for

DECEMBER 24
 
 
 
Teaching - there can be no finer calling requiring the clearest demonstration of moral and ethical behavior.
Ira Shull, For the Love of Teaching
 
Why do you teach? Let Us Know. Tell Us about your most memorable teacher.
 
 
 








 







 
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Christianity: Christmas Eve
(Observed annually on December 24th)
Religion Christmas
Calendar
Children's Authors & Illustrators
1880 Johnny Gruelle (Illinois-born Cartoonist, Children's Author; Creator of Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy) Illinois Authors Primary Children's Authors American Artists Raggedy Land
1891 Feodor Rojankovsky (Russian-American Children's Author, Illustrator Awarded the 1955 Caldecott Medal for Frog Went A-Courtin') Russian Authors Primary Children's Authors Artists 1955 Caldecott Medal University of Southern Mississippi University of Minnesota
1897 Noel Streatfeild (English Children's Author) English Authors Primary Children's Authors
1912 Jay Bennett (New York City-born Children's Mystery Author) New York City Authors Young Adult Authors
1920 John Langstaff (New York City-born Children's Author, Folk Musician) New York City Authors Primary Children's Authors Folk Music Revels
1929 Mary Higgins Clark (New York City-born Novelist, Children's Author) New York City Authors Young Adult Authors Simon & Schuster Teenreads Powells Writers Write Bookreporter.com Writer's Almanac
1931 Margaret J. Anderson (Scottish-American Children's Author) Scottish Authors Young Adult Authors Official Web Site
1945 Gillian Cross (English Children's Author) English Authors Young Adult Authors Official Web Site Northern Children's Book Festival Jubileebooks
1951 Lynn Munsinger (Massachusetts-born Children's Author, Illustrator) Massachusetts Authors Primary Children's Authors American Artists Houghton Mifflin James Madison University
1953 Debra Barracca (New York City-born Children's Author) New York City Authors Primary Children's Authors James Madison University
Authors, Poets and Journalists
1795 William Woodruff (New York-born Publisher of the Arkansas Gazette, the First Newspaper West of the Mississippi River) New York Authors Arkansas Authors Journalism Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture Arkansas History Commission
1822 Matthew Arnold (English Poet) English Authors Poetry Victorianweb Writer's Almanac
1853 Octavia Albert (Georgia-born African-American Writer) Georgia Authors African-American Authors African American Registry
1881 Juan Ramón Jiménez (Spanish Poet; 1956 Nobel Laureate for Literature) Spanish Authors Poetry 1956 Nobel Laureate for Literature History Channel
1907 I.F. (Isidor Feinstein) Stone (Pennsylvania-born Journalist) Pennsylvania Authors Journalism Spartacus Writer's Almanac New York Times
1950 Dana Gioia (California-born Poet, Essayist) California Authors Official Website Writer's Almanac
Artists, Architects and Designers
1911 Louise Bourgeois (French-American Sculptor) Louise Bourgeois Artists
Songwriters, Classical Composers, Conductors and Performing Artists
1881 Charles Wakefield Cadman (Pennsylvania-born Composer) Pennsylvania Composers American Composers
1930 Robert Joffrey (Washington-born Dancer, Choreographer, Teacher; Founder of the Joffrey Ballet) Washington Performing Artists Ballet Joffrey Ballet Biography.com
1950 Libby Larsen (Delaware-born Composer) Delaware Composers American Composers
Explorers, Pioneers, Aviators and Astronauts
1809 Kit Carson (Kentucky-born Frontiersman) Kit Carson American Explorers and Pioneers
Business Leaders
1905 Howard Hughes (Texas-born Aviation Pioneer, Movie Producer) Howard Hughes Aviation Filmmakers
Military Leaders
1894 Georges-Marie Guynemer (French World War I Flying Ace) French Explorers and Aviators Aviation World War I
Philsopher, Educators, Religious Leaders
1789 Jackson Kemper (New York City-born Roman Catholic Priest; Bishop of Wisconsin) New York City Political and Social Leaders Wisconsin Political and Social Leaders Catholicism Wisconsin Historical Society
Political and Social Leaders
1167 John, King of England English Political and Social Leaders British Monarchy Historic UK
1745 Benjamin Rush (Pennsylvania-born Patriot, Physician, Social Reformer) Benjamin Rush Health Care American Revolution
William Paterson (Irish-American Governor of New Jersey) Irish Political and Social Leaders New Jersey Political and Social Leaders
1834 Lizzie Bunnell Read (President of the Iowa Woman Suffrage Association) Iowa Political and Social Leaders American Women Political and Social Leaders Women's Suffrage
1850 Hugh Dinsmore (Arkansas-born Member of the U.S. Congress) Arkansas Political and Social Leaders U.S. Congress Arkansas History Commission
1923 Wilton Z. Mkwayi (A Leader of the African National Congress) South African Political and Social Leaders South African History
Performing Artists
1888 Michael Curtiz (Hungarian-American Film Director) Hungarian Performing Artists Filmmakers Internet Movie Database
1898 Baby Dodds (New Orleans-born African-American Jazz Drummer) New Orleans Performing Artists Jazz African-American Performing Artists African American Registry
1908 Jabbo Smith (Georgia-born African-American Jazz Trumpeter) Georgia Performing Artists Jazz African-American Performing Artists African American Registry
1922 Ava Gardner (North Carolina-born Actress) Ava Gardner American Performing Artists Film
1971 Ricky Martin (Popular Puerto Rican Singer) Ricky Martin Popular Musicians Latin-American Performing Artists
Persons of Historic Significance Who Have Died on This Date Persons of Historic Significance Who Have Died on This Date
1524 Vasco da Gama (Portuguese Navigator Who Discovered a Sea Route Around Africa to India Vasco da Gama India Africa Explorers Naval History South African History
1942 Jean Darlan (French Admiral Assassinated in Algiers) French Military Leaders Algeria World War II History Channel
2008 Harold Pinter (English-born 2005 Nobel Laureate for Literature) Harold Pinter Plays 2005 Nobel Laureate for Literature
Historically Significant Events Historically Significant Events
Historic Events of the 1500s that Occurred on this Date
1508 London Houses Receive Piped Water for the First Time Since the Roman Empire London, England Roman Empire Historic Firsts Historic UK
Historic Events of the 1800s that Occurred on this Date
1801 A Steam Engine Is First Used to Transport Passengers in London, England London, England Steam Engine Railroad Historic Firsts Writer's Almanac History Channel
1814 The Treaty of Peace and Amity Is Signed in Ghent, Belgium, Ending the War of 1812 Between the U.S. and England Belgium England War of 1812 Ohio Historical Society Yale University History Channel Writer's Almanac University of Georgia Wisconsin Historical Society
1818 In Medina County, Ohio, Local Settlers Slay Hundreds of Wild Animals to Protect Their Farms Medina County, Ohio Farming and Agriculture Animals Hunting Lakewood Public Library Ohio Historical Society
1821 Newton County Is Created as Georgia's 53rd County in Honor of John Newton, a Revolutionary War Soldier Newton County, Georgia University of Georgia
1822 Clement Clarke Moore Composes His Poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas" New York City Authors Poetry Christmas Library of Congress Writer's Almanac
1823 Greensburg, Indiana Gets It's First Post Office Greensburg, Indiana USPS Historic Firsts Indiana Historical Society
1824 Orange County, Florida's 11th County, Is Established and Named for the Many Orange Groves in the Immediate Vicinity Orange County, Florida Florida Historical Society
1825 Taliaferro and Butts Counties Are Created as Georgia's 69th and 70th Counties Georgia University of Georgia
1838 The First Railroad Reaches Greenwich, England Greenwich, England Railroad Historic Firsts Greenwich Guide
The Pioneer Community of Zavala Is Incorporated in Jasper County, Texas Jasper County, Texas Texas State Historical Association
1844 Oregon City Is the First Incorporated Town on the Pacific Coast Oregon City, Oregon Historic Firsts SalemOregon.com
1849 San Francisco, California Suffers Its First of Five "Great Fires" Over the Next Two Years During the Great Gold Rush San Francisco, California Fire California Gold Rush LearnCalifornia
1851 Fire Sweeps through the Library of Congress, Destroying Two-Thirds of Thomas Jefferson's Personal Literary Collection Library of Congress President Thomas Jefferson Libraries and Reference Resources Fire History Channel
1852 The First Railroad Locomotive in Texas Is Placed in Service by the Buffalo Bayou, Brazos and Colorado Railway Texas Railroads Historic Firsts Texas State Historical Association
1857 Ten Scholars from Racine High School Are the First Graduating High School Class in the State of Wisconsin Racine, Wisconsin Education Historic Firsts Racine Unified School District Wisconsin Historical Society
1862 President Lincoln Spends the Evening Discussing the Emancipation Proclamation with Senator Charles Sumner (Massachusetts) Charles Sumner President Abraham Lincoln Slavery Emancipation Proclamation Lincoln Logs
The U.S.S. Charlotte Captures the Confederate Steamer Bloomer in Florida's Choctawhatchee River Florida Naval Military History American Civil War Florida Historical Society
1863 The U.S.S. Fox Seizes the British Blockade Runner Edward Off the Mouth of Florida's Suwannee River Florida Naval Military History American Civil War Florida Historical Society
The U.S.S. Sunflower Captures the Blockade Runner Hancock Near the Lighthouse at Florida, Tampa Bay Florida Naval Military History American Civil War Florida Historical Society
1864 A Union Fleet Under Admiral David Dixon Porter Begins the Bombardment of Fort Fisher, North Carolina North Carolina Forts Naval Military History Fort Fisher History Channel
1865 In Pulaski, Tennessee, Six Veterans of the Confederate Army Found the Ku Klux Klan Pulaski, Tennessee The Ku Klux Klan History Channel
1869 The Episcopal Church of the Good Samaritan Holds Its First Service in Sauke Centre, Minnesota Sauke Centre, Minnesota Religion Historic Firsts Minnesota Historical Society
1871 Giuseppe Verdi's Opera ''Aida'' Is Premiered in Cairo, Egypt, to Celebrate the Opening of the Suez Canal Suez Canal Giuseppe Verdi Composers Opera Historic Firsts The New York Times American Public Media
1889 Electric Streetcars Begin Running in Minneapolis, Minnesota Minneapolis, Minnesota Transportation Electricity Historic Firsts Minnesota Historical Society
1892 The Deluxe Hotel Hallock Burns in Kittson County, Minnesota Kittson County, Minnesota Fire Minnesota Historical Society
1893 Henry Ford Completes His First Successful Gasoline Engine Henry Ford Automotives Inventors and Inventions Historic Firsts History Channel
1896 Red Lake County, Minnesota Is Established Red Lake County, Minnesota Minnesota Historical Society
Historic Events that occurred 1900-1949 on this date
1903 England Issues Its First Automobile License England Automotives Historic Firsts History Channel
A Labor Strike Ends at the Tyler Window Glass Company in Sistersville, West Virginia Sistersville, West Virginia Labor Strikes West Virginia State Archive
1906 From Brant Rock, Massachusetts, Canadian Physicist Reginald A. Fessenden Is the First Person to Broadcast a Music Program over Radio Canadian Scientists & Mathemaiticians Brant Rock, Massachusetts Radio Music Historic Firsts The New York Times
Ketchikan, Alaska Receives Telegraphic Service by Submarine Cable Ketchikan, Alaska Telegraph Alaska Historical Society
1909 Mark Twain's Youngest Daughter, Jean, Dies From Drowning in Her Bathtub Due to an Epileptic Seizure Mark Twain American Authors Death American Collection
1913 In Calumet, Michigan, 74 People, Mostly Children, Die When a Yell of "Fire!" Panics a Christmas Party for Families of Striking Miners Calumet, Michigan Children Labor Fire Christmas Death State of Michigan
1914 A Christmas Truce Is Observed Between German and British Troops Fighting in Belgium Belgium Germany Great Britain World War I Christmas Writer's Almanac
1916 Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues under the Sea Opens in New York City Jules Verne New York City Film Internet Movie Database
1920 Enrico Caruso Gives His Last Public Performance, Singing in ''La Juive'' at the Metropolitan Opera in New York Enrico Caruso Metropolitan Opera Opera The New York Times American Public Media
1923 President Calvin Coolidge Lights the First National Christmas Tree on the Grounds of the White House The White House President Calvin Coolidge Christmas Historic Firsts History Channel
1925 The London Evening News Publishes the First Short Story by A.A. Milne That Includes the Character Winnie-the-Pooh A.A. Milne Primary Children's Authors Journalism Winnie the Pooh Historic Firsts Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
1936 In Cuba, Federico Laredo Brus Replaces Impeached President Gomez Cuban Political and Social Leaders Florida Historical Society
1941 The U.S.S. Atlanta Is Commissioned at the New York Navy Yard New Yokr City Atlanta, Georgia Naval Military History World War II University of Georgia
1942 French Admiral Jean Darlan Is Assassinated in Algiers French Military Leaders Algeria World War II Death History Channel
1943 President Franklin Roosevelt Appoints General Dwight Eisenhower Supreme Commander of Allied Forces President Franklin Roosevelt Dwight Eisenhower World War II The New York Times
1948 The Perry Como Show Debuts on Television Pennsylvania Performing Artists Television Popular Musician Historic Firsts History Channel
Historic Events that occurred 1950-1999 on this date
1950 The Cleveland Browns Defeat the Los Angeles Rams 30-28 to Win the NFL Championship Cleveland, Ohio Los Angeles, California Football National Football League New York Times
1951 Gian Carlo Menotti's ''Amahl and the Night Visitors,'' the First Opera Written for Television, Is Broadcast by NBC Italian Composers Television Composers Opera Historic Firsts The New York Times American Public Media
1952 The McCarren-Walter Act Revises U.S. Immigration Laws to Restrict Immigration of Communist Sympathizers U.S. Government Immigration Laws and Legal Resources Cold War History Channel
1953 In New Zealand, a Volcanic Eruption Causes a Flood That Sweeps Away a Train, Killing More Than 150 People New Zealand Volcano Flood Railroads Death History Channel
1956 African-American Residents of Tallahassee, Florida Defy City Laws and Occupy the Front Seats of City Busses Tallahassee, Florida Transportation Civil Rights/Human Rights African-Ameerican Heritage Florida Historical Society
1962 Cuba Returns to the United States the Last of More Than 1,000 Prisoners Taken at the Bay of Pigs Invasion Cuba Bay of Pigs Invasion Prisoners of War The Cold War BBC
1968 Orbiting the Moon, Apollo 8 Astronauts Read Passages from Genesis During a Christmas Eve Television Broadcast Space Exploration Lunar Exploration Television Bible Christmas BBC
1972 In Saigon, Bob Hope Gives His Last Show for Members of the U.S. Armed Services Bob Hope War in Vietnam History Channel
1973 4.1 Magnitude Earthquake Causes Minor Damage in Grants, New Mexico Grants, New Mexico Earthquakes USGS
1979 The European Space Agency Launches Its First Rocket Ariane 1, From the Kourou Space Centre in French Guiana French Guiana Space Exploration Historic Firsts European Space Agency BBC
1991 The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority Ends Its Practice of Dumping Sewer Sludge Directly into Boston Harbor Boston, Massachusetts Earth and Environmental Science Oceans Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities
1992 President Bush Pardons Six Members of the Reagan Administration for Their Involvement in the Iran-Contra Scandal President George Bush Iran-Contra Scandal American Presidency Crime New York Times
1994 Four Islamic Terrorists Hijack Air France Flight 8969 in Algiers Algeria France Islam Aviation History War on Terrorism History Channel