COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Table of Contents

LOCAL | LITERATURE | FUN FACTS | FAQ FACTS

LOCAL

Virginia Emblems
Virginia Elected Officials
Williamsburg Government Officials
James City County Officials
Williamsburg Area Facts (Longitude, latitude, elevation, square mileage, population)
Williamsburg Area Indian Tribes
Battle of Williamsburg
Colonial Parkway
Tunnels

LITERATURE

Challenger Poem
Desiderata - Go Placidly . . .
Do Not Stand At My Grave and Weep
I Didn't Speak Up
Irish Prayer/Toast
It Takes a Village
Monday's Child
Serenity Prayer
Success Quotation
To Be a Virginian Quotation
Time Poem

FUN FACTS

Seven Dwarfs
Pets of Famous People
Oldest Cities in the U.S.
Monthly Birthstones and flowers
Equestrian Statues - Meaning of
Legend of the Dogwood
Legend of the Sand Dollar
Pineapple as a symbol for hospitality
Who's on First
Hallelujah Chorus - Why Stand
Santa's Reindeer
Twelve Days of Christmas
Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus
FAQ FACTS

Alphabet - sign language
Alphabet - phonetic
Anniversary Gifts
Scripture Cake - how to make
Flour Clay - how to make
Death, stages of
Daylight Saving Time
Minimum Wage
Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
Seven Wonders of the Modern World
21st Century - when does it begin
White House - email
White House - greeting cards from
Zodiac

Virginia Emblems

Song: Carry Me Back to Old Virginia (Song Emeritus, adopted 1997)

Flower: Dogwood Blossom

Tree: Dogwood

Bird: Cardinal

Dog: Foxhound

Fish: Brook Trout

Fossil: Chesepecten jeffersonius

Beverage: Milk

Nickname: The Old Dominion

Insect: Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly

Dance: Square Dancing

Boat: Chesapeake Bay Deadrise

Motto: Sic Semper Tyrannis (Thus Always to Tyrants) 

Flag: 

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Virginia Elected Officials

Gov. Mark Warner

Lt. Gov. Tim Kaine

Atty. Gen. Jerry Kilgore

General Assembly

Senators

Representatives

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Williamsburg Government Officials

Members of the Williamsburg City Council including individual contact information. 

Contact the City Council via email: council@williamsburgva.gov

Or contact individual members:

Jeanne Zeidler, Mayor, 229-0727
email: jzeidler@williamsburgva.gov

Clyde Haulman, Vice Mayor, 229-8898
email: chaulman@williamsburgva.gov

Mickey Chohany, 570-6700
email: mchohany@williamsburgva.gov

Paul Freiling, 229-5165
email: pfreiling@williamsburgva.gov

Billy S. Scruggs, 253-0124
email: bscruggs@williamsburgva.gov

Jackson C. Tuttle, City Manager, 220-6100
email: jctuttle@williamsburgva.gov

Joseph Phillips, City Attorney, 229-1910
email: jphillip@williamsburgva.gov

Jodi Miller, Assistant City Manager, 220-6100
email: jmiller@williamsburgva.gov

Shelia Crist, Clerk of Council, 220-6100
email: scrist@williamsburgva.gov

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James City County Government Officials

Contact information for the James City county Board of Supervisors.

Berkeley District
Jay T. Harrison, Sr.
4821 John Tyler Highway
Williamsburg, VA 23188
Phone: 592-7395
E-Mail:  harrison@james-city.va.us
Jamestown District
John J. McGlennon
2817 Mockingbird Lane 
Williamsburg, VA 23185 
Home: (757) 220-0568 
Office: (757) 221-3034 
FAX: (757) 221-1868 
E-Mail:  jjmcgl@james-city.va.us
Powhatan District
Michael J. Brown
160 Devon Road
Williamsburg, VA 23188
Home: (757) 565-4414
Fax: (757) 565-3554
E-Mail: mbrown@james-city.va.us
Roberts District
Bruce C. Goodson - Chairman
318 Littletown Quarter
Williamsburg, VA 23185-5143 
Home: (757) 229-0190
Office: (757) 826-9325
Fax: (804) 826-9327
E-Mail:  bgoodson@james-city.va.us
Stonehouse District
M. Anderson Bradshaw
P.O. Box 456
Toano, VA 23168
Office: (757) 566-1282
Home: (757) 566-1257
Fax: (757) 566-8807
E-Mail:  andybrad@james-city.va.us
County Administrator
Sanford B. Wanner
101 C Mounts Bay Road
P. O. Box 8784 
Williamsburg, VA 23187-8784
Office: (757) 253-6603
Fax: (757) 253-6833
E-Mail: sbwanner@james-city.va.us
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Williamsburg Area Facts

Longitude 76° 43´ W

Latitude 37° 17´ N

Elevation 40´ above sea level Williamsburg/James City County (42´ at Williamsburg airport)

Square Mileage
Williamsburg  9 sq. miles 
James City County 175.7 sq. miles
Population

Williamsburg 11,998 (2000 census); 11,605 (2003 estimate)   

James City County 48,102 (2000 census); 53,487 (2003 estimate)      

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Williamsburg Area Indian Tribes

Mattaponi

Nansemond

Virginia Indian links

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Battle Of Williamsburg

May 4-5, 1862

Battle of Williamsburg

The Story of a Confederate Boy in the Civil War 
The reminiscences of David E. Johnston of the 7th Virginia Infantry, made available online by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. See chapter 10 for Johnston's account of the Battle of Williamsburg. 

Fort Magruder

General Longstreet

Historical Markers

101st Pennsylvania

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Colonial Parkway

Begun — 1931

Completed — 1957

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Tunnels

Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel (Opened 1964, 17.3 mi. total length, tunnels: 8187 ft., 7941 ft.)

Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (Opened 1957, 7479 ft.)

Monitor-Merrimac Tunnel (Opened 1992, ~7920 ft.)

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Challenger Poem

HIGH FLIGHT

Written by a 19-year old American volunteer with the Royal Canadian Air Force, who was killed in action December 11, 1941.

Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings:
Sunward I’ve climbed and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds — and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there,
I’ve chased the shouting wind along and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace,
Where never lark, or even eagle flew:
And while with silent, lifting mind I’ve trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

— John Gillespie Magee, Jr.

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Desiderata - Go Placidly....

"Go placidly amid the noise and haste . . ."
Max Ehrmann, 1927. Mistakenly said to have been found in a text in St. Paul’s Church in Baltimore in 1692.
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Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep

Do not stand at my grave and weep;
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn’s rain.
When you awaken in the morning’s hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush
of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there. I did not die.
— Anonymous, attributed to Mary Frye, 1932
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I Didn't Speak Up

"In Germany, the Nazis first came for the communists, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a communist. 
Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant. 
Then they came for me, and by that time there was no one left to speak up for me."
This statement was written by the Rev. Martin Niemoeller, a German Lutheran pastor who was arrested by the Gestapo in 1938. He was sent to the concentration camp at Dachau, where he remained until he was freed by the Allied forces in 1945.
SOURCE: Kansas City Star 3/12/91 4E
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Irish Prayer / Toast

May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind always be at your back,
The sun shine warm on your face,
The rain fall soft on your fields,
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of his hand.
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It Takes A Village

"Takes a [whole] village to raise [rear] a child"
This phrase, popularized by Hilary Clinton’s book with this title, is not found in most proverb/quotation dictionaries. It is generally cited as "an African proverb" when it is published.
Stumpers-L archive
There is a Swahili proverb "Mkono mmoja havlei mwana," which translates "One hand cannot bring up a child [cannot nurse a child]." 
From Scheven, Albert. Swahili Proverbs. Washington, D.C.: University of America Press, 1981. p. 123.
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Monday's Child

Monday’s child is fair of face,
Tuesday’s child is full of grace,
Wednesday’s child is full of woe,
Thursday’s child has far to go,
Friday’s child is loving and giving,
Saturday’s child has to work for its living,
And the child that’s born on the Sabbath day
Is fair and wise and good and gay.
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Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.
Attrib. Reinhold Niebuhr, though not claimed by him, probably 18th c. German
(The New Penguin Dictionary of Quotations, 1992)
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Success Quotation

He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much; who has enjoyed the trust of pure women, the respect of intelligent men, and the love of small children; who has filled his niche, and accomplished his task; who has left the world better than he found it, whether by an improved poppy, a perfect poem, or a rescued soul; who has never lacked appreciation of earth’s beauty , or failed to express it; who has always looked for the best in others, and given them the best he had; whose life was an inspiration; whose memory a benediction.
Bessie Anderson Stanley (Prize-winning definition in a contest sponsored by 
Brown Book Magazine, Boston, 1904)
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To Be a Virginian Quotation

To be a Virginian, either by birth, marriage, adoption, or even on one’s mother’s side, is an introduction to any state in the Union, a passport to any foreign country, and a benediction from the Almighty God.
— Anonymous
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Time Poem

Time is
Too slow for those who wait,
Too swift for those who Fear,
Too long for those who Grieve,
Too short for those who Rejoice;
But for those who Love
Time is
Eternity.
— Anonymous
Poem read at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales. From A Third Treasury of the Familiar. Ralph Woods, ed. New York: Macmillan, 1970. p. 58.
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Seven Dwarfs

Grumpy, Sneezy, Doc, Bashful, Dopey, Sleepy, Happy.
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Pets of Famous People

John Adams — Cleopatra (horse)

James Buchanan — Lara (Newfoundland)

George Bush — C. Fred Bush, Millie, Ranger (dogs)

Jimmy Carter — Bozo (dog), Lady Lee (horse)

Bill Clinton — Socks (cat), Buddy (dog)

Calvin Coolidge — Bessie (Collie), Blackberry (Chow), Blackie (cat), Blaze (cat), Boston Beans (Bulldog), Bounder (cat), Calamity Jane (Shetland Sheepdog), Diana of Weldwood (Shetland Sheepdog), Ebenezer (donkey), Enoch (goose), Foxy (Collie), Goldy (bird), Horace (raccoon), Jolly Jane (Shetland Sheepdog), King Kole (Belgian Police Dog), Laddie Buck (Airedale terrier), Mule Ears (Collie), Nip (canary), Old Bill (thrush), Oshkosh (collie), Palo Alto (bird dog), Paul Pry (Airedale terrier), Peter Pan (Wire Fox terrier), Prudence Prim (Collie), Rebecca (raccoon), Rob Roy (Collie), Ruby Rough (Chow), Smoky (Bobcat), Snowflake (canary), Tiger (alley cat), Tiny Tim (Chow) Tuck (canary)
Jefferson Davis — Kentucky (horse), Tartar (horse)
Dwight D. Eisenhower — Caacie (dog), Heidi (Weimaraner), Spunky (Scottish terrier), Telek (Scottish terrier)

Gerald Ford — Chan (cat), Jackie, Liberty, Misty (Golden Retrievers), Shan (Siamese)

James Garfield — Kit (horse), Veto (dog)

U.S. Grant — Billy Button (Shetland Pony), Butcher Boy, Cincinnatus, Egypt (horses), Faithful (Newfoundland terrier), Fox, Ismael, Jack, Jeff Davis, Jenny, Julia, Kangaroo (horses), Leopard (Arabian stallion), Mary, Maud S. (horses), Reb (Shetland Pony), St. Louis (horse)

Warren G. Harding — Caswell Laddie Boy (Airedale terrier), Hub (Boston terrier), Laddie Boy (Airedale terrier), Oh Boy (Bulldog)

Benjamin Harrison — Abdullah, Billy (horses), Dash (Irish Setter), John, Lexington (horses), Mr. Protection, Mr, Reciprocity (possums), Old Whiskers, (goat)

William Henry Harrison — His Whiskers (goat), Sukey (cow)

Rutherford B. Hayes — Grim (dog), Miss Pussy (cat)

Herbert Hoover — Big Ben (Fox terrier), Eaglehurst Gillette (Irish Setter), Glen (Scotch collie)

Andrew Jackson — Bolivia, Emily, Lady Nashville (horses), Poor Poll (parrot), Sam Patches, Truxton (horses)
Thomas Jefferson — Bremo, Diomede, Eagle, Techumseh, Wellington (horses), Dick (mockingbird)
Lyndon Johnson — Beagle (Beagle), Blanco (Collie), Chinkapin (dog), Dumpling, Edgar, Freckles, Her, Him, J. Edgar, Kim, Little Beagle, Little Chap (Beagles), Rover (dog), Yuki (mixed)

John F. Kennedy — Billy (hamster), Blackie (dog), Blackjack (horse), Bluebell (parakeet), Buddy, Butterfly (dog), Clipper (German shepherd), Debbie (hamster), Maybelle (parakeet), Moe (Doberman), Robin (canary), Streaker (dog), Tom Terrific (cat), Wolf (Irish Wolfhound), Zsa Zsa (rabbit)

Abraham Lincoln — Bob (horse), Fido (dog), Jack (turkey), Jip (dog), Nanko, Nanny (goats), Old Bob (horse), Pig (pig), Robin (horse)

William McKinley — Enrique Dehome, Valerino Weyler (cats), Washington Post (parrot)

Richard Nixon — Checkers (Cocker Spaniel), King Tumahoe (Irish Setter), Vicky (poodle)

Ronald Reagan — Alamein (Arabian stallion), Catalina (horse), Freebo (dog), Fuzzy (Belgian Shepherd), Gualianko (Arabian), Lady (German Shepherd), Little Man (horse), Lucky (sheepdog), Millie (Labrador retriever), Muffin (Cockapoo), No Strings (horse), Peggy (Irish Setter), rex (King Charles Spaniel), Scotch, Soda (Scottish terriers), Taca (Siberian husky), Victory (Golden Retriever) 

Franklin Delano Roosevelt — Blaze (Bull mastiff), Budgy (dog), Dot (horse), Duffy (Scottish terrier), Duchess (dog), Fala (Scottish terrier), New Deal (horse), Major (German Shepherd), Marksman (Red Setter), Meggy, Peggy (Scottish terriers), President (Great Dane), tiny (Old English Sheepdog), Winks (Llewellyn Setter) 

Teddy Roosevelt — Algonquin (horse), Baron Speckle (hen), Bill (horned toad), Bishop Doan (guinea pig), Bleistein (horse), Dewey Jr., Dewey Sr., Dr. Johnson (guinea pigs), Eli Yale (macaw), Father O’Grady (guinea pig), Gem (Rat terrier), General, Grey Dawn (horses), Jack (terrier), Jessie (Scottish terrier), Jocko (horse), Jonathan (piebald rat), Jonathan Edwards (bear), Josiah (badger)Judge (horse), Manchu (Pekinese), Manitou (horse), Maude (pig), Pete (Bull terrier), Peter (rabbit), Quartz (cat), Renown (horse), Rollo (St. Bernard), Root, Rosewell, Rusty (horses), Sailor Boy (Chesapeake retriever), Ship (dog), Tom Quartz (cat), Wyoming, Yagenka (horses)

William Howard Taft — Mooly Wooly (cow), Pauline Wayne (Holstein), Trevor (Irish Setter)

Zachary Taylor — Old Whitey (horse)

Harry S Truman — Dewey’s Goat (goat), Feller (dog), Mike (Irish Setter), Mike the Magicat (cat), Tandy (dog)
John Tyler — General (horse), Johnny Ty (canary)
George Washington — Blueskin (horse), Captain (hound), Chinkling (horse), Clever (hound), Dolly (horse), Forester (hound), Jack, Jackson, Jolly (horses), Lady (hound), Leonidas (horse), Madame Moose (dog), Magnolia (stallion), Mopsey (hound), Nelson (horse), Polly (parrot), Ranger (Arabian), Rover (hound), Royal Gift (mule), Rozinante, Samson (horses), Searcher (hound), Steady (horse), Sweetlips, Taster, Tippler (hounds), Traveller (horse), Truelove (dog), Vulcan, Zeach (hounds)

Woodrow Wilson — Caswell Laddie Boy, Champion Tintern Tip Toe, Davie (Airedale terriers), Hamish (Old English Sheepdog), Laddie Buck (Airedale terrier), Oh Boy (Bulldog), Old Ike (ram), Puffins (cat), Sandy (Airedale terrier)

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Oldest Cities in the U.S.

Tallahassee, Fl.- 1539
St. Augustine, Fl. - 1565 
Santa Fe, NM - 1609 
Hampton, Va. - 1610 
Newport News, Va. - 1621 
Albany, NY - 1624 
New York, NY - 1624 
Quincy, Ma. - 1625 
Salem, Ma. - 1626 
Jersey City, NJ - ca. 1629 
Lynn, Ma. - 1629
Boston, Ma. - 1630
Cambridge, Ma. - 1630
Somerville, Ma. - 1630
Williamsburg, Va. - 1633
Waltham, Ma. - 1634
Hartford, Ct. - 1635
Providence, RI - 1636
Springfield, Ma. - 1636
From: Kurian, George Thomas. The Illustrated Book of World Rankings. Armonk, NY: Sharpe Reference, 1997. p. 348.
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Monthly Birthstones and flowers

MONTH BIRTHSTONE  FLOWER 
January Garnet Carnation
February  Amethyst Violet
March Aquamarine Jonquil
April Diamond Sweet Pea
May Emerald Lilly of the Valley
June Pearl Rose
July Ruby Larkspur
August Peridot Gladiolus
September  Sapphire Aster
October Opal Calendula
November  Topaz Chrysanthemum
December  Turquoise Narcissus
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Equestrian Statues - meaning of

There is a variety of opinion on this subject. The commonly circulated story is that if a statue of a horse and rider depicts the horse with two hoof off the ground (i.e. rearing up), the rider died in battle. A statue with one hoof up indicates that the rider was wounded, and either died of his wounds later, or did not, depending on the story. A horse with all four feet down indicates the rider survived the war intact. These statements are much disputed though. Several sources note that of the 30 or so equestrian statues in Washington only 10 follow the supposed pattern. Several sources note that "The number of the horse's feet taken up from the ground has nothing to do with any attribute of the person depicted and everything to do with the skill of the sculptor and his ability to overcome nearly insurmountable problems in solid geometry, stress of materials, and other aspects of civil engineering . . . ."
For a more complete discussion of this question, search the Stumpers-L archive using the phrase "equestrian statue."
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Legend of the Dogwood

"According to legend the dogwood tree at one time was as tall and mighty as the oak. Because of the strength of the wood, it was chosen to make the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified. The dogwood was so ashamed of its task, the story goes, that it begged Jesus for forgiveness. In His compassion for all living things, Jesus took pity on the dogwood and decreed that from then on the tree would be slender and twisted so that it would never again be used as a cross. As a reminder of its history, however, the dogwood tree would also bear blossoms in the shape of a cross. In the center of the blossom would appear a crown of thorns, and each petal would carry at its outer edge nail prints stained with red." 
Laura C. Martin, THE FOLKLORE OF TREES AND SHRUBS (Chester, Connecticut: The Globe Pequot Press, 1992), pp. 75-76. ( 582.16 MAR)
As the dogwood is native to North America, the connection with the crucifixion is questionable. This legend is told of several other trees, all small and twisty, and no doubt the early colonists brought over this story with them from their homes in Europe. The old legend continues with an admonition not to harm the dogwood, for it is protected by God. At any rate, the Virginia General Assembly adopted the dogwood as both the state tree and the state flower in 1956.
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Legend of the Sand Dollar

The Mellita testudinata, commonly known as the Sand Dollar or Holy Ghost Shell is reputed to bear marks relating to both Christmas and Easter. The five slits on the edge represent the five wounds of Christ; there is an Easter lily design on the top, with the Star of Bethlehem in its center; on the back is the outline of a poinsettia; and when the shell is broken open, five replicas of doves can be seen.
Information from a postcard. Other information including poems about the sand dollar can be accessed at the Stumpers-L archive by searching on the phrase "sand dollar."
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Pineapple as a symbol of Hospitality

As with many of these sorts of questions there is a lot of speculation, and few hard facts. One tale asserts that colonial sea captains would spike a pineapple on a post in front of their home as a symbol that they were safely back from a trip to the Indies, and thus in a position to entertain. Certainly the pineapple motif is widely used in colonial decoration. An article in the Winter 1998 Colonial Williamsburg magazine disputes this tale, and attempts to look at the history of the pineapple from its earliest days.
Some information can also be found at the Stumpers-L archive by searching the phrase "pineapple hospitality."
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Who's on First

A copy of the classic Abbott and Costello routine can be found at:
Who's on First?
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Hallelujah Chorus - Why Stand?

According to David Ewen, on March 23, 1743, Handel’s Messiah received its London premiere. Present at the premiere was King George II, who was so moved at the "Hallelujah Chorus" that he involuntarily rose to his feet. The audience rose as well, and thus began the custom of standing during the performance of the "Hallelujah Chorus."
From: The Complete Book of Classical Music. David Ewen, ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1965. p. 143.
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Santa's Reindeer

Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder, Blitzen
From: Clement C. Moore’s "A Visit from St. Nicholas," 1822
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Twelve Days of Christmas

On the first day of Christmas, my truelove sent to me --

1. A partridge in a pear tree
2. Two turtle doves, etc.
3. Three French hens, etc.
4. Four colly birds, etc.
5. Five gold rings, etc.
6. Six geese a-laying, etc.
7. Seven swans a-swimming, etc.
8. Eight maids a milking, etc.
9. Nine ladies dancing, etc.
10. Ten lords a-leaping, etc.
11. Eleven pipers piping, etc.
12. Twelve drummers drumming, etc.

From: The Christmas Almanac, p. 221.
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Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus

A copy of Francis P. Church's editorial. 
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Alphabet - sign language

Sign Language

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Alphabet - phonetic

Alpha 
Bravo 
Charlie 
Delta 
Echo 
Foxtrot 
Golf 
Hotel 
India 
Juliet
Kilo
Lima
Mike
November
Oscar
Poppa
Quebec
Romeo
Sierra
Tango
Uniform
Victory
Whisky
X-ray
Yankee
Zulu
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Anniversary Gifts

1st — Paper, clocks
2nd — Cotton, china
3rd — Leather, crystal, glass
4th — Linen, appliances, silk
5th — Wood, silverware
6th — Iron, wood
7th — Wool, desk sets, copper
8th — Bronze, linens, lace
9th — Pottery, leather goods, china
10th — Tin, aluminum, diamond
11th — Steel, fashion jewelry
12th — Silk, pearls, colored gems
13th — Lace, textiles, furs
14th — Ivory, gold jewelry
15th — Crystal, watches
16th — Silver hollowware
17th — Furniture
18th — Porcelain
19th — Bronze
20th — China, platinum
21st — Brass, nickel
22nd — Copper
23rd — Silver plate
24th — Musical instruments
25th — Silver, sterling silver
26th — Original pictures
27th — Sculpture
28th — Orchids
29th — New furniture
30th — Pearl, diamond
31st — Time pieces
32nd — Conveyances
33rd — Amethyst
34th — Opal
35th — Coral, jade
36th — Bone china
37th — Alabaster
39th — Lace
40th — Ruby
41st — Land
42nd — Improved real estate
43rd — Trips
44th — Groceries
45th — Sapphire
46th — Original poetry tributes
47th — Books
48th — Optical equipment
49th — Luxuries of any kind
50th — Gold
55th — Emerald
60th — Diamond
80th — Diamond and pearl
85th — Diamond and sapphire
90th — Diamond and emerald
95th — Diamond and ruby
100th — 10-carat diamond
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Scripture Cake - how to make

3/4 C Genesis 18:8 (soft butter)
1 ½ C Jeremiah 6:20 (sugar)
5 Isaiah 10:14 (eggs, separated)
3 C Leviticus 2:2 (flour)
3 tsp I Corinthians 5:6 (baking powder)
3/4 tsp II Kings 2:20 (salt)
1 tsp each II Chronicles 9:9 (cloves, nutmeg, allspice)
1 tsp Exodus 30:23 (cinnamon)
½ C Judges 4:19 (milk)
3/4 C Genesis 43:11 (blanched almonds, chopped)
3/4 C Nahum 3:12 (dried figs, finely chopped)
3/4 C II Samuel 16:1 (raisins)
Cream butter with sugar, and beat in egg yolks, one at a time. Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and spices, and blend into creamed mixture alternately with milk. Beat egg whites until stiff, and fold into batter. Fold in almonds, figs, and raisins, and turn into a greased and floured tube pan. Bake at 325 degrees 70 minutes, or until cake tests done.
From: Kansas City Star 6/12/85, 7B.
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Flour Clay - how to make

4 C Flour, 11/2 C Salt, 2 C Water. Add water slowly, and then knead for 10 min. The clay may be colored with food coloring. Refrigerate in an air-tight container.
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Death, Stages of

Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Grief, Acceptance
From: Kubler-Ross, Elizabeth. Questions and Answers on Death and Dying. New York: Collier Books, 1974. p. 1-2
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Daylight Savings Time

The Uniform Time Act of 1966 (as amended in 1986 by Public Law 99-359), administered by the U.S. Dept. Of Transportation, provides that Standard Time in each zone be advanced one hour from 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday in April until 2:00 a.m. on the last Sunday in October (except where state legislatures provide exemption). Many people use the popular rule " Spring forward, Fall back" to remember which way to adjust their clocks. 
From: Chases 1998 Calendar of Events. Chicago: Contemporary Publishing Co., 1997. p. 203.
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Minimum Wage

1950 — $ .75/hr
1956 — $1.00/hr
1961 — $1.15/hr
1967 — $1.40/hr
1968 — $1.60/hr
1974 — $2.00/hr
1975 — $2.10/hr
1976 — $2.30/hr
1978 — $2.65/hr
1979 — $2.90/hr
1980 — $3.10/hr
1981 — $3.35/hr
1990 — $3.80/hr
1991 — $4.25/hr
1996 — $4.75/hr
1997 — $5.15/hr
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Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World 
1) The Pyramids of Egypt at Giza 
2) The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
3) The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus 
4) The Statue of Zeus at Olympia
5) The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
6) The Colossus of Rhodes
7) The Lighthouse at Alexandria
From: The World Book Encyclopedia. Chicago: World Book, Inc., 1996. p. 325.
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Seven Wonders of the Modern World

1) Suez Canal (Egypt)
2) Dneproges Dam (On the Dneiper River, Russia)
3) Atomic Energy Research Establishment (Harwell, Eng.)
4) Alaska Highway
5) Golden Gate Bridge (San Francisco, CA)
6) Eiffel Tower (Paris, France)
7) Cinerama (A wide-screen film process)
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21st Century - when did it begin?

The third millennium begins January 1, 2001. If you accept that years end on Dec. 31, the first year of the first millennium ended Dec. 31, 0001 (there was no year 0), and the last year of this millennium ends Dec. 31, 2000.
From: American Demographics. March 1996:62.
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White House Email

The White House is connected to the information superhighway. Send messages to:

president@whitehouse.gov

vice.president@whitehouse.gov

or fill out a Web Mail form at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
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White House Greeting Cards

The White House will send a birthday card to anyone 80 or over, or an anniversary card to anyone celebrating a 50th anniversary or higher. Send a request to:

The White House
Attn: Greetings Office
Washington, D.C. 20502-0039

Send requests at least six weeks in advance of the date.
Source: The White House Greetings Office
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Zodiac

Chinese Zodiac
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