Month: October 2014

Happy Birthday to the Fonz

Image
Henry Winkler as Fonzie

Henry Winkler was born on this day in 1945.  While he may be known to young readers as the author of the Hank Ziper books, he is best known in pop culture for portrayal of Arthur Fonzarelli on Happy Days. “Fonzie” or “The Fonz” was a pop culture superstar during the 1970’s.  Since then Winkler has appeared in wide variety of television, movie and stage roles. He has also been a director, producer and writer.

 

National School Library Day

It is National School Library Day, part of International School Library Month and Canadian Library Month. It is also the day for the annual DEAR Challenge: Drop Everything and Read.

Explore this site online, or visit us in person to check out the space, to find out more about why school libraries are so vital.

DEAR2014

Diwali

source: wikimedia commons / GNU

Diwali is celebrated by millions of people in India, Canada and around the world. Hundreds of millions of Hindus celebrate “the Festival of Lights.” People of other faiths, including Sikhism, also celebrate. For Sikhs the festival has added significance as it generally coincides with a Sikh celebration known as Bandi Chhor Divas. For more on Diwali check out:

Drop Everything and Read

DEAR2014The annual DEAR Challenge is coming up: Monday, October 27, 2014.  The BCTLA and the BCTF challenge all British Columbians to Drop Everything and Read for 20 Minutes. Most of Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary already does this every day, so this should not be a problem!

The DEAR Challenge is just one aspect of National School Library Day, Canadian Library Month and International School Library Month.

 

Persons Day

“The  historic decision to include women in the legal definition of “persons” was handed  down by Canada’s highest court of appeal – the Judicial Committee of the Privy  Council of Great Britain – on October 18, 1929. This gave women the right to be  appointed to the Senate of Canada and paved the way for women’s increased  participation in public and political life.” (From Status of Women Canada: Persons Day.)

source: famous5ottawa.ca

It may seem incomprehensible to us that women were not considered to be “persons”, at least under a strict definition of Canadian law prior to 1929.  The “Famous Five” led the fight all the way to the highest courts of the land to include women in the legal definition of “persons.”

“The exclusion of women from all public offices is a relic of days more barbarous than ours. And to those who would ask why the word  “person” should include females, the obvious answer is, why should it  not?”

–Lord Sankey of the Privy Council, 1929 (source)

Today we can celebrate that victory, and the slow but steady change in Canadian society towards equality for women.  We still have a long way to go, and sadly, in much the world, women are still denied equality, a “relic of days  more barbarous than ours.” Persons Day is a chance to celebrate how far we have come, and to reflect on how far we still need to go.

World Food Day

From the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization:

The 2014 World Food Day theme – Family Farming: “Feeding the world, caring for the earth” – has been chosen to raise the profile of family farming and smallholder farmers. It focuses world attention on the significant role of family farming in eradicating hunger and poverty, providing food security and nutrition, improving livelihoods, managing natural resources, protecting the environment, and achieving sustainable development, in particular in rural areas.

The UN General Assembly has designated 2014 “International Year of Family Farming.” This is a strong signal that the international community recognizes the important contribution of family farmers to world food security.

For more on World Food Day, check out these links:

Olympic Protest

On this day in 1968, one of the most iconic images in Olympic history was captured for all the world to see.  As the US National Anthem played at the medal ceremony for the 200 Metre race at the Mexico City Olympics, American sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos, the Gold and Bronze Medalists,  bowed their heads and each raised a single, black gloved fist.  This gesture of protest has come to be known as the “Black Power Salute.” Smith and Carlos shocked many with this Silent Gesture, forcing the world to take note of the struggle against racism in the United States and around the world. The Silver Medalist, Peter Norman of Australia, joined the Americans in wearing an OPHR badge (Olympic Project for Human Rights.)

fair use: "1968 Olympics Black Power salute" by AP photographer - http://i.infoplease.com/images/blackpower.jpg. Licensed under Fair use of copyrighted material in the context of 1968 Olympics Black Power salute via Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:1968_Olympics_Black_Power_salute.jpg#mediaviewer/File:1968_Olympics_Black_Power_salute.jpg
source: wikimedia commons / AP

Reaction was very negative in the US and within the Olympic Community, including those who felt that the Olympics was not the place for such an overtly political gesture. Under pressure from the IOC, the men were expelled from the Olympic village and suspended from the US Olympic Team. Both men were forced to return home to heavy criticism and even threats of violence. Very few publicly lauded their courage and their willingness to make such a bold and profound statement, but over time public opinion has shifted dramatically in support for what Smith and Carlos did on the podium in 1968.

 

 

For more, check out these links: