Monday, August 13, 2007

Dime Marches On...........

One thing about being old, is that you remember stuff that no one gives a second thought about anymore. Since I needed a post idea, I reached in my pocket and pulled out my.............
Change. When I was a kid, we had Walking Liberty Quarters, Ben Franklin Half Dollors, and Mercury Dimes, the only things you ever see in current circulation that's half way rare is an occasional Buffalo Nickel, and a Wheat Penny. Have you ever wondered how and why FDR's likeness wound up on the Dime?.....Do you get the feeling that you'll soon know why?......
Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was crippled by polio in 1921, escaped from his disability by swimming whenever he could. One of his favorite swimming holes was in Warm Springs, Ga.,
a natural spring. In 1926, the future president donated enough money to start a polio foundation at the site, so that other polio sufferers could enjoy the waters also. Despite the large donation, the foundation was running out of money.
Singer Eddie Cantor, a popular Radio Personality, knew about FDR's concern for the foundation, and in 1937 he proposed to the President to ask every American to send a dime to help the stricken foundation..This Promotion was called The March of Dimes..
The public response was huge...On some days the White House received as many 150,000 letters each containing a Dime. FDR became so closely associated with The March of Dimes that after his death in 1945, Congress voted to create the Roosevelt Dime in his honor. The 1st ones were released to the public on Jan. 30, 1946, FDR's birthday......and ever since the start of the annual fund-raising campaign.
The vaccine for polio was announced on April 12, 1955, the 10th anniversary of FDR's death!
Hahahaha....All this drivel because I only have one Dime to my name, I'm glad I didn't have a hole in my pocket.............. Peace!

24 comments:

javajazz said...

perhaps you only have one dime to your name
because you spent so much money
on andouille sausages...

Serena said...

Yikes, I remember getting a polio vaccination -- and my mother's fears that her kids would get it anyway. I went to school with a couple of kids who'd had it. I didn't appreciate the March of Dimes back then; I do now.
xoxox

Little Wing said...

Nice informative post Sir!

Although a hole in your pocket would have probably been nice also!!!!!!!!

barman said...

Maybe you should trade the dime in for, gasp, 10 pennies. You would be rich. But then you already are with all this knowledge Mr Knowitall.

Man I learn so much here and I do not even mind learning it. Just no quizzes, ever... OK? Well unless they do not hurt that is. Gee, who knew...

Breazy said...

Now I am going to think of FDR every time I see a dime! lol!


xoxo

Mona said...

roosevelt was polio striken? I had no idea!
We have a polio eradication drive going on in India these days.& these ppl come ringing my doorbell demanding me to bring out my 'infant'. I brought out my son & they said,"not your brother madam, your baby if any"... That was hilarious!

Mona said...

& my son collects coins & has some rare ones from the time of mughal empire!

JJ what are andouille sausages?

javajazz said...

see Mona, they thought
you were so young you couldnt
possibly have a son who looked
like a young teenager...!

i looked up andouille sausage
because i honestly have no idea
what they are...
i used to hear chef Emeril talk
about them. but now i am well
informed that they are a spicy
smoked cajun sausage, possibly
of a better quality than most...
and certainly very flavourful...
i wouldnt eat them if you paid me,
because i cant eat spicy foods...
but there are many people
who would love them....

now Mona, where have you hidden
the G-man? its awfully quiet
around here tonight...

Mona said...

I do not know what they thought lisa, but they coud'nt possibly have thought that! In India almost all the girls marry very young. Their parents start looking for a groom as soon as they turn sixteen. & at 22 they are considred 'unfortunate' if they dont get any proposals [they have mostly arranged marriages here] & if a girl turns twrty five & over she is old & they assume that either she has a disease, or something or that her parents are not well off & cant give enough dowry money & goods for her marriage[ They demand quite a ransom as dowry here...I shall do a detailed post on that one]

& lisa I do not know where Galen is. I barely coverse with him for more than five minutes on IM. I get his offliners at times though.... But I do see him hanging around for longer than he should. I have no idea in whose pocket he resides these days although that dime resides in his...

snowelf said...

Good Morning Galen!! :)

I don't know...a hole in your pocket could have lead anywhere from black holes to holy matrimony!!! You just never know with you!! ;)

--snow

Mona said...

no snow! it would have led him to a Holy cow & a hologram!!!

G-Man said...

Hehehe..Lisa!!!
I got your Andouille right here!!!
Yenta....

Hi Serena, yeah I remember any kid with "braces"...Sad!
But at least we got rid of that terrible disease in this country...
Thanks xoxbgxoxox

Missy,
I'm glad you learned something today!!
Thanks for the visit!
Galen xox

Jadey!!!
Careful now....
You so naughty..xoxoxoxox

Barman,
Thanks brother!!!

G-Man said...

Hey Breazy,
I'm glad I gave you food for thought!!
Thanks....Galen xox

SnoeElf,
Hi sweetie, I heard you have a new post up, I'll have to go check it out!!
Thanks xoxoxoxoxox

Mona.....Lisa,
Both of you know that I have been living at work lately..
And I don't have much free time at home...
Please be patient with me.
You both know how i feel about you.....
....Carry On!~!!!

Mona said...

hey G man. you sound like a biggest....when you say that!

We know you better...

& we KNOW where you are most of the time ... wink wink!

So dont pretend to be soooo innocent ...like a new born baby!!

lime said...

and now i know. i did know that march of dimes got it's name for asking for dimes to be sent in but i had no idea the connection to FDR (though i knew he had polio, etc) that's pretty fascianting. this is the sort of stuff we should know.

lime said...

oh, btw....my grandad was a numismatist so i had buckets of buffalo nickel, and wheat pennies and i had the mercury dimes and walking liberites.

Crabby said...

Sayyyy, not bad for a pocket reach post. I wonder if I could get people to....naw...never mind. That's just wrong.

ann said...

I don't know the difference between a nickel or a dime or a quarter... but I'm sad to confess I remember farthings, pennies (now pence but not the same worth) threepenny pieces, sixpenses (tanners) shillings, florins, half-a-crown, ten shilling notes and one pound notes... oh my!!!!

ann said...

oh and halfpennies...

SignGurl said...

I never knew about the March of Dimes. That is so cool. My dad has always been a big supporter.


You are such a smarty pants!

G-Man said...

Mona?
You mean bigamist?
Maybe you DO mean biggest?
hahahaha..xox

Why Thank You Michelle,
I'm here for your reading pleasure!!
xoxox

Crabby,
Please don't.....
You are far too persuasive for me!!

Ann!!!!
Hey sweetie, you sound like the Bank of England!
Thanks for that Coinage Countdown!!
xoxoxox

SignGurl,
Thanks for stopping by, I know your busy with the impending trip, and I feel very honored!!
Have a safe one..xoxox

Cazzie!!! said...

You may have a dime to your name only...but you have a heart of gold mate!!

G-Man said...

Cazzie,
Your so sweet...Thanks xox

Mona said...

G Man. I simply mean biggest flirt!