June 27: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

June 27, 2023 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1877, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “The store of R.H. Macy & Co. will be closed on Friday and Saturday, June 29 and 30, on account of the funeral of the late R.H. Macy, the senior partner, who died in Paris on March 29. The funeral will take place at the Church of the Holy Trinity, at 2 p.m., on Friday.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1917, the Eagle reported, “Funeral services for Frederick W. Wurster, the last Mayor of Brooklyn, who died Sunday at Belgrade Lake, Maine, were held this afternoon at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Edward T. Horwill, 1186 Dean St. … The Rev. John Erskine Adams, a former pastor of the Ross Street Presbyterian Church, with which Mr. Wurster was affiliated when he lived in the Eastern District, read the simple Episcopal burial service … Mr. Wurster’s body rested in an open casket at one side of the drawing room in the Horwill home. It was surrounded by many beautiful floral tributes from Mr. Wurster’s friends and relatives, and from men who had been associated with him in public life when Brooklyn was a city.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1926, the Eagle reported, “This June, from the multitude of baccalaureate sermons, the graduating class of 1926 throughout the country learned that it had a duty to perform for the world. Indeed, it was born to the seniors’ minds that it was more than a duty; it was a sacred trust. The graduates were to save the universe. They were to go out through the college gates to lend a helping hand to a senile world gradually becoming decadent because it lacked the blood of youth. It held out its arms to the class of ’26 as a drowning man to his rescuer. Plainly, then, 1926 was the hope of the world. Every senior who had not fallen asleep from the heat of the June afternoon or from the soporific effect of the cadenced words of the speaker felt a genuine thrill run along his spine. It was clear that the world wanted him, needed him. Perhaps, oh breath-taking thought, it would give him a ‘job!’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1950, the Eagle reported, “The United States will use its own Air Force to help South Korea’s defensive war against Communist invaders from the north, authoritative sources said today. The decision to give the tiny democratic republic American air support from nearby Japanese bases was settled at an emergency White House conference between President Truman and his military high command. The president summoned key congressmen of both parties to the White House shortly afterward and told them the decision. One inkling that this country had determined on positive military help for South Korea came from an Army spokesman just as the military conference at the White House broke up. He said a ‘very interesting’ development would be announced. But other authoritative sources beat this deadline. They said the United States decided to give South Korea air support on the authorization of the resolution adopted by the United Nations Security Council on Sunday. This resolution called on ‘all members to render every assistance’ to the United Nations in execution of its ceasefire order to the invading North Korean Communists.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1953, the Eagle reported, “‘Titanic,’ spectacular drama starring Barbara Stanwyck and Clifton Webb, comes to the Albee next Wednesday. Robert Wagner, Audrey Dalton, Thelma Ritter, Brian Aherne and Richard Basehart are featured in this film presentation of one of the most profoundly moving news stories of this century — the story of the sinking of the great luxury liner on her maiden voyage. ‘Titanic’ will be accompanied by a second feature at the Albee.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1954, the Eagle reported, “Michael A. Wellman, five-year-old son of director William A. Wellman, played a bit role so effectively in John Wayne’s ‘Island in the Sky’ that Wayne signed the youngster for ‘The High and the Mighty.’ ‘Remember me?’ Wayne asked the boy when he reported for the new film. ‘Sure do,’ the kid replied, ‘you were in my last picture.’”

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Tobey Maguire
Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include businessman and philanthropist Charles Bronfman, who was born in 1931; astronaut Joseph P. Allen, who was born in 1937; former Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt, who was born in 1938; fashion designer Vera Wang, who was born in 1949; “Newhart” star Julia Duffy, who was born in 1951; “Possession” star Isabelle Adjani, who was born in 1955; producer and director J.J. Abrams, who was born in 1966; former U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte, who was born in 1968; “Angel” star Christian Kane, who was born in 1974; “Spider-Man” star Tobey Maguire, who was born in 1975; Sixpence None the Richer singer Leigh Nash, who was born in 1976; media personality Khloe Kardashian, who was born in 1984; Olympic gold medal-winning sprinter LaShawn Merritt, who was born in 1986; “Harry Potter” star Matthew Lewis, who was born in 1989; and “The Walking Dead” star Chandler Riggs, who was born in 1999.

J.J. Abrams
Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP

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AGAINST ALL ODDS: Helen Keller was born on this day in 1880. The Alabama native was left deaf and blind by a disease she contracted at 18 months of age. With the help of her teacher, Anne Sullivan, Keller graduated from college and had a career as an author and lecturer. She died in 1968.

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AYE, CAPTAIN: Bob Keeshan was born on this day in 1927. The New Jersey native was beloved by generations of American children as Captain Kangaroo, the TV role he played from 1955 to 1984. His gentle, patient wisdom entertained and educated millions of kids over the years. He died in 2004.

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

Quotable:

“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched — they must be felt with the heart.”

— author Helen Keller, who was born on this day in 1880