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February 2020 February 2020

Scouting in America February Birthdays

Lord Robert Baden-Powell, British In astrology, those born between February 1–18 army officer and writer of military are the Water Bearers of Aquarius. As the Casa Chronicle manuals, became famous for water of life heals the land, so Aquarians are establishing the Boy Scout the humanitarians of the zodiac. Free-spirited, Casa de Flores Assisted Living Community Association in Britain in 1907. The nonconformist, compassionate, and visionary,

scouting movement crossed the they support giving “power to the people.” Atlantic Ocean, and the Boy Scouts Those born between February 19 and 29 are A Giant Leap for Humankind of America was founded by W.D. the Fish of Pisces. Fish feel things deeply, as This month we will enjoy an extra day, transforming 2020 Boyce on February 8, 1910. in under-the-sea deep. These intuitive, creative, into an extraordinary year. Every four years, an extra day, and intelligent people have strong feelings of called leap day, is added at the end of February. This W.D. Boyce became personally invested in right and wrong and also love to help others. extra day is built into the year to ensure that our the scouting movement during a trip to London in 1909. One foggy night he became lost on a Ayn Rand (author) – February 2, 1905 remain aligned with Earth’s movement around the sun. London street, and a boy came out of the gloom Gertrude Stein (writer) – February 3, 1874 Our modern calendars have 365 days, but Earth takes to guide him back to his hotel. Boyce attempted Rosa Parks (activist) – February 4, 1913 365.2421 days to make it all the way around the sun.

to tip the boy, but the boy refused, declaring Laura Ingalls Wilder (writer) – February 7, 1867 The ancient Egyptians were the first civilization to calculate that our cycle of days and nights did not align perfectly with that he was a Boy Scout and was simply doing Thomas Edison (inventor) – February 11, 1847 Celebrating February the year, but it wasn’t until Julius Caesar’s reign a good deed. Boyce was so impressed with this Galileo (astronomer) – February 15, 1564 during the Roman Empire that anything was done about it. Unknown Scout, as the boy came to be known, Michael Jordan (athlete) – February 17, 1963 Library Lovers Month that he returned to London and went straight Sidney Poitier (actor) – February 20, 1927 For millennia, calendars were loosely based on human to the Scout headquarters to learn more about Nina Simone (singer) – February 21, 1933 Mend a Broken Heart Month observations of the lunar cycle. Extra days, weeks, and the scouting movement and secure a copy of George Washington (president) – February 22, 1732 even months were added at random to make up for

Baden-Powell’s Scouting for Boys manual. Elizabeth Taylor (actress) – February 27, 1932 seasonal discrepancies. Julius Caesar was fed up with the Dennis Farina (actor) – February 29, 1944 Black Month inadequacies of such calendars based upon a 10-month Upon Boyce’s return to America, he did not find solar year. In 46 BC, he enlisted astronomer Sosigenes it so easy to charter his Boy Scouts of America. to modify the calendar to include 12 months and 365 days. Boyce was a newspaperman and entrepreneur. Groundhog Day January and February were added as the final two months Rival newspaperman William Randolph Hearst February 2 of the calendar, with the leap day added as the final day of attempted to beat Boyce to the punch when he Bill Blackman 2/2 the last month of February once every four years. Julius founded the rival group of American Boy Scouts, Anita Miller 2/8 Caesar named this the after himself. an organization that would last only until 1918. Cherrie Coulon 2/10 Westminster Dog Show It was with the help of Edgar Robinson, a YMCA Bill Reinecke 2/13 February 10–11 Michael Koutnik 2/17 The Julian calendar was hailed as a tremendous organizer from New York City, that Boyce truly improvement, but it was still not perfect. The solar year began the work of organizing a national scouting Virginia Gallegos 2/18 Bill Olson (#100) 2/19 is only .2421 days longer than the calendar year, not .25. movement. In a flurry of meetings, Robinson Valentine’s Day John Owen 2/25 Adding an entire day every four years added 11 extra convinced a variety of disparate scouting groups February 14 minutes to each year! After hundreds of years, the Julian

to band together under the banner of the Boy calendar veered weeks from the solar year. Like Caesar Please think about any artwork, Scouts of America: the Woodcraft Indians of before him, Pope Gregory XIII decided to fix this problem. paintings, photography, music, Presidents’ Day: U.S. Connecticut, the Boy Scouts of the United In 1582, the Pope created his . It was crafts, quilts, knitting, etc. that States, the National Scouts of America, the February 17 still a 12-month, 365-day calendar with an added leap day you will be sharing at our Art National Highway Patrol Association Scouts, every four years, but the Pope went further. He decreed Reception and Soiree on and the Boy Pioneers. When the Boy Scouts that leap years would not occur on years evenly divisible Wednesday, February 19, at 2:00pm in the Mardi Gras of America opened their national office in New by 100, excepting those divisible by 400. For example, Fireplace Room. This will be a very special February 25 York City in June of 1910, they had 2,500 leader the years 1700, 1800, and 1900 were not leap years, but occasion! We will celebrate the many talents of applications from 44 states and over 150,000 the year 2000 was. Pope Gregory XIII’s calendar is still in the residents in our Casa de Flores community. potential scouts. Thanks to the efforts of Leap Year Day use today, but it is still not perfect. Mathematicians note Come get to know your neighbors, and enjoy Robinson and Boyce, the American scouting that after another 10,000 years, someone will have to drinks and appetizers. February 29 movement had finally begun in earnest. create a new calendar once again.

February 2020

Dior’s “New Look” Welcome Stranger From Your Valentine The Bean-Throwing Festival A casualty of World War II was On February 12, 1851, a prospector in New fashion. With the rationing of South , Australia, discovered flecks of On February 14 each year, sweethearts celebrate In Japan, springtime festivals begin as early materials and anxiety over gold in a local waterhole. Within a year, over Valentine’s Day by exchanging cards, chocolates, as February, and February 3 brings Setsubun, radicalism, civilian clothing styles 500,000 “diggers” from all over the world and other tokens of love. But do these sweethearts a sort of new year’s celebration where people became austere, utilitarian, and rushed to Australia with the hope of striking know who they are celebrating? The true identity drive away evil spirits so that they may start practical. Women no longer wore it rich. This Australian Gold Rush transformed of St. Valentine is murky and there are differing the new year on the right foot. How do the silk or other fancy fabrics, and they the cultural fabric of Australia. What began as stories detailing his role in the church and the Japanese ward off these evil influences? By gave up accessories like boning for corsets and a penal colony and a distant backwater soon acts that inspired the popular holiday bearing throwing beans, of course. And not just any zippers. For the first , women wore trousers! grew into a booming multicultural metropolis. his name. old bean. They use roasted soybeans known The British government went so far as to pass as fuku mame, or “fortune beans.” Often, the The immigrant influx grew the economy Competing stories depict austerity regulations. Footwear, textiles, and as demand for products and services grew. oldest male member of the family will don a St. Valentinus (the version mask to look like a demon or evil spirit. The clothing brandished the CC41 logo, signifying that Diggers united in what was termed “mateship,” of the name) as either a priest demon then hovers just outside the family’s it conformed to 1941 regulations for “Controlled helping each other in the outback and banding from Rome or the Bishop of door. Then the entire family scoops handfuls Commodities.” Perhaps no city suffered more together against the authorities. The rush Terni during the reign of Emperor of beans and tosses them at the demon, scaring than Paris, the world’s fashion capital. Not only reached a fever pitch on February 5, 1869, Claudius II. Legend has it that it away. This ensures that no one in the family was it occupied by the Germans but fashion when two miners discovered a massive nugget Valentinus aided Christians who will suffer sickness or other ill fortune. Some houses were forced to shut their doors. So, tangled in the roots of a tree just below the were persecuted under Claudius II’s cities even hold Setsubun parades in which on February 12, 1947, when French designer surface. This nugget, dubbed “Welcome reign. Eventually, Valentinus, too, was put under beans are thrown to crowds that shout, “Get Christian Dior debuted his “New Look” line at Stranger,” was the largest ever found in the house arrest at the home of Judge Asterius. It out demons!” and “Welcome happiness!” the Paris fashion show, he both saved Parisian world. It measured 24 inches across and so happened that Asterius had a blind daughter. People jostle to scoop up the beans and eat fashion and brought femininity into style again. weighed 158 pounds, and it instantly made The judge asked Valentinus to prove the power them, for eating them is considered good luck. the diggers rich. It was worth $3–4 million of Christ by restoring the girl’s sight. When After the fervor of the bean throwing, many Dior’s New Look silhouette was both old and in today’s Australian dollars. Not all diggers Valentinus performed the miracle, the judge families visit local shrines to pray for the new all at the same time. It offered a return to pre- struck it rich, but many chose to remain in thanked him by freeing him and all the Christians health and happiness of their loved ones. war femininity and yet presented a new, modern Australia and start new lives. he had imprisoned. But Valentinus did not remain woman. The line did away with trousers, boxy free for long. He was again arrested and brought shoulders, and civilian androgyny and returned to Do a Grouch a Favor before Emperor Claudius II himself. When When Cows Fly the small waists and figures of the pre- Valentinus attempted to convert Claudius to war . Dior focused on soft, rounded shoulders, You probably know someone who Christianity, he was executed on February 14, On February 18, 1930, a cow tight-fitting jackets, and spreading, padded skirts. is a grouch. Maybe it’s your friend, AD 270, but before his martyrdom, he is said to known as Elm Farm Ollie won the Essential to the New Look was his corset, known neighbor, parent, or even spouse! have written a note to the daughter of Asterius, unique distinction of becoming the as the Waspie, which narrowed the waist and February 16 is the day to forgive which he signed “From your Valentine.” first cow ever to be milked while accentuated the bustline. As a child, Dior grew them for their sullen and grumpy flying in an airplane, ushering in up wandering the flower gardens of his home. attitudes and do something nice, Another story details how Claudius II outlawed the very first Cow Milked While Flying in an Those flowers heavily influenced his notions of for it is Do a Grouch a Favor Day. What favors marriage for young men in the belief that single Airplane Day. The circumstances of the flight femininity. He rejected austerity and let fabric could possibly satisfy the irritable nature of a men made better soldiers than those with are well-recorded, as Elm Farm Ollie was part flow freely from his garments, like an abundance grouch? Psychologists believe that the most wives and families. Valentine defied Claudius of the International Air Exposition in St. Louis, of petals. Some critics decried the designs as common sources of irritability are often little and performed marriages in secret, purportedly Missouri. Researchers were apparently eager wasteful or extravagant, while others found them things throughout the day, small annoyances cutting hearts of parchment and gifting them to observe the effects of flight on livestock. to be affronts to the newfound independence that come with everyday tasks such as driving to the couples as a sign of God’s eternal love. Elm Farm Ollie was an unusually productive enjoyed by women who had taken over the jobs or shopping at the grocery store. Compassion, When Valentine’s secret was discovered, Guernsey. She needed milking three a of men in offices and factories. But many women they say, is necessary for forgiving those Claudius executed him. day. During her flight, she produced 24 quarts embraced the New Look as a welcome alternative around us for their minor transgressions and of milk. Wisconsin native Elsworth Bunce to the ugly practicality of the war years. In many annoyances. So perhaps the biggest favor we These stories are different yet they both illustrate had the honor of milking her, consequently ways, the New Look was a rejection of the war can do for a grouch is to show them compassion. Valentine’s devotion to his faith and his people. becoming the first man ever to milk a cow in an itself and a return to the nostalgia of the pre-war Understanding others’ emotions is the first step As these legends spread, so did Valentine’s airplane. The milk was sealed in paper cartons years, where women were once again expected we can take toward alleviating their suffering reputation for heroic love and devotion, inspiring and parachuted to the crowds below, where it to be feminine. and dispelling loneliness. a holiday dedicated to the ideals he died for. is said that Charles Lindbergh took a drink.