PLOUGH MONDAY

The first Monday after Epiphany (January 6) was the day for the menfolk to return to work after the holidays — although no work was actually done on this day. Dressed in clean white smocks decorated with ribbons, the men dragged a plow (plough) through the village and collected money for the “plow light” that was kept burning in the church all year. Often men from several farms joined together to pull the plow through all their villages. They sang and danced their way from village to village to the accompaniment of music. In the evening, each farmer provided a Plough Monday supper for his workers, with plentiful beef and ale for all.

1750s

• BORN 1757: ALEXANDER HAMILTON (STATESMAN & FOUNDING FATHER)

1810s

• BORN 1815: SIR JOHN A. MACDONALD (CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER)

1840s

• DIED 1843: FRANCIS SCOTT KEY (COMPOSER)

1860s

• 1861: ALABAMA SECEDED FROM THE UNION

1870s

• DIED 1874: GAIL BORDEN (DEVELOPED CONDENSED MILK)
• 1878: MILK WAS DELIVERED IN GLASS BOTTLES FOR THE FIRST TIME, BROOKLYN, NY

1880s

• BORN 1885: ALICE PAUL (LAWYER)

1900s

• BORN 1903: ALAN STEWART PATON (AUTHOR)
• BORN 1905: MANFRED B. LEE (MYSTERY WRITER)

1910s

• 1913: HUDSON MOTOR COMPANY UNVEILED THE FIRST SEDAN-TYPE CAR

1930s

• BORN 1934: JEAN CHRÉTIEN (CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER)
• 1935: PIONEER AVIATRIX AMELIA EARHART BECAME THE FIRST WOMAN TO PILOT SOLO FROM HAWAII TO MAINLAND USA. SHE TOOK OFF FROM HONOLULU, REACHING OAKLAND, CA, IN 18 1/4 HOURS

1940s

• BORN 1942: CLARENCE CLEMONS (MUSICIAN)
• BORN 1946: NAOMI JUDD (COUNTRY MUSIC SINGER)

1950s

• BORN 1952: BEN CRENSHAW (GOLFER)
• BORN 1957: DARRYL DAWKINS (BASKETBALL PLAYER)

1960s

• 1960: INDIA AND PAKISTAN ANNOUCED THE DESIGNATION OF AN EXACT BORDER BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES TO ELIMINATE CLASHES
• 1963: THE FORERUNNER OF THE DISCOTHEQUES, THE WHISKEY A-GO-GO, OPENED ON SUNSET STRIP IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA AND BECAME THE LAUNCHING PAD FOR MANY UNKOWN STARS LIKE JIMI HENDRIX, LED ZEPPELIN, THE DOORS, AND OTIS REDDING
• 1964: DR. LUTHER TERRY, THE U.S. SURGEON GENERAL, ISSUED THE FIRST GOVERNMENT REPORT SAYING THAT SMOKING WAS HAZARDOUS TO ONE’S HEALTH

1970s

• BORN 1971: MARY J. BLIGE (SINGER)
• BORN 1972: AMANDA PEET (ACTRESS)
• 1973: BASEBALL’S AMERICAN LEAGUE ADOPTED THE “DESIGNATED HITTER” RULE WHICH ALLOWS ANOTHER PLAYER TO BAT FOR THE PITCHER
• 1974: NATIONAL BALLET OF CANADA FOUNDER, CELIA FRANCA, RETIRED.

1980s

• 1984: THE U.S. CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL PUBLISHED EVIDENCE THAT AIDS CAN BE TRANSMITTED THROUGH BLOOD TRANFUSIONS
• 1989: PRESIDENT REAGAN BADE THE NATION FAREWELL IN A NATIONALLY BROADCAST ADDRESS FROM THE OVAL OFFICE

2000s

• DIED 2008: SIR EDMUND HILLARY (ONE OF THE FIRST TO SUMMIT MT. EVEREST)

2010s

• 2010: A 4.3-MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE SHOOK SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

COURTESY www.almanc.com