November 26: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

November 26, 2021 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1916, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “Thanksgiving turkeys will cost 40 cents a pound for first quality birds and from 30 to 38 cents a pound for the less desirable ones. This means that the average head of the house will have to spend, through his wife, practically one day’s earnings for the sacrificial bird. But he may rest assured that the turkey will not be from the cold storage warehouse. There are practically no cold storage turkeys for sale in the wholesale poultry markets of New York City. The supply of turkeys was eaten up last year and none was left to put in cold storage. ‘There will be no frozen birds sold in New York this Thanksgiving,’ said the head of one of the largest wholesale poultry houses, which is credited with doing an annual business of $12,000,000. ‘Last year the supply did not more than equal the demand, so that ever since, as fast as turkeys have been killed, they have been shipped direct to market.’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1941, the Eagle reported, “Trieve, a faithful, sad-eyed black Labrador retriever dog, today holds the distinction of being the only member of the canine family ever to enter the impressive portals of the new Central Public Library without being chased out by alert front-door guards. As a matter of fact, Trieve is believed to be the only dog in the world possessing a regular library adult borrower’s and registration card. Accompanied by his master, Lewis Holden Smith of 129 Columbia Heights, the popular ‘blind Scoutmaster of Brooklyn Heights,’ Trieve, a Seeing-Eye dog, yesterday visited the library at the invitation of Dr. Milton J. Ferguson, chief librarian, and ceremoniously went through the paces of obtaining the library card. The dog, through Mr. Smith, told pretty Elizabeth Lee, registration clerk, that he never had a library card in Brooklyn. Mr. Smith vouched for the animal’s address and produced a Seeing-Eye dog certificate which showed Trieve was eight years old. Because of his keen understanding of human behavior, it was decided to place the dog in the adult group. When Miss Lee asked the dog’s occupation, Mr. Smith replied, ‘guide.’ Scoutmaster Smith, who lost his eyesight in 1926, has been ‘seeing’ for almost six years through the eyes of Trieve. The pair have become a familiar sight to the residents of the Heights and have made many friends.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1945, the Eagle reported, “Truckloads of city employees rolled out today to survey the borough’s lighting situation, which has been condemned in letters to the Brooklyn Eagle as encouraging the post-war crime wave. With Prospect Park heading the list, the Department of Water Supply, Gas and Electricity will look over the parks throughout Brooklyn and replace lights which have been darkened, knocked out in many instances by vandals. In response to complaints from the Daniel Ivers Civic League of 475 55th St., the department reported at Sunset Park at 8 a.m. to replace lights there. The civic league reported that of 30 lights in the park, only 10 were in condition to be lighted. At least 20 were broken by vandals. A city department official in Brooklyn said that vandalism has been taking a large toll on lights in the borough, keeping pace with the crime wave. He asked that all darkened areas be reported to the department at once so that steps could be taken to replace lights. In many cases, he said, youths climb polls and steal the lights. He pointed out that the darkened streets are breeding places for muggers and other criminals.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1954, the Eagle reported, “CHICAGO (U.P.) — Color television will make the black and white family portrait ‘obsolete almost overnight,’ a prominent photographer predicts. Paul L. Gittings, former president of the Photographers’ Association of America, said ‘The viewing public will become so accustomed to color television so rapidly that the photographic industry will be hard pressed to keep pace with the consequent demand for color photos.’ Weddings and society functions in the future, Gittings said, ‘will be recorded exclusively in color. Direct color formal portraits of the bride and direct color or stereo-color candids of the ceremonies will be must items in the wedding budget.’”

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NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include former CIA Director Porter Goss, who was born in 1938; comedian and impersonator Rich Little, who was born in 1938; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Tina Turner, who was born in 1939; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer John McVie (Fleetwood Mac), who was born in 1945; Pro Football Hall of Famer Art Shell, who was born in 1946; Pro Football Hall of Famer Harry Carson, who was born in 1953; NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett, who was born in 1956; “NYPD Blue” star Garcelle Beauvais, who was born in 1966; “Unwritten” singer Natasha Bedingfield, who was born in 1981; and singer and actress Rita Ora, who was born in 1990.

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BY GEORGE: President George Washington proclaimed this day as Thanksgiving Day in 1789. Both houses of Congress, by their joint committee, had requested him to recommend “a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity to peaceably establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.”

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COME ON DOWN: “The Price is Right” premiered on this day in 1956. TV’s longest-running game show has survived changes in format, networks, time slots and hosts. Bill Cullen was the first host, with Don Pardo as the announcer. Four contestants bid on item, and the one who bid closest to the manufacturer’s suggested price without going over won the item. After a seven-year hiatus, the show returned in 1972 with Bob Barker as host. Drew Carey has hosted since 2007.

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

Quotable:

“The older you get, the more you realize it’s not what happens, but how you deal with it.”

— Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Tina Turner, who was born on this day in 1939