NATIONAL DOG DAY

This week -- Monday to be exact -- was National Dog Day. Since then, we've spent some time looking through the Bullis database for entries on canines (animal, not dental).

We had several hits, which gladdens our hearts because now we can give equal blog time to the animal often referred to as "man's (and woman's) best friend."  (Our October 15, 2009 post tells about the Bullis family felines--so it's only fair that we now acknowledge the dogs, don't you think?)

Well anyway ... here are two of the Bullis books about "pooches." We offer them to you for your consideration and in honor of National Dog Day on August 26:

Rolf in the woods; the adventure of a boy scout with

Indian Quonab and little dog Skookum.

by Ernest Thompson Seton, published 1917, Doubleday and Page in Garden City, NY

(Over two hundred drawings included)

The Dead Shot: or Sportman's complete guide: being a treatise...with

rudimentary and finishing lessons...dog-breaking, etc.

published 1863 by W. A. Townsend in New York

If you're interested in taking a look at either of these two books, just let us know. And if any of you out there have a dog named "Skookum" we'd love to hear from you, too.

NINETEENTH AMENDMENT

This week was the 93rd anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, the amendment that guaranteed women citizens of this country the right to vote.

Several of our posts over the last few years have focused on Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the role they played in getting this important privilege for women. (Please see our posts of August 27, 2009, March 4, 2010, and March 3, 2013, in which we thank these women for their support of women's suffrage and for drafting the text of the amendment.)

However,  there is another person we haven't thanked--Harry Burn, a 24-year-old Tennessee assembly member who cast the deciding vote, making Tennessee the 36th state needed to ratify the amendment. According to a report on public radio this week, Burn had originally planned to vote against the 19th amendment and changed his mind when he received a note from his mother encouraging him to be a "good boy" and vote for suffrage.

So, in honor of the 93rd anniversary of the 19th Amendment, we again say "thank you" to Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton--and "thank you" for the first time to Harry Burn.

(Hmmm...this would have made a good Mother's Day post. Oh, well.)

A SUMMER IN ALASKA

Okay, maybe it is too late to contact the cruise company and pack your suitcase and stop your mail and for one more trip before the kids go back to school.

Perhaps you need to put this on your "to think about list" and then stop by the Bullis Room and look through the book A Summer in Alaska by Frederick Schwatka (1849 to 1892).

J.Y. Huber Company, Philadelphia,  published this book in 1891, just one year before Schwatka's death. During his lifetime, Schwatka earned degrees in medicine (from Bellevue Medical College in New York) and law, served as a lieutenant in the United States Army, and explored northern Canada and Alaska...all of this accomplished in 43 years. (We almost forgot to mention that he received world-wide recognition: the Roquette Arctic Medal from the Geographical Society of Paris and a medal from the Imperial Geographical Society of Russia.)

The subtitle, "A popular account of the travels of an Alaska exploring expedition along the great Yukon river, from its source to it mouth, in the British Northwest territory, and in the territory of Alaska," tells you what to expect when you open this 120-year-old book. You won't be disappointed. Please plan to stop by and spend some time enjoying this book and others in the Bullis Room.

ATHLETIC SPORTS AND RECREATIONS FOR BOYS

The title of this post is also the title of a Bullis Collection book by J. G. Wood published in London in 1861.

It's really a neat book. Lots of illustrations (125 to be exact) that show how to properly execute a wide variety of games. There are chapters on:

Cricket, Croquet, Gymnastics

Knock-Em Down, Lawn Billiards, Broadsword

Archery, Fencing, Skating

Riding, Rowing, Sailing, Swimming

So if your son or grandson is getting a bit bored as summer vacation draws to a close, we suggest stopping by the Bullis Room and looking through this book to get some new ideas on some old games. And you might even find a game that is new to him, even though it's been around for more than 150 years.