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December 26, 2017 - January 8, 2018

The Neatest Little Paper Ever Read®

Issue 00334

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TIDBITS® VISITS THE

YMCA

by Kathy Wolfe In honor of YMCA Day on December 29, Tidbits heads to the Y to rustle up some facts on this organization that is more than 170 years old. • Although we tend to think of the YMCA as a place to work out and join an exercise class, there’s much more to this story. In 1844, the Industrial Revolution was well under way in London. Thousands of young men had migrated from the rural areas to take jobs in the city, resulting in squalid living conditions in seedy areas. One of these men, 22-yearold George Williams, who had taken a job in a department store, was disturbed by the conditions, and enlisted 11 friends to join him in organizing the first Young Men’s Christian Association, a group that met regularly for Bible study and prayer. Their gatherings became a refuge for other young men seeking a sanctuary from the dangers of the streets. • In 1851, Williams’ organization spread to the United States, when a retired Boston sea captain named Thomas Sullivan perceived a need to create a safe haven for sailors and merchant marines. Having heard of England’s YMCA, Sullivan established the first American Y at Boston’s Old South Church. • The Y branched out in 1853 to establish the first Y for African Americans, founded by freed slave Anthony Bowen. Bowen was the first black employee of the U.S. Patent Office, where he rose through the ranks from laborer to messenger to a clerkship. Three years later, there was further growth of the organization when the first student YMCA was established in Lebanon, Tennessee’s Cumberland University, with the purpose of developing and promoting leadership qualities in college students. • 1856 was also the year that the YMCA conducted

Two ditsy young women walked up to the door of the YMCA, and one said, “Look! They spelled MACY’s wrong!”

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what is believed to be America’s first English as a Second Language class, serving German immigrants at the Cincinnati, Ohio, YMCA. The Y went on to offer large-scale higher education classes in 1893, when the Boston Y offered liberal arts and vocational classes. Sixty years later there were 20 colleges across America operated by the YMCA. In 1946, about 130,000 students were taking courses through the YMCA. • The Y began providing lodging in the 1860s. Chicago opened Farwell Hall in 1867, the first YMCA dormitory, named for its benefactor, dry goods magnate John V. Farwell. The building included a parlor, library, and gymnasium. Unfortunately, it burned down the following year. It was rebuilt, only to be lost to fire again two years later. The third Farwell Hall endured until 1893, when it was replaced with a facility that contained a new gym, swimming pool, and bowling alley. • Even railroad workers had their own YMCA, organized in Cleveland in 1872 to offer safe

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and affordable overnight lodging for workers in transit. In 1875, San Francisco founded an Asian Y to attend to the needs of their large Chinese population, while Flandreau, South Dakota, became home to the first Native American YMCA in 1879. • Body building has long been associated with the YMCA, and in fact, it was a Boston Y employee who coined the term in 1881, creating fitness and exercise classes. • As the Y continued to offer reasonable lodging, the number of rooms available grew from 55,000 rooms in 1922 to upwards of 100,000 in 1940, exceeding that of any hotel chain. Over the years, some famous people have roomed at the YMCA, including Dan Rather, Malcolm X, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Wendy’s founder Dave Thomas, and novelist Jack Kerouac. • The YMCA has long been associated with summer camps. America’s first known summer camp program, Camp Dudley, was started in 1885, when seven boys attended a week-long camp. Located at Orange Lake, New Jersey, it’s the longest continually operating camp in the nation. • During the years of segregation, the Sears & Roebuck founder started a grant program in 1910 that built 25 African-American YMCA’s across the U.S., providing a safe haven for travelers. • James Naismith was teaching physical education at Springfield, Massachusetts’ International YMCA Training School when he conceived the idea of a new indoor winter game. He set up a peach basket at each end of the gymnasium and used a soccer ball for the first game of basketball in December, 1891 at Springfield’s Y. Each successful shot had to be retrieved from the basket using a ladder. Naismith revised the game shortly afterward, using iron hoops and a hammock-style basket, but it was ten years before open-ended nets were introduced. Naismith went on to found the University of Kansas basketball program. • The Holyoke, Massachusetts Y was the site of the invention of another popular sport. In 1896, YMCA instructor William Morgan blended parts of basketball, tennis, and handball into a new game he called “mintonette.” The name was later changed to volleyball. • In 1950, a volunteer at the Greenwich, Connecticut YMCA developed the game of racquetball as an option for those who enjoyed squash and handball. None of the YMCA instructors who invented the games were paid for their creations, but bestowed it on the North American public who enjoyed

info@TidbitsVernon.com The Neatest Little Paper Ever Read® Call Today (250) 832-3361 the sports. • The world’s oldest surviving basketball court is located in a basement of the Paris, France YMCA. This YMCA was designed by a student of Gustave Eiffel. The basement is also home to a bowling alley and France’s first indoor pool. The basketball court at Springfield, Massachusetts was the first, but it was destroyed by a fire, giving the Paris court, built in 1892, the distinction as the oldest survivor. • In 1909, George Corsan became the head swimming instructor at the Detroit YMCA, with a goal of “teaching every man and boy in North America” to swim. He was the first to originate group swimming lessons, the first to teach beginners the crawl stroke, the pioneer of the modern butterfly stroke, and the inventor of water wings. He traveled the country conducting group lessons, once teaching 1,500 boys and girls to swim in just one week. During World War I, he trained entire military regiments to swim. By 1932, over a million people were swimming at YMCAs. • The disco group The Village People released their hit single “YMCA” in 1978, a song that remains popular today and is played at many sporting events. In 1979, the actual YMCA organization reportedly sued the group for copyright/trademark infringement. The case was later dropped. UNUSUAL PLANTS:

DRAGON BLOOD TREE

It’s an unusual tree with an unusual name! Turn your attention to the strange and remarkable dragon blood tree. • The dragon blood tree, botanical name Dracaena cinnabari, is endemic to the cluster of islands called Socotra, meaning they are found nowhere else on Earth. Socotra, part of Yemen, consists of four islands in the Arabian Sea, 150 miles (240 km) east of the Horn of Africa. The main island is 82 miles (132 km) long and about 3 miles (50 km) across. It is so isolated that 307 out of the 825 of the plant species found there – 37% -- exist nowhere else. • The tree derives its name from its deep red sap, which dries into a resin. According to ancient legend, the tree first grew from blood on the ground following a great battle between an elephant and a dragon. The ancients believed it was the dragon’s blood, and prized the sap as a medicinal cure-all for wound healing, as a coagulant, a cure for intestinal diseases, for lowering fevers, and to treat mouth, throat, and stomach ulcers. They called it “cinnabar,” and it was a costly trade item, valuable for its dye. A differing piece of folklore claims that the blood was that of the ancient dragon Ladon, a creature with 100 heads that was slain by Hercules. • The appearance of the dragon blood tree is not only bizarre, it’s beneficial. The crown of the tree, composed of waxy, skywardpointing leaves, resembles an open umbrella. This canopy shades the roots and reduces evaporation, helping the tree to survive in an arid area that receives just 10 inches (25.4 cm) of rain a year. The tree thrives in areas that frequently are covered by morning mists, with the leaves channeling the water down the trunk to the tree’s roots. • The broad shelter of the umbrella also protects new dragon tree seedlings, as well as providing a suitable habitat for other species to flourish underneath its shelter. The tree grows slowly, eventually reaching a height of up to 33 feet (10 m), and has a long life, with some as old as 650 years.

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* Got a calendar that has wonderful picture but the dates from last year? Cut out the picture and have them laminated. You can use them as placemats for all kinds of things. * Here’s a travel tip: Insert a tablet into a large plastic bag and hang it from the headrest to make the back seat a theater seat on road trips. If the middle seat is empty, make a slide-proof tray to keep snacks and other items corralled. At one end of a plastic bin (try a shower caddy from the dollar store!), cut slits through both bottom of sides, then thread the middle seat’s lap belt through it. It should stay put! * “To make any photo a magnet for your fridge, simply glue it to those thin business magnets you get from time to time. There’s always one for a law office on the front of my phone book. I just print out a picture and trim it to fit the magnet. Done!” -- T.D. in Alabama * Make a cup (or bottle) cozy by cutting the top and bottom off of an odd sock. It slips on, and the cup stands on its own. Slip water bottles into long socks to keep the condensation from affecting other items in your bag or backpack. * “Freshen or dust stuffed animals by putting them through the dryer for 20 minutes. Secure small ones inside a pillow case for extra security. Add a couple of dryer balls and softener sheets if they are coming out of storage.” -- O.S. in Texas * Got a fitness resolution? You’re not alone. Get a buddy so you can hold each other acountable. We are more likely to keep an exercise routine going if we have standing plans with others. Send your tips to Now Here’s a Tip, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803. (c) 2017 King Features Synd., Inc.

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• Leaves are found only at the tips of the youngest branches, and all leaves are shed every three or four years, with new leaves simultaneously maturing. It flowers in February, with the white or greenish flowers growing at the very ends of the branches in small clusters. The fruit takes five months to develop, and is a small fleshy berry that changes from green to black to orange-red as it ripens. The berries are food for birds and domestic livestock, and consumption of the fruit is reported to improve the health of the local cows and goats. • During the 18th century, the deep red sap was used as a source of varnish for Italian violin makers, and is believed to have been responsible for the rich color of Stradivarius violins. Today the sap is still used as a stimulant, in astringents, lipstick, toothpaste, and paint, and as an anti-inflammatory. It remains part of pagan witchcraft spells for love and protection.

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HOWDY DOODY Say, kids, what time is it? It’s Howdy Doody Time! Tidbits is commemorating Howdy Doody Day on December 27 with these curious findings. • “The Howdy Doody Show,” which premiered on NBC on December 27, 1947, was the first nationally-televised children’s show. It featured celebrity host Buffalo Bob Smith, dressed in cowboy garb, along with a frecklefaced marionette Howdy Doody, voiced by Smith. The show premiered on December 27, 1947, and ran until September 24, 1960, after a run of 2,343 programs. • The show was one of the first series to be produced at NBC’s studio in Rockefeller Center, as well as one of the forerunners of color TV. It started out as an hour-long program on every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 5 PM, but within a year was airing Monday through Friday for 30 minutes, the first NBC show to air five days a week. It was also the first show to air more than 1,000 continuous episodes. • The studio was set up with bleachers with room for about 40 children, an area known as the Peanut Gallery. After Buffalo Bob shouted out, “Say kids, what time is it?” and they answered, the kids sang the show’s theme song, set to the tune of “Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay.” • The original Howdy Doody puppet was created by a puppeteer named Frank Paris. As the program’s popularity grew, the demand for merchandise multiplied. Macy’s department store contacted Frank Paris, wanting to distribute Howdy Doody dolls and related items. Although Paris had created Howdy, Buffalo Bob owned the rights to the character. When Paris approached Bob about being cheated out of revenue, a dispute arose between the men. The result was that Paris grabbed the puppet – the only one there was – and stormed out of the studio shortly before the live show, leaving the show with no star. • Producers quickly devised an excuse of Howdy being on the road traveling. A new puppet was hurriedly created by puppeteer Velma Dawson. • The red-headed Howdy had 48 freckles, one for each U.S. state at that time. His new appearance was improved upon, making Howdy a little more handsome than the original, which Buffalo Bob had called “the ugliest puppet imaginable.” The explanation was offered to the public that Howdy had had some plastic surgery while he was out on the road. He was operated by 14 strings controlling his head, eyes, nose, mouth, shoulders, back, hands, knees, and elbows. • Howdy Doody merchandise was introduced in 1949, with the first comic book selling 30,000 copies in the first week. A record was released,

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along with wind-up toys, a humming lariat, a beanie, and T-shirts. • One of the show’s favorite characters was that of Clarabell the Clown, a part first played by Bob Keeshan, who would later go on to fame as TV’s Captain Kangaroo. Clarabell had no spoken lines throughout the entire series, communicating through mime and by honking a horn for “yes” or “no.” He frequently sprayed Buffalo Bob with his seltzer bottle. Advertisers offered large amounts of money for Clarabell to speak about a sponsor’s name or product, but all offers were refused. At the end of the very last episode in 1960, a drumroll was sounded, and a tearful Clarabell softly murmured, “Goodbye, kids.” • The original Howdy marionette now has its home at the Detroit Institute of Arts. “Double Doody, “the stand-in puppet is part of the collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

Cat Relationship Is All About Compromise

Cheese Pinwheels This hors d’oeuvre is sure to please holiday party guests. 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon table salt 1 tablespoon Splenda Granular 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons reduced-calorie margarine 3/4 cup plain, fat-free yogurt 1/3 cup nonfat dry milk powder 3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Kraft 2 Percent Milk Cheddar cheese 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 1. Heat oven to 425 F. Spray a large baking sheet with butter-flavored cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and Splenda. Add margarine. Using a pastry blender or two forks, mix until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 2. In a small bowl, combine yogurt and dry milk powder. Add yogurt mixture to flour mixture. Gently stir until blended. Knead dough a few times until mixture is smooth and holds together. 3. Roll dough on a lightly floured board into a rectangle about 1/4-inch thick. Sprinkle Cheddar cheese, parsley flakes and garlic powder over top of dough. Roll up jellyroll fashion and cut into 18 pieces. 4. Place slices on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and lightly spray tops with butterflavored cooking spray. Remove from baking pan and cool on wire racks. Serves 6 (3 each). * Each serving: 210 calories, 6g fat, 10g protein, 29g carbs, 403mg sodium, 236mg calcium, 0g fiber; Diabetic Exchanges: 1 1/2 Starch, 1/2 Fat-Free Milk, 1/2 Protein, 1/2 Fat; Carb Choices: 2. (c) 2017 King Features Synd., Inc.

Peanut butter isn’t just for kids’ lunchboxes anymore! It adds protein and flavor to family meals from breakfast to dinner. 1 tablespoon olive oil 1¼ pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs 1 tablespoon curry powder 1½ cups roasted-garlic pasta sauce 1 can garbanzo beans 3/4 cup water 1/2 cup peanut butter 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro Rice 1 In 12-inch skillet, heat oil on medium-high. Add chicken and cook for 8 minutes, stirring often. Add curry and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Stir in sauce, beans, water and peanut butter and heat until boiling. 2. Cover; simmer on low for 5 minutes. Stir in cilantro and spoon over rice to serve. Serves 4. For thousands of triple-tested recipes, visit our website at www.goodhousekeeping.com/recipefinder/. © 2017 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved

King Features Weekly Service

African-Style Chicken

December 25, 2017

DEAR PAW’S CORNER: Why do cats do what they do? Why do they tear ornaments off the Christmas tree, knock glasses off the coffee table, attack our shoelaces and knead their claws into our sweater? Is there any way to get mine to stop doing, like, all of these things? Sign me -- Frayed Sweater, and Nerves, in Toronto

DEAR FRAYED: After years and years of studying this conundrum, I can honestly say most cats won’t respond to pleas, begging or even treats. Well, sometimes they’ll respond to treats. But they’ll go right back to doing what they enjoy most: destroying all that you love. I’m being (slightly) sarcastic, of course. Having a cat means making a few compromises in your life, particularly in the interiordecorating department. It means being more careful about setting expensive glassware on the countertop. It means a Christmas tree whose bottom third remains undecorated, or adorned with unbreakable, pet-safe ornaments. It means patiently retying your shoelaces after your cat has pounced on them. It means buying a new sweater every fall, or keeping your favorite ones in a drawer to wear on special occasions only. The tradeoff, however, is that you have a companion for many happy years. A cat kneading his or her claws on your sweater while curled up in your lap is an expression of contentment, an acknowledgment that you’re family. You don’t have to give up all the breakable things that you love in order to live with your cat, you just need to make a few concessions to keep both your cat and your glassware safe. Send your pet care tips, questions or comments to ask@pawscorner.com. (c) 2017 King Features Synd., Inc.

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by Samantha Weaver * It was German-born theoretical physicist Albert Einstein who made the following sage observation: “The hardest thing to understand is why we can understand anything at all.” * If you’re planning a trip to South Africa, you might want to keep in mind that there are 11 official languages there. * Those who study such things say that a normal cat has 230 bones in its body, but it doesn’t have a collarbone. * You’ve almost certainly heard people refer to the school they attended as their alma mater, but do you know where the term comes from? In Latin, “alma mater” means “bounteous mother,” and it was in the early 1800s that people began using it to designate their beloved schools. * Before horror author Stephen King became famous for novels such as “Carrie,” “The Stand” and “The Shining,” he wrote four novels and 60 short stories that failed to be accepted for publication. * Most lizards are harmless reptiles, but there are some that are known to be venomous. Rather than avoiding these rare creatures, however, there are some who seek them out for the very venom that makes them dangerous. It seems that there’s a component to the venom that causes blood pressure to drop in humans, which could save thousands of lives. * It would seem that even powerful dictators can succumb to the pull of Hollywood. Il Duce, Benito Mussolini, was an extra in the film “The Eternal City,” and Cuba’s longtime dictator, Fidel Castro, had a bit part in a movie called “Holiday in Mexico.”

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LUMBY

LUMBY Merry Christmas and @LumbyChamber Happy New Year! We be Lumbywill & District closed Chamber from of Commerce Dec 20 – Jan 2. Thank you @TourismLumby for your support in 2017.

@LumbyChamber Lumby & District

Chamber of Commerce @TourismLumby

There’s always something going on around Lumby! www.

monasheetourism.com

There’s always something going on around Lumby! www.

Extensive research shows that when consumers know that @LumbyChamber an organization is a member of the chamber Lumby & Districtthey are of commerce, 49%Chamber more likely to think of favorably of it and 80% Commerce more likely to purchase @TourismLumby goods or services from that organization in the future!

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monasheetourism .com www monasheetourism.com monasheetourism .com www monasheet Gideons International, the group that distributes Bibles to hotel roomswww and college campuses around the world,wwwheld its first meeting us at 1, 1899. Contact us at Contact us at Contact u at the Janesville, Wisconsin YMCAContact on July 250.547.2300 250.547.2300 250.547.2300 250.547.2 .

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1. Soccer 2. “Child Care 3. Irving Berkin 4. Jaazzercise 5. The Soviet Union

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1. Campfire Girls 2. Toastmasters International

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