Daily Almanac for Wednesday, September 15, 2021; the 257th Day of the Year

On this date in 1949, the Lone Ranger, debuted with American Clayton Moore and Canadian Jay Silverheels. Here is Clayton Moore as the Lone Ranger and Silver 1965. By Pleasure Island, Public Domain, https commons.wikimedia.org

FROM WIKIPEDIA COMMONS

The Lone Ranger is a fictional masked former Texas Ranger who fought outlaws in the American Old West with his Native American friend, Tonto. The character has been called an enduring icon of American culture.

He first appeared in 1933 in a radio show on WXYZ (Detroit), conceived either by station owner George W. Trendle or by Fran Striker, the show’s writer. The radio series proved to be a hit, and spawned a series of books (largely written by Striker), an equally popular television show that ran from 1949 to 1957, comic books, and several films. The title character was played on the radio show by Earle Graser for some 1,300 episodes, but three others preceded him, according to The New York Times: “a man named Deeds, who lasted only a few weeks; a George Stenius [actually George Seaton according to the Los Angeles Times], and then Brace Beemer; the latter became the narrator of the program.

Clayton Moore portrayed the Lone Ranger on television, although, during a contract dispute, Moore was replaced for a season by John Hart, who wore a different style of mask. On the radio, Tonto was played by, among others, John Todd and Roland Parker; and in the television series, by Jay Silverheels, who was a Mohawk from the Six Nations Indian Reserve in Ontario, Canada.

TODAY’S ALMANAC

EMBER DAYS

Ember Days occur next on September 15, 17, 18. Ember Days happen four times a year at the start of each season. In Latin, Ember Days are known as the quattuor anni tempora (the “four seasons of the year”). Traditionally observed by some Christian denominations, each set of Ember Days is three days, kept on a successive Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. These three days are set apart for fasting, abstinence, and prayer. The first of these four times comes in winter, after the Feast of St. Lucia, December 13; the second set comes with the First Sunday in Lent; the third set comes after Whitsunday/Pentecost Sunday; the four and last set comes after the Feast of the Holy Cross. Their dates can be remembered by this old mnemonic: “Sant Crux, Lucia, Cineres, Charismata Dia Ut sit in angaria quarta sequens feria.” Which means: “Holy Cross, Lucy, Ash Wednesday, Pentecost, are when the quarter holidays follow.” Folklore has it that the weather on each of the three days foretells the weather for three successive months. As with much folklore, this is grounded in some common sense since the beginning of the four seasons cue the changes in weather as well as a shift in how we keep harmony with the Earth and respect our stewardship of the Earth, our “garden of Eden.”

Every Year

1700s

1770s

1780s

1830s

1850s

1870s

1890s

1900s

1910s

1920s

1930s

1940s

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

COURTESY www.almanac.com