September 15: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

September 15, 2023 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1901, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “That educational fads are many and frequently waste a great deal of money that could be used to better advantage will hardly be denied, and yet, in considering them, it is well to bear in mind that the kindergarten was considered a fad not many years ago. The fad of today may be the necessity of tomorrow. At any rate, it is certain that the kindergarten now has a legitimate place in the educational system and is rightfully regarded as of inestimable value. If you desire to train any but the human animal the advice of the expert will be: ‘Catch him while young.’ It is now recognized that that applies to the human animal as well as to any other kind. The longer either is allowed to run wild the greater will be the difficulty experienced in training it, and there will come a time when training will be utterly out of the question. It is the appreciation of this fact that has taken the kindergarten out of the list of fads and made it a valued feature of both public and private schools.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1943, the Eagle reported, “Creedmoor State Hospital held its fourth annual graduation of nurses last night at the Creedmoor Assembly Hall. The class of ten students included one man. The male nurse, Joseph Merlino, of South Ozone Park, grinned when asked how he felt being the only man among nine women on the flower decorated platform. ‘I feel silly,’ he answered, ‘but they’re swell folks and I hate to leave them.’ Merlino has been appointed a head nurse at Creedmoor but expects to enter the merchant marine at the end of his deferment in October. In his address to the graduates, J.O. Arroll, executive secretary of Central Queens Y.M.C.A., advised the nurses to respect their positions wherever they decide to take up their careers, whether in foreign service or on the staff of one of the State hospitals. Six of the women already have accepted positions at Creedmoor, said Mrs. Lois L. Christoffersen, principal of the school of nursing. At present there are 55 nurses to care for more than 4,500 patients.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1945, the Eagle reported, “DETROIT (U.P.) — The C.I.O.’s United Auto Workers sought to whip a local union into line today for speedy settlement of a wheel factory strike which caused the Ford Motor Company to lay off 50,000 workers. The U.A.W.’s executive board moved to get the wildcat Kelsey-Hayes Wheel Company strike out of the way before launching an industry-wide 30 percent pay increase drive which may tie up the sprawling General Motors system in a test strike. George Addes, U.A.W. secretary-treasurer, said the board had made no agreement on which General Motors will be used for a test of its new strategy of concentrating all strike powers on one company. However, a high U.A.W. official said General Motors would provide the ‘best possible test because it employs the greatest number of automobile workers and possesses the greatest financial power’ in the industry. Ford suspended all production of 1945 models yesterday as a result of the 28-day strike of 4,500 workers at the Kelsey-Hayes plant, source of Ford wheels and brake drums. The Kelsey-Hayes U.A.W. local struck over the dismissal of 12 shop stewards charged with violent ejection of foremen from their departments. The union has demanded reinstatement of three stewards still on the dismissal list.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1952, the Eagle reported, “As far as high school soccer is concerned, the United Nations meets at Abraham Lincoln High School rather than at Lake Success. Mac Ball, the Honest Abes’ soccer coach, reports he has 35 candidates out for the team, 20 of them foreign-born youths from 18 different countries. ‘We have them from Israel, various parts of Europe and South America. Yesterday I had Benjamin Alegrante, a native of Guatemala, come out for the squad,’ said Ball. ‘On the soccer field, I have to be a linguist to understand them. They speak different languages but they seem to have a universal language for soccer on the field. The foreign-born youngsters seem to make better soccer players, maybe because they are brought up on the sport like the American boys are brought up on baseball, basketball and football. When I’m looking for soccer material, all I do is walk around the cafeteria and as soon as I hear a youngster with a foreign accent I bring him out for the team.’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1954, the Eagle reported, “HONG KONG (U.P.) — Two American war correspondents and a young merchant sea captain came back to freedom today from an 18-month ordeal in Red Chinese prisons. Richard Applegate, former United Press correspondent, Donald Dixon, International News Service writer, and Capt. Ben Krasner crossed the border at 2:40 p.m. (1:40 a.m. Brooklyn time) in torn clothing and needing a shave. About 50 newsmen were waiting on the steps of the Peninsula Hotel when the three men arrived in the American consul’s automobile. Dixon, of New York, said that for 18 months he did not see daylight or have any exercise. Applegate, of Medford, Ore., and Krasner, of New York, reported similar treatment. They said they were never allowed to go out of buildings unless they were handcuffed and blindfolded.”

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NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include “Bull Durham” director Ron Shelton, who was born in 1945; Oscar-winning actor Tommy Lee Jones, who was born in 1946; Oscar-winning filmmaker Oliver Stone, who was born in 1946; Night Ranger singer Kelly Keagy, who was born in 1952; Pro Football Hall of Famer Dan Marino, who was born in 1961; “Titanic” star Danny Nucci, who was born in 1968; “The Good Wife” star Josh Charles, who was born in 1971; “Venom” star Tom Hardy, who was born in 1977; “Blue Bloods” star Marisa Ramirez, who was born in 1977; former N.Y. Giants offensive lineman and two-time Super Bowl champion David Diehl, who was born in 1980; Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, who was born in 1984; singer and TV personality Heidi Montag, who was born in 1986; “Jonas” star Chelsea Kane, who was born in 1988; and Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin, who was born in 1995.