TODAY IN HISTORY:
Lady Di killed in crash
In 12 AD, the Roman Emperor Caligula, whose many unusual acts included naming his horse a senator of Rome, was born.
In 1870, doctor and educator Maria Montessori was born at Chiaravalle, Italy. Montessori developed a system of education for children aged three to six based on spontaneity and freedom from restraint, without formal rewards or punishments. Her system, later expanded to include older children, became popular throughout the world.
In 1873, the first detachment of the North West Mounted Police, forerunner of the RCMP, was formed. It was created by Parliament as a paramilitary force similar to the Royal Irish Constabulary. In October 1873, the first detachment of 150 recruits left Collingwood, Ont., for Fort Garry, Man., under Commissioner George French.
In 1887, American inventor Thomas Edison received a patent for his “Kinetoscope,” a device that produced moving pictures.
In 1888, London prostitute Mary Ann “Polly” Nicholls became the first victim of Jack the Ripper.
In 1898, the first professional football game was played at Latrobe, Pa.
In 1936, Elizabeth Cowell became the first female television announcer. She took to the air on the fledgling BBC television service.
In 1955, the Church of England in Canada changed its name to the Anglican Church of Canada.
In 1962, Trinidad and Tobago became an independent member state of the British Commonwealth.
In 1965, the United States made it illegal to burn draft cards.
In 1976, Carallyn Bowes became the first woman to run across Canada. It took her 133 days to run from Halifax to Burnaby, B.C.
In 1981, Clifford Olson was charged in Vancouver with first-degree murder in the deaths of nine children.
In 1984, Canada’s music video television service, MuchMusic, went on the air.
In 1988, the Conservative majority in the House of Commons gave final approval to the Canada-U.S. free trade agreement, with a vote of 177 to 64.
In 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales, was killed in a horrific car crash in a tunnel near the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Also killed were her Egyptian-born companion, Dodi Fayed, and their driver, Henri Paul. Their Mercedes was being chased by paparazzi and tests later showed Paul’s blood-alcohol level was triple the legal limit for driving. Diana’s sudden death at age 36 unleashed an outpouring of stunned grief around the world.
In 2009, Walt Disney Co. announced it was acquiring Marvel Entertainment Inc., the parent company of Marvel Comics, for US$4 billion.