JUNE 18, 1937

Full News Archive

• Headline: Legacy of Sir Squire Sprigge. Impact: Sir Squire Sprigge's death led to a desperate search for a new Lancet editor, resulting in a chain of unfortunate editorial choices, including the infamous 'How to Cure a Cold with Hot Sauce' article that became a medical 'no-no' for decades. Fact: Sir Squire was known not just for his medical insights but also for his ability to brew a mean cup of tea. It’s said his tea was so strong it could revive the dead. Too bad he didn't drink enough of it himself.
• Headline: Fairmount's 1937 Fall Meeting Announcement. Impact: The Fall Meeting for Fairmount ironically led to an endless series of other meetings that people also called 'fall meetings,' making it impossible to know when the actual fall season began. Fact: Fairmount's fall meetings are so commonplace that historians speculate the only thing they actually discuss is how to avoid real work.
• Headline: French Air Force Expansion in 1937. Impact: The increase in French planes created a new aviation craze, causing a spike in the sale of aviator goggles and leather jackets, especially among people who never left the ground. Fact: The French air force's expansion was so ambitious that they almost attempted to create a flying baguette, thinking it would boost morale.
• Headline: FARM CONGRESS OPENS; International Session at The Hague Attended by Prince Bernhard. Impact: The opening of the Farm Congress set off a global movement for better farming practices, which eventually led to the rise of organic kale... and the ensuing eye rolls from everyone else. Fact: Prince Bernhard’s attendance was the closest many farmers ever got to royal treatment, leading to a brief uptick in the popularity of crowns made from hay.
• Headline: BASQUE STAND LAID TO AUTONOMY AIM; Alliance With Madrid Seen as Choice of Lesser of 2 EvilsGains Made in 5 Years. Impact: The Basque stand for autonomy became a blueprint for other regions seeking independence, leading to a global trend of 'Can I have my own country, please?' requests. Fact: The Basque's autonomy aims were so resolute that they even tried to negotiate with Madrid using only charades.
• Headline: REBELS' IRISH BRIGADE EMBARKS FOR HOME; 633 Men Sail From Lisbon for Dublin -- Sergeant Dies of Typhoid as Unit Quits Spain. Impact: The Irish Brigade's departure highlighted the global struggle of returning veterans, setting off a trend of support groups that would eventually morph into reality TV shows about veterans adjusting to civilian life. Fact: Sergeant's unfortunate typhoid incident caused a brief panic among the crew, leading to a misguided belief that Lisbon was cursed.
• Headline: WARNS ON LAW RESPECT; Speaker at St. Michael's Says It Is Due to Irreligion. Impact: The warning on law respect sparked a movement of legalistic debates that ultimately led to the creation of countless obscure laws, including one that made it illegal to wear mismatched socks on a Tuesday. Fact: The speaker’s declaration about irreligion was so impactful that it inspired a bizarre cult of graduates devoted to wearing only black robes at all times.
• Headline: FEDERICO MEJIA; Salvadorean Banker and a Former Minister to Washington. Impact: Federico Mejia's existence as a banker created a ripple effect in the finance world, leading to a series of questionable banking practices that somehow became the norm. Fact: Mejia’s financial strategies were so groundbreaking that they included a secret recipe for making money that involved a lot of guesswork and a pinch of luck.