Column 66 for December 31, 2000

After all, the hullabaloo last year over the "New Millennium", at last the 21^st century is upon us!

To keep this new century in perspective, it’s interesting to look back 100 years and see what happened. Some historical events just don’t seem that far in the past… And some seem like so long, long ago.

A lot of famous people were born in 1901. How about Clark Gable (Feb 1^st), Charles H. Goren, the bridge-master with 26 U.S. titles (Mar 4^th), Melvyn Douglas, the actor from Macon, Georgia (Apr 5^th), Gary Cooper was born in Montana, Rudy Vallee (Jul 28), another singer Louis Armstrong (Aug 4^th), Walt Disney (Dec 5^th), Margaret Mead, the anthropologist, and finally Marlene Dietrich, the singer, was born in Berlin. Not an unimpressive list.

Some interesting events occurred in 1901. The first American League baseball game was played. New York became the first state to require auto license tags. (Whose bright idea was that?) Memorial Day was first observed, and yes, Virginia, it IS a national holiday. Gillette patented the first disposable razor. Marconi sent and received the first transatlantic radio messages. The Wright Brothers first powered flight was still a dream in their Ohio bicycle repair shop.

Political happenings too. President William McKinley was assassinated, and Vice President Theodore Roosevelt became President. He uttered those famous words, "Speak softly and carry a big stick."

Now it’s our turn. How will our great-grandchildren look back on this year, 2001? Who will be born this year only to grow up and amaze and entertain us like no one before? What great discoveries will we make?

In our own little way, we all have something to contribute. Let’s do all we can to make this a century to remember! I pray that it is a century of Peace, discovery, and wonderment.

Happy New Century! tomiswho@mindspring.com