born in 1970; singer-songwriter Allison Crowe, who was born in 1981; former N.Y. Knicks forward Amar’e Stoudemire, who was born in 1982; and “Saturday Night Live” star Pete Davidson, who was born in 1993.

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BREAKING NEWS: The first issue of the New York Evening Post was published on this day in 1801. Founded by Alexander Hamilton, it is one of the oldest continuously published newspapers in the country. Today, the Post is owned by News Corp and has the fourth largest distribution in the U.S.

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A TOAST TO THE COAST: The Lewis and Clark expedition reached the Pacific Ocean on this day in 1805. Their Corps of Discovery had glimpsed it on Nov. 7, moving Clark to write in his journal, “Great joy in camp! We are in view of the Ocean, this great Pacific Ocean which we have been so anxious to see. And the roaring or noise of the waves breaking on the rocky shores … may be heard distinctly.”

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Special thanks to “Chase’s Calendar of Events” and Brooklyn Public Library.

Quotable:

“Life is like a trumpet. If you don’t put anything into it, you don’t get anything out of it.”

— Blues legend W.C. Handy, who was born on this day in 1873