May 1, 2008
I’ll be hitting the road this summer to locations around Connecticut, spreading the word about Connecticut inventors and inventions. The program will be offered to kids entering the 4th, 5th and 6th grades at the locations listed below. During the program participants will learn about famous and not so famous inventors and inventions, check out some neat Connecticut made stuff from the museum’s collection and of course try their hands at inventing. Below is what I have booked thus far, be sure to check back again to see further bookings as we get closer to summer.
June 26th Easton Public Library 1:00
July 8th North Haven Library 10:30
July 10th Sprague Public Library 11:00
July 15th Hartford Public Library 1:30
July 16th Waterford Public Library 1:00
July 17th Southbury Public Library 10:00
July 23rd Putnam Public Library 1:00
July 24th Sloane Stanley Museum (Kent) 7:00
July 29th Franklin Library 10:00
July 31st Marlborough Public Library 10:30
August 5th Killingly Library 1:00
August 7th Woodbridge Library 2:00
August 14th Cheshire Public Library 10:30
August 19th Ridgefield Public Library 10:30
April 7, 2008
Give a listen to the audio file from WILI radio about the program and the Museum of Connecticut History. Scroll down to the April 7th listing and follow the link. Click here
April 2, 2008
The Mansfield Public Library and the Mansfield Historical Society are co-hosting the Connecticut Invents! program at the Mansfield library on Friday, April 11th at 7:00. This will be a more adult oriented presentation, but kids are most welcome to attend and learn about famous and not so famous Connecticut inventors and inventions. Prior to the program I will be appearing on WILI 1400 AM on Monday April 7th between 7-9 am to chat about our state’s inventive heritage. If you are in the area give a listen on the 7th or stop by the library on the 11th to check out the program.
Mansfield has a rich invention heritage, it’s the birthplace of the screw auger and the original home of the nations first silk mill, built in 1810. Those attending the program are also encouraged to bring their own antique Connecticut inventions for show and tell. Who knows what treasures of Connecticut history might appear….!
March 6, 2008
Ralph Waldo Emerson is most often credited with saying “Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door”. Whether or not he said it or some version of it is up for debate. What is true however is that thousands of inventors have heeded this advice in the perpetual quest to build a better mousetrap. And of course Connecticut inventors have been right in the thick of this mouse trap extravaganza.
Catching mice is an age old problem. Of course the first and some might say best mouse trap is a house cat. My cat Eli (no he’s not named after Whitney or Manning) is a prime mouser. Eli howls at our cellar door begging to go off on a hunting expedition and is often very successful. Though he’s been rather quiet lately, which I hope means he’s been completely successful in his mouse control efforts. And one of my favorite ancient poems has to do with a cat and his skills as a mouser. But cats can’t always be counted on to control the mouse population. That’s where inventors come in to play.
Since the mid 19th century the US Patent and Trademark Office has granted over 4,000 patents for mousetraps. Between 1800-1890 Connecticut inventors were granted 13 patents for their improved mousetraps. The Connecticut patents, granted between 1869 and 1882, were mainly for traps that are usually described as of the “choking” or “snapping” variety. Many of these traps are of a similar design and the patents granted were for slight improvements in design or materials used. One that does stand out however is the trap designed by Henry L. Norton of Middletown Connecticut.
Norton’s trap would entice mice up a couple steps, down a ramp then onto a false floor which would give way under their weight. The mouse is then trapped and disposal is up to the trapper. Norton describes mice as “sly, cautious and always on the alert holding on to some safe place before venturing into any dish which they have suspicion of evil.” He writes of “long and close observation of the habits of mice.” The classic cat and mouse or in this case human and mouse game of deception, trickery and inventiveness would hopefully lead Norton and the thousands of other mousetrap inventors to fame and fortune…….
Rodent control was and is big business. Rodents can destroy crops, property and spread disease. But in a way you do have to admire their determined, crafty manner. I try to tell myself that when they take the bait and run. For now I’ll try traps on occasion but what works best for me is my buddy Eli. Here kitty, kitty……
February 28, 2008
Yesterday I had the pleasure and honor of judging student inventions at the Moses Y. Beach school in Wallingford. I have to say that I was really impressed and inspired by the inventions that the kids created and constructed! The winners of this school invention contest now will move onto the statewide Connecticut Invention Convention in May at the UConn campus in Storrs. I judged entries from students in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th grade. The kids were challenged to invent something that solves a problem for them, their family, their community or the world in general. The stuff they came up with was amazing!!
My favorite was invented by a 2nd grader who is an avid chess player. Tired of the somewhat mundane chess pieces he had been using he created “Alien Invasion Chess”. All of the individual chess pieces were recreated into aliens using modeling clay in vibrant colors with amazing detail. This young inventor gave me a great description of his invention, the challenges he faced, the time time he took planning and building the invention and his inspiration and hopes for his creation. Wow….!!
Other inventions included ice fishing safety hooks, ball joint breakers, headache healers back massagers, pet food feeders, plant watering devices, spaghetti eaters, food holders and of course one very ingenious and humane mousetrap: “The Happy Trap” it was called. Happy for the homeowner who catches the mouse and happy for the mouse who gets caught without getting killed!
Whether or not any of these inventions ever becomes a huge hit really doesn’t matter too much. It’s the spirit of inventing that does. Brainstorming, questioning, researching, testing and improving, imagining and dreaming. Those are the experiences that really matter. Especially for kids whose minds are just bursting with ideas that just might make our world a little better place to live. As Albert Einstein said “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.”
January 30, 2008
Recently I have begun taking the bus to work several days a week. Gas prices, traffic and incompetent drivers being the leading cause for this decision. My short ride on the bus provides a sometimes welcome respite at the beginning or end of the day. One of my favorite things to do on the bus once we hit the highway is to close my eyes and catch a few winks of sleep. And with two kids at home under two years I’ll take it whenever I can get it!
One of the problems with sleeping on the bus is where to prop up my head in order to the most comfortable. The window works for a time but eventually the vibration of the bus becomes annoying. Tilting my head forward brings on a nasty neck ache. And leaning on the shoulders of strangers quickly leads to an elbow to the rib cage and/or nasty words. Think about this problem yourself. Think of the many times you have nodded off in class, in your office, in the library, reading this blog. How to solve this problem which has plagued mankind for eons? Once again I turn to history and a Connecticut Invention.
By the mid 19th century rail travel was an accepted and common way to travel from place to place in Connecticut and many other parts of the country. Several companies operated in Connecticut including the Providence, Hartford and Fishkill Railroad and the New Haven, Hartford and Springfield Railroad. Freight and passengers crossed the state on the tracks day and night. Surely many of the passengers sleepily drowsed through their trips, put to sleep by the click clack of the track only to be awakened by squeaking brakes, screeching horns or a kink in the neck. Allen B Wilson of Waterbury had just the invention to solve this problem: the Portable Head-Rest he patented in 1856. Wilson is much better known as the inventor of the first practical sewing machine and partner in the Wheeler and Wilson sewing machine company formerly located in Bridgeport Connecticut. For a time in the late 19th century the company produced nearly 600 sewing machines a day in what may have been the largest sewing machine company in the world.
In his patent application Wilson used some very descriptive language to describe the usefulness of the head-rest. He suggests its use by “a sleeping railroad traveller” who can take advantage of the design of the head-rest and its features including those that help the traveller “cover and protect the vest and breast pockets from robbery on rail road cars and in other places where a person may be sleeping in a sitting posture.” Glad to know I am not the only one who finds it necessary to sleep in a sitting posture on occasion…….
Whether or not one of these head-rests survived to today is unknown. I think there would be a market for these things today. Weary travelers, sleepy office workers, drowsy school bus riding kids, bored church goers etc. I wish I had one for my trip home today on the bus. (I’m sure the guy sitting next to me does too……)
October 24, 2007
By last count I had about 117 trees surrounding my house. Maple, Oak, Sumac, White Pine, Apple and others not yet identified. Each with thousands of leaves just waiting to carpet my yard in a variety of colors. I grew up in this house and recently purchased it from my mother so I have spent many years with these trees and many hours raking up the leaves about this time every year. As a kid we would rake huge piles and jump in them, occasionally getting nicked or cut by hidden branches. Worst of all, we landed in hidden doggie doo. Gross, yes, but a fact of life for kids and dogs who spend lots of time outdoors. We would also take great pleasure in stuffing the leaves into our shirts or pants, trying to make ourselves “huge” like our favorite football players or in some cases monsters. Bigfoot was and still is my personal favorite………
A more serene use for the leaves was pressing. Carefully choosing our favorites from among the thousands of leaves, my mom and I would seal them between layers of wax paper. I ran across some of these recently while going through some of my old stuff carefully preserved from an autumn years past.
Leaf and flower pressing is an old tradition common around the world. The practice reached its height of popularity here in the United States during the Victorian Era (1875-1914). Many articles were written about the proper techniques for pressing and which flowers or leaves to press. Plants and flowers were assigned a “language” all their own for this and other purposes. American Elm leafs signified patriotism, Azealas-temperance, Cedars-strength, Daisies-innocence, White Oak-Independence. The list of plants and flowers and their language is huge and quite variable depending on the source.
All of which leads me to Charles W. Holbrook of Windsor Locks and his Connecticut invention. Charles received a patent in 1875 for his invention of “An Improvement in Clamps for Pressing Leaves“. So maybe Charles was aware of the Victorian hobby of collecting and preserving leaves and flowers. He also has patents for a Book Clamp in 1870 and a Tellurian in 1888. (This is a device for measuring the movements of the sun, moon and earth. ) The Holbrook family operated the Holbrook School Apparatus Manufacturing Company in Hartford for a number of years. Charles was probably appealing to a number of markets; schools and Victorian leaf and flower pressers among them.
Leaf pressing is still popular today, especially with kids. Here is a link for an easy way to press favorites from your backyard. I plan on doing it soon with my son, kind of carrying on a tradition. I like to think many Victorians and Charles Holbrook would nod in appreciation.
August 24, 2007
Some 5,500 straws, 30 rolls of tape, 400 pencils, 7 cheeseburgs, 2 hot dogs, 1 jerk chicken sandwich and 1 bee sting later the Connecticut Invents summer program tour has ended! I visited 22 towns, covered over 1,500 miles and taught 407 kids about our our state’s inventive heritage. It was a great summer with some memorable moments and programs and my first TV appearance with CT Invents. I’m headed on vacation now, when I get back i’ll give a better account of my travels and travails on the road. Til then, happy inventing!!
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August 6, 2007
One of the things I like to do before heading out to present the Connecticut Invents program is to check the museum’s Connecticut Patent Database. I like to see what inventions have come from the towns I’ll be presenting in and then talk about them with the kids. I did this before going to Monroe the other day and discovered that one inventor granted a patent for a Dust-Pan was Annie Maria H. Moss. Awesome, I thought. This fits right in with something I like to talk about in the program: Anyone Can Invent!
Often the inventors we hear most about are men. Think about it. Sam Colt, Eli Whitney, Igor Sikorski, Charles Goodyear, the Wright brothers, Thomas Edison, etc. During the program we obviously talk about these guys with kids. After this I ask the kids two questions 1. ” since all these inventors are men, does that mean that women can’t invent?”2. “can anyone name me any famous women inventors or what they invented?” The answer to the first question is a resounding anyone can invent; men, women and of course kids. The answer to the second is usually silence. I’ve yet to have one kid name me a woman inventor or invention! (And my programs are generally about a 50/50 mix of boys and girls.)
So, for some reason the contributions of women inventors isn’t getting taught to our kids. That’s sad. I don’t claim to be an expert in this topic but a quick look around the internet and at some invention books gives one a basic understanding of the contributions of women inventors through the years. Examples I point out to kids in the program include Margaret Knight who was granted 26 patents in her lifetime including one for a machine that automatically folds and glues paper bags to create a square bottom. Today’s grocery bag. Then there is Bette Graham who invented the formula for Liquid Paper in her kitchen and later sold it for 47 million dollars. And of course Stephanie Kwolek, a chemist, who invented Kevlar which is used in a number of products including the body armor that protect our soldiers and police officers.
Women inventors from Connecticut include Marien Kies who was the first woman in the United States granted a patent in 1809. She invented a process for weaving straw hats using silk. Between 1800-1890 44 Connecticut women were granted patents for a number of products including sleigh bells, food preservers, corsets, stove polish, a surgical knife and a knitting machine. A modern invention from a Connecticut woman is the Wetbone for dogs which was co-invented by Sue Tyska of Manchester. Sue kindly donated a couple of these to the museum for me to use in my programs. Kids love the Wetbone; it’s fun, creative and encourages them to think “out of the box” so to speak. It gets their inventive juices flowing.
Today hundreds of thousands of women apply for and are granted patents for their inventions. Let’s hope these creative women get the recognition they deserve as inventors…..
July 27, 2007
One of the best parts of presenting Connecticut Invents! is the chance to get on the road and discover the things that make our state unique. Yesterday after a program at the Hamden library and one my way to one in Glastonbury I had a few minutes to stop for lunch. Looking at my map of Connecticut my eyes were immediately drawn to Meriden. Why you may ask? Two words: Steamed Cheeseburger. And yes, this is a Connecticut invention! So I set off for Meriden where Ted’s Restaurant serves up this central Connecticut specialty.
By a variety of accounts (and like everything else, there are many accounts) the first steamed burger was served up sometime in the early 20th century in either Meriden or Middletown Connecticut. Why steamed? Well some folks believed and still do, that steaming a burger makes it healthier than frying. The meat for a steamer (as the burgers are sometimes called) isn’t formed into a patty, its cooked in mini pans that fit inside the steamer machine or tender. (Which I’m trying to learn more about. Were they invented in Connecticut?) The meat cooks in its own juices, thus keeping it incredibly moist and flavorful. And the cheese for the burger? It’s cheddar and softened seperately prior to topping off the burger. It turns out molten hot and gooey…………..what else can I say?
So yes, I enjoyed my steamy Connecticut invention. And while wiping the juices and dripping cheese off my face I thought about how cool it is that such a small state like Connecticut invented everything from the steamed burger to the submarine…….
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