Happy Groundhog Day from OneTubeRadio.com!
If your car’s transmission is giving you problems today, perhaps it’s as explained in Gasoline Alley this day a hundred years ago. The image here is taken from the February 2, 1923, issue of the Casper (Wyoming) Daily Tribune.
Happy Groundhog Day from OneTubeRadio.com!
A hundred years ago today, at least in Albuquerque, the groundhog saw his shadow, meaning that there was to be six more months of winter. The paper quoted the full reasoning behind the forecast method: “If Candlemas is fair and clear, Ther’ll be two winters in the year.” The picture appeared in the February 2, 1921, issue of the Albuquerque Evening Herald.
In other scientific predictions, the paper quoted eminent scientist Dr. Eugene Lyman Fisk, who predicted that within a comparatively short time, the average human life would be 2000 years. Recognizing the potential for overpopulation, the good doctor came up with three possible solutions:
Controlling the birthrate by determining sex.
“Selective euthanasia,” or putting people to death by lot.
Conveying selected persons in projectiles to other planets.
The cartoon shows a scientist talking to an elderly gentleman with the caption, “science will remove the unfit.” Perhaps we’ll take the groundhog’s advice and just go back to bed for another six weeks.
Happy Groundhog Day from OneTubeRadio.com! This cartoon appeared 70 years ago today in the February 2, 1950 edition of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.
Happy Groundhog Day from OneTubeRadio.com!
The clipping shown here, from the Harrisburg Telegraph, August 25, 1919, was obviously from several months after Groundhog Day. But it seems likely that the groundhog cached his supply on February 2, only to be discovered later.
But in any event, in August, Antonio Bellini was groundhog hunting and spotted a groundhog which ducked into its hole. Mr. Bellini began to dig it out, only to discover six quarts of whiskey hidden in the hole.
We always take a break from our scheduled programming for the major holidays, and Groundhog Day is certainly one of the major holidays.
The groundhog shown here appeared a hundred years ago in the May 1918 issue of National Geographic magazine. As you can see, the groundhog’s shadow is visible, meaning that winter 1918 lasted another six weeks (despite the visible flowers).
The article explains the phenomenon:
The prominence of the groundhog as a popular figure in the country lore of the Eastern States is shown by his having been given a place with the Saints on the calendar, February 2 being widely known as “Groundhog Day.” It is claimed that on this date the groundhog wakes from his long winter sleep and appears at the mouth of his burrow to look about and survey the weather. If the sun shines so that he can see his shadow, bad weather is indicated and he retires to resume his sleep for another six weeks. Otherwise, the winter is broken and mild weather is predicted. Even on the outskirts of Washington some of the countrymen still appraise the character of the coming spring by the weather on “Groundhog Day.”
To help you celebrate with an appropriate holiday dinner, here’s a link to some ground hog recipes.
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Seventy-five years ago today, America celebrated its first Groundhog Day of the war. But because of wartime censorship, the groundhog’s report was not made public. Here, the Chicago Tribune, February 2, 1942, announces that the reports will not be available.
During the war, weather reports could have proven useful to the enemy, and were largely prohibited. Newspapers were allowed to print the Weather Bureau’s official forecast, but no other commentary was allowed. Certainly, an accurate prediction of whether or not the country would endure another six weeks of winter would not be permitted, as this information would be vitally important to the enemy.
Broadcasters even had to be careful with any mention of the weather. For example, even sports announcers were supposed to refrain from giving the weather conditions affecting the game. With enough such reports, an enemy listener would be able to piece together conditions throughout the nation. The idea was simply to deprive them entirely of that possible source of information.
The requirements for broadcasters were printed in the January 19, 1942, issue of Broadcasting:
Weather reports for use on radio will be authorized by the United States Weather Bureau. This material is permissible. Confirmation should be obtained that the report actually came from the Weather Bureau. Special care should be taken against inadvertent references to weather conditions during sports broadcasts, special events and similar projects.
Information concerning road conditions, where such information is essential to safeguarding human life, may be broadcast when requested by a Federal, State or municipal source.
Groundhog Day 1942 also saw the end of prewar auto production, as the U.S. auto industry geared up for war. The photo at the top of the page is the last automobile to be produced until the war ended. This gray Buick rolled off the assembly line at 1:31 PM, February 2, 1942, as shown in the February 16, 1942 issue of Life magazine.
The groundhog at work during peacetime.
The groundhog shown here appeared in National Geographic magazine, May 1918. As you can see, the groundhog’s shadow is visible, meaning that winter will last another six weeks (despite the visible flowers).
The article explains the phenomenon:
The prominence of the groundhog as a popular figure in the country lore of the Eastern States is shown by his having been given a place with the Saints on the calendar, February 2 being widely known as “Groundhog Day.” It is claimed that on this date the groundhog wakes from his long winter sleep and appears at the mouth of his burrow to look about and survey the weather. If the sun shines so that he can see his shadow, bad weather is indicated and he retires to resume his sleep for another six weeks. Otherwise, the winter is broken and mild weather is predicted. Even on the outskirts of Washington some of the countrymen still appraise the character of the coming spring by the weather on “Groundhog Day.”
To help you celebrate with an appropriate holiday dinner, here’s a link to some ground hog recipes.