Comments on: She Had a Question, 1919 (2nd set)

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:08:01 +0000

Thanks, Jim — I wouldn’t want to be the one who had to look Catherine Hurst in the eye and tell her that she’d erred. She seems like such a formidable lady!

By: JimD

JimD — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:03:14 +0000

(Correction: The Young Women's Journal seems to be giving the New Mexico's displacement [the weight of the water the ship displaced], not its gross registered tonnage [a measure of the ship's enclosed space that is derived from cubic feet]. For a more accurate comparison, Vaterland's displacement was about 58,000 tons.)

By: JimD

JimD — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:54:48 +0000

The question about the largest American ship is arguably wrong. By 1919 the Americans had impounded the German-built Vaterland (54,282 gross tons), renamed her the Leviathan, and put her into service as a troopship. After the war, they kept her as a passenger liner.

By: bfwebster

bfwebster — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 17:52:53 +0000

You know, she probably would have rocked on the 1919 version of Jeopardy. I wonder if Ken Jennings is a descendant. ..bruce..

By: Clark

Clark — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 17:16:38 +0000

Once again, I love the simple, formal way the author responds to everything from the size of ships to developing inner beauty. (Finding the answer to the former would require some work in the pre-internet days. The answer to the latter is one of the best ever.)

By: Hunter

Hunter — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:34:51 +0000

“anoint the hands [with oatmeal paste]”

Oh my — more evidence of female annointing. I wonder if Linda King Newell knows about this?

[grin]

By: Bruce Crow

Bruce Crow — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:01:22 +0000

Wow, I just had a flash back of “trying to get to their 8:00 a.m. class on time at BYU by walking during the playing of the anthem at 7:50″ I had completely forgotten about that.

By: Mark B.

Mark B. — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:24:27 +0000

It was 1931, Ardis. (Those references to U.S. Statutes can be confusing.)

The Star-Spangled Banner was adopted as the national anthem by joint resolution of congress, signed by Pres. Hoover on March 3, 1931. 46 Stat. 1508, ch. 436. That statute is codified at 36 USC 301.

Beginning in 1942, Congress began adding rules about how we’re supposed to stand up straight, take our hands out of our pockets, etc., while the anthem is being played. Those rules are at 36 USC 302. But, lest you be concerned, no criminal penalties are attached to your failure to obey those rules. (Although Yankee Stadium security may throw you out of the game if you head for the toilets during the singing of God Bless America, and no telling what fate awaits those trying to get to their 8:00 a.m. class on time at BYU by walking during the playing of the anthem at 7:50. Odd how being in a car, or inside a building, at that time exempted you from the “stand still” rule.)

By: Ugly Mahana

Ugly Mahana — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:02:02 +0000

I think these suggestions are mostly adequate.

By: Tamary

Tamary — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:46:57 +0000

I would never have thought to test my soap by tasting it.

As always, I’m fascinated by the breadth of subjects addressed here.