February 1: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

February 1, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1913, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “WASHINGTON — Pauline Wayne, President Taft’s famous Holstein cow, will follow him into retirement on March 4. The President today called in Senator Isaac Stephenson of Wisconsin, who two years ago brought Pauline to the White House, and gave her back to her former owner. Pauline has not been in the best of health for several months. President Taft believes that if she is taken back to Wisconsin and put on Senator Stephenson’s farm again her youthful vigor will revive. The Senator was glad to get Pauline back into the fold, for she has supplied milk to the family of a President for two years and will add dignity to his herd.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1917, the Eagle reported, “WASHINGTON — An ultimatum to Germany is believed to have been framed by President Wilson today. There can be no confirmation of this until the Government makes some official announcement. Every development up to the middle of the afternoon, however, pointed to the sending of a blunt declaration by this Government to the Foreign Office at Berlin. Twenty-four hours — perhaps an even shorter period of time — may witness the casting of the die for the future, pointing the way either to continued peace or war. A break in relations is imminent, and there is not a statesman in Washington who doubts that such a break will ultimately — probably soon — draw the United States into the world war. President Wilson is expected to notify Germany that the United States will insist upon an observance of the guarantees given in the Sussex controversy, relating to the protection of American lives and property at sea. Meantime, Germany has already, by the acts of her submarines, cast aside those guarantees, giving this country less than twelve hours’ notice of her intention. This would make such a notice by the President a mere formality to future action.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1929, the Eagle reported, “The 71st Regt. Armory will become an airport this afternoon when several hundred students of Manual Training High School go through the elimination trials in an airplane model contest, conducted by American Legion Aviators’ Post, No. 743, preliminary to the New York Aviation Show. The show will be held at the Grand Central Palace during the week of Feb. 6. Prizes to the winners of the finals in the model contest which will be held on Feb. 9 will be presented by Clarence Chamberlin, Amelia Earhart and Lady Heath.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1935, the Eagle reported, “The much coveted gold medal of the Institute of Amateur Cinematographers for the best British film of 1934 has been awarded to the Gaumont British Production, ‘The Man Who Knew Too Much,’ directed by Alfred Hitchcock.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1950, Eagle columnist Jack Lait Jr. said, “After doing a couple of flip-flops on the matter, the music division of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has decreed that Frank Loesser’s tune, ‘Baby It’s Cold Outside,’ shall be eligible for nomination in the forthcoming Academy Awards. They had previously ruled out the ditty on the ground that it had been written years ago and had been publicly performed before Metro put it into the film, ‘Neptune’s Daughter.’ ‘Baby’ is a very cute song, and I’m happy that it’s eligible for an Oscar. However, it seems to me that this might lead to strange consequences in the future. If age and previous performances don’t matter in the Academy Awards, we’re liable to wake up and find ‘Oh, You Beautiful Doll’ or ‘My Wild Irish Rose’ being named as the best song of 1950.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1963, the Eagle reported, “OXFORD, MISS. (UPI) — James Meredith registered without incident yesterday for the second semester at the University of Mississippi, but another Negro, Dewey Roosevelt Greene Jr., apparently tried and failed to gain admission. Greene, 22, whose application to the university was rejected by mail, walked alone into the admissions office shortly after noon and emerged about 45 minutes later. Greene would not comment on what transpired. He drove off campus with another Negro youth who had waited for him in a car. The only comment he made as he entered was to confirm he was seeking admission. Meredith arrived an hour earlier and registered after a 15-minute conference with the University chancellor, John D. Williams. Newsmen were barred from a major part of the campus but Justice Department attorney John Doar told them Meredith registered after separate conferences with Williams, history Professor Russell Barrett and political science Professor Noland Fortenberry. The procedure yesterday contrasted sharply with the morning last Oct. 1 when Meredith first registered. On that occasion, Meredith had to walk across a campus littered with tear gas shells and other debris from 14 hours of bloody rioting.”

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Garrett Morris
Paul A. Hebert/Invision/AP

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include original “Saturday Night Live” star Garrett Morris, who was born in 1937; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Mike Campbell (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers), who was born in 1950; X singer Exene Cervenka, who was born in 1956; “RFK” star Linus Roache, who was born in 1964; “Twin Peaks” star Sherilyn Fenn, who was born in 1965; National Soccer Hall of Famer Michelle Akers, who was born in 1966; “Princess Diaries” author Meg Cabot, who was born in 1967; “Dexter” star Michael C. Hall, who was born in 1971; TV personality Lauren Conrad, who was born in 1986; “Glee” star Heather Morris, who was born in 1987; mixed martial artist Ronda Rousey, who was born in 1987; “Ozark” star Julia Garner, who was born in 1994; and One Direction singer Harry Styles, who was born in 1994.