The Year 1953 in History
The year 1953 was marked by a variety of “firsts.” On January 3, Frances and Oliver Bolton became the first mother/son duo to serve simultaneously in the United States Congress, representing districts in the state of Ohio. On May 18, Jacqueline Cochran, who had taught 1,200 women to fly airplanes during World War II, became the first woman aviator to break the sound barrier. A few days later on May 29, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay climbed to the summit of Mount Everest, becoming the first human beings to do so and return to the base camp alive. The first Chevrolet Corvette came off the assembly line in Flint, Michigan, just over a month after that, on June 30.
A war-weary world saw the end of the Korean War when an armistice was signed on July 27, 1953, establishing the 38th parallel as the boundary between North and South Korea. Prisoner exchange between the two sides began on August 5. However, the Cold War increased in intensity three days later, when the new Soviet premier Georgy M. Malenkov announced that the USSR had the hydrogen bomb. This was proven true four days after that, when the Soviets detonated “Joe 4” as their first test of a thermonuclear weapon. Malenkov had become premier of the Soviet Union after Josef Stalin suffered a stroke on March 1 and died on March 5.
Dwight D. Eisenhower took office as President of the United States on January 20, 1953. One of Eisenhower’s most significant appointments as President was made on September 30, when he designated Earl Warren to become the 14th Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. Another transition in leadership took place on June 2, when Elizabeth was officially crowned as the British monarch.
Other events of interest in 1953 include the opening of the first Burger King restaurant in Jacksonville, Florida, on July 28; the initial marketing of transistor radios, and the first appearance of color televisions for sale in stores. Those color television sets cost $1,175, which today doesn’t sound as outrageous as it should. Consider that the average annual salary of a school teacher in 1953 was $4,254, and you have a better idea of what a luxury item the color television was!
At the same time, it was inevitable that color televisions would become the trend at some point. On July 31, 1953, the FCC reported that television revenues had surpassed radio revenues for the first time.
Two more items about the year 1953 worth noting are that on November 21, the British Natural History Museum declared the “Piltdown Man” skull to be a hoax. The general attitude and fear of communism prevalent in the United States was highlighted on December 9, when General Electric announced that all communist employees would be discharged from the company. Imagine that happening today!
The Day September 17 in History
The date of September 17 holds its place as a marker of memorable moments. It was on this day in 1683 that Antonie van Leeuwenhoek reported the existence of bacteria, a highly significant discovery enabling important advances in medicine and hygiene.
In United States history, it was September 17, 1787, when a new constitution for the nation was signed and presented to George Washington as the leader of the Philadelphia Convention. Exactly nine years later, Washington gave his farewell address as the first President of the United States of America.
Maybe the strangest event to take place on this day was in 1859, when Joshua Abraham Norton proclaimed himself to be the Imperial Majesty Emperor Norton I of the USA! Four years later, he responded to Napoleon III’s invasion of Mexico by adding on the title of “Protector of Mexico.” It should surprise no one that Norton was a citizen of San Francisco, California, where he was actually given royal treatment.
The first fatality in the history of engine-powered flight took place on September 17, 1908, when Lt. Thomas Selfridge died as a passenger in a two-seater plane piloted by Orville Wright. The plane was on a test flight for developing a two-seater for the US Army when the propeller broke. Wright was seriously injured in the crash as well, five years after making the first powered flight in history.
The first public demonstration of LP records took place in New York on September 17, 1931, sponsored by RCA Victor. Exactly three years later, RCA Victor released the first 33 1/3 rpm recording, featuring Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony.
More firsts took place on September 17, including the first successful separation of conjoined twins in 1953, and in 1961 the first game played by the Minnesota Vikings, in which they beat the Chicago Bears 37-13 after Fran Tarkenton came off the bench to throw four touchdown passes in his first NFL career game. I listened to that game on the radio and remember it well. September 17, 1965, marked the CBS premiere of “Hogan’s Heroes,” the theme song of which became even more popular than the program.
September 17, 1978, is remembered as the day in which the Camp David Accords were signed and adopted by Menachem Begin representing Israel, Anwar Sadat representing Egypt, and Jimmy Carter representing the United States. The agreement was intended to make great strides in promoting peace in the volatile Middle East.
As interesting and important as all these may be, they are not what make this day particularly significant for us. The event in history which gives us reason to remember it and celebrate it took place in a small hospital in the very small town of Comfrey, Minnesota, which occupies a land area of less than ½ square mile. The town was named after a plant (Symphytini Officinalis) which is usually called comfrey, and its population in 2010 was a whopping 382 people.
However, size does not determine importance, as is evidenced by how greatly meaningful the town of Comfrey is to us because it is the birthplace of the sixth of the seven siblings, the fourth of the four perpetual 29-year-olds, and the first in the heart of Uncle Dave.
Happy Birthday, Cindy!