MAY 12, 1957

Full News Archive

• Headline: Spring Cruises on Jersey Rivers in 1957. Impact: The spring cruises on Jersey rivers became so popular that the demand for boat safety measures skyrocketed, leading to a critical shortage of life jackets. So, you know, safety first... until it isn't. Fact: The Passaic and Hackensack Rivers are so picturesque that they made a career out of being the 'best-kept secret'—a title they never asked for.
• Headline: Texas A&M's Recruiting Scandal Unveiled. Impact: The recruiting scandal at Texas A&M set off a chain reaction that eventually led to the creation of college sports regulations. Thanks a lot, Aggies, for turning the NCAA into a bureaucratic labyrinth. Fact: Recruiting violations are like the college sports world’s version of ‘who wore it best’—everyone's guilty, but only some get caught.
• Headline: Eisenhower and Diem Cite Rid Perils to Asian Peace; South Vietnamese Chief Gets Assurance of U.S. Aid to Meet Communist Military Build-Up and 'Continuing Subversion' EISENHOWER,DIEM CITE RED THREATS. Impact: Eisenhower's assurances to Diem about U.S. aid built a framework that later encouraged the U.S. to get involved in a little thing called the Vietnam War. Talk about a 'helpful' hand!. Fact: When Eisenhower and Diem talked about 'perils to peace,' they were probably just referring to their mutual inability to agree on what to have for lunch.
• Headline: For Many, a 'Beggar's Democracy'. Impact: The concept of a 'Beggar's Democracy' sparked debates that influenced several future revolutions, proving that when people feel ignored, they tend to get a bit feisty. Who knew?. Fact: Wittfogel’s work made more people interested in totalitarianism than in actually living in one—so I guess he succeeded in a roundabout way.
• Headline: U.S. AID REVIVES LAOS TRANSPORT; Highway Between Two Main Cities Reopened--Gains Made in Many Fields Jungles Are Problem Okinawans Used U.S. Slang. Impact: Reopening the highway in Laos made it easier for the U.S. to ship in more aid, inadvertently kickstarting a trend of 'let's build roads before we fix anything else' that continues to this day. Fact: The highway between Vientiane and Luang Prabang was so crucial that it made a great case for why roads are better than potholes, which was a controversial stance at the time.
• Headline: Unity of Science; Brussels World's Fair Will Emphasize Interdependence. Impact: The emphasis on the unity of science at the Brussels World's Fair led to a global obsession with science fairs, where kids everywhere sharpened their baking soda volcano skills. Because nothing screams ‘unity’ like an explosion of mixed chemicals. Fact: The only thing more interconnected than the world's scientific communities is, well, social media influencers pretending to be scientists.
• Headline: EDUCATION NEWS; Varied Activity on the Campus And in the Classrooms KELLER--Fund COLGATE--Foreign Affairs NEW SCHOOL--Scandinavia HUNTER--Language FORENSICS--Philadelphia CORNELL--Summer Session UNION--Anniversary TETERBORO--Aeronautics NOTRE DAME--Seminary HARVARD--Divinity School EMORY--President EDUCATION--In Brief. Impact: The diverse activities in education led to a surge in interdisciplinary studies, resulting in students majoring in things like 'Underwater Basket Weaving and Quantum Physics.' Truly, a sign of the times. Fact: With so many varied activities, you’d think college was a summer camp for the overly ambitious instead of an institution for serious education.
• Headline: PLYMOUTH RE-CREATES COLONY OF 1620; No Village Yet Deeds on View For Scholarships. Impact: The re-creation of the Plymouth Colony sparked interest in historical reenactments, leading to the phenomenon of people dressing up in funny costumes to pretend they’re living in a time that wasn’t actually that great. Fact: The only thing more boring than living in a 1620s colony is watching a bunch of people pretend to do it for fun.