History of Fireworks

There are many things you may think of when 4th of July comes around: parades, delicious food off the grill, a cold beer or good times spent with friends and family.

Of course, no mention of our nation’s birthday would be complete without fireworks, those dangerous yet fascinating creations that have become a huge part of our nation’s holiday.

Fireworks have been around since around 200 BC in China.

When locals ran out of other fuel for their fires, such as wood, they would burn rods of bamboo. Because bamboo grows incredibly fast, air gets trapped inside the shoots. When they are thrown into fire or flame, the air expanded and they ‘popped’ with a loud noise.

Eventually, these long ago Chinese natives decided that if the loud, exploding bamboo sticks were good enough to scare them, it was good enough to scare evil spirits away from their homes as well.

As time moved on, the Chinese began to experiment with chemical concoctions, usually hoping to create an elixir to prolong life.

While experimenting with various ingredients, they found the components to a basic explosive. Although some were initially hurt by these hua yao or ‘fire drugs’, others continued to experiment with the mixture, including increasing its power and potency.

Eventually, the weak gunpowder mixture was placed within the husk of the bamboo shoots and the first proper firecrackers were born.

The next step in the evolution of modern fireworks occurred when Marco Polo brought fire rockets to Italy from the orient around 1292.

Renaissance Italy proved to be the perfect place for fireworks to grow and evolve. Soon the first ‘fountains’ of bright sparks were created, as were the spinning pin-wheels similar to those still used today.

All of this innovation led to fireworks becoming a spectacle reserved for official events and religious festivals, as well as some high profile weddings and the like.

It was quite a while before fireworks again became something for the common man, this time in eighteenth century England.

In the States, fireworks came over with some of the settlers, early in the sixteenth century.

Although they were not officially used to celebrate the Fourth of July until 1777, early new world settlers used them to both amaze and frighten the Native Americans, who had never seen anything like it.

Today there are many laws governing where and when you can use fireworks. It is always wise to be aware of the law.

In many areas of Texas, most Class C or ‘Consumer Fireworks’ are legal, however small rockets are not. There are also local laws which may affect what kind of fireworks are legal in your area and you may also want to be aware of certain conditions like a drought, which would elevate the danger of fires from misused firework material.

Another thing to always be aware of is safety.

Although the safest path to avoid injury is to avoid home use of fireworks altogether, follow these tips when using fireworks of any type:

• Never try to light a device with a short fuse, as this will not allow you to keep your distance from the device when you light it. On the same token a ‘punk’ or some other lighting device with a long reach should be considered.

• Always keep a hose, fire extinguisher, bucket of water and/or wet towels around the areas
where you are setting the fireworks off in case you have to put out a fire.

• Never try to light a ‘dud’ or fix a device that does not seem to work. Soak the device in water,
then wait awhile before disposing of the device in the proper manner.

• Shoot off the fireworks one at a time, never modify the devices or tie the wicks together.

• Never shoot fireworks out of a glass or metal container.

• Do not shoot or aim any device towards people or animals.

• Store devices in a cool dry place and transport them accordingly. They are explosive devices and should be treated as such.

• Never carry fireworks in your pockets.

So there you have it, have fun this year and be safe and celebrate the history of out great nation.

Special greetings to Duke, who I was told by a little bird named Joyce the he looks forward to reading this column each issue. Thanks Duke; it means a lot to know there are people out there enjoying Fish Out of Water!

Ah, the month of June is here and going strong. This is the month of the Summer Solstice or, as we can say, the longest day of the year. This is, of course, here in the Northern hemisphere. Even though we are way down South there is even further South. In fact below the equator is half the earth. In those places it is the shortest day. This of course is probably where the expression “that’s the long and the short of it” got its start.

June is known for other things as well. Everyone has heard a lot about the June bride. Some of us know there is a father’s day in June. Some have birthdays in June. However the big one is graduation. Most school type graduations are in June. Probably the big one is from High School. It is not necessarily always true but nowadays a lot of college graduations are when the student loans become due.

Graduation from High School is for many of us the beginning of either our career or our moving into the academic or other training for our career. There used to be a saying that went around, it went something like this: “Summers here, no more tests, no more books, no more teachers dirty looks!”

It was not exactly correct. There is at least one more test. That would be the rest of your life. For those who have lived a while past graduation we know that life is full of tests. Some are easy and some are hard, but we can conquer them if we just keep on moving ahead. We can fail some of them if we give up. If you attend a graduation this year the speaker will probably give you some of the details.

It is also not true that we will be rid of those dirty looks that we thought the teachers gave us. As we trudge along the path of living our life, it is more than likely that we will not only encounter more dirty looks from time to time but on occasion we will pass out a few of them ourselves. In every case they will most likely have about the same effect those the teacher supposedly gave us did. We will live through them.

No more books is also a bit misleading. We undoubtedly will encounter books. Hopefully, many of them will be books to read for pleasure rather than for an assignment. But there is one book we will not be able to avoid, or its substitute. That is the checkbook.

As children we, hopefully, were able to avoid, the trials of complete responsibility. As we move to adulthood that is relatively unavoidable. We would hope that your “book” would remain full for your needs. It might sometimes be bare and that’s not fun. However , the good news is that you can make it through. That is because you passed the requirements before and can do it again.

As a kid growing up in South Texas, riding with my Dad as he visited multiple drilling/production sites, I was always in awe at the number of people he knew. We’d be driving that long, lonely road between Freer and Encinal and with every car we’d pass, the driver would wave as would Dad. Usually just a couple of fingers off the steering wheel and sometimes a whole hand. How did he know all these people?

As I grew older I realized he really didn’t know those folks but they still waved. I first thought they were just saying “Hi” to a fellow traveler and believed they may someday need his help on the road. As the years went by I realized it was something different and more important – it was a way of acknowledging that we’re all travelers in life and that the driver recognized another person doing the best they could and deserving of the dignity of being that person.

The wave doesn’t mean I’m your best friend, that I want to borrow money from you, or (in the case of lady drivers) that we should meet sometime. The wave acknowledges another person who is striving to be the best person they can be and knowing they will need help along the way.

Sure, if you’re in traffic, the wave can be a little too much – but, it you’re on a side street, or an otherwise deserted road, it can’t hurt to say “Hi” to a neighbor and fellow traveler in life.

The wave – pass it on.

Left to right: Annette Ueckert installs Retired Teachers Association officers Joanne Mueller, Mary Ann Claiborne, Connie Ramirez, Pat Herren and Keith Ueckert.

 
Calhoun County Retired Teachers Association held their last meeting of the school year on May 21 at Salem Lutheran Church in Port Lavaca. Honored guests at the dinner meeting were retiring Calhoun County ISD teachers Sue Faylor, Lynn Pfeifer and Rose Marie Weaver.

Association President Joanne Mueller presented TRTA State Awards for outstanding service to members Carol Frankson, Keith Ueckert, Florence Thornguard, Mary Ann Claiborne, and Connie Ramirez. Awards were also given to Mary Belle Meitzen and Cliff Baccus of the Calhoun County Historical Commission and to the Port Lavaca Wave and the Dolphin Talk.

Officers for the 2013-2014 year were installed. They are: President, Joanne Mueller; Vice President, Mary Ann Claiborne; 2nd Vice President, Connie Ramirez; Secretary, Pat Herren; Treasurer, Keith Ueckert.

One stated purpose of the Association is “to encourage retired school personnel to use their talents, training, and experience to further the educational, social, and civic growth of the community, state, and nation.” Meetings generally offer informative programs on health, safety, cultural and historical subjects. Members also enjoy the fellowship and discussing the things they encounter as retirees. Two of their regular projects are: supplying books for second graders and offering a $500 scholarship to a local graduate each year.

Calhoun County Retired Teachers Association has 181 members. Meetings are held monthly, except June, July, August, and December, at 11:30 a.m. on the third Tuesday of the month at the Heritage Center. For further information, please call Membership Chairman Mary Ann Claiborne at 361-983-4662.

Other Calhoun County teachers who are retiring this year, but were not in attendance at the meeting are: Liz Bell, Janice Christy, Ester McDonnough, Shirley Massey, Patty Mickle, Margaret Rosales, Pam Salsines, Cathy Stapp and Joyce West.

Benefit Fund Raiser for Tressia Cooper
Sunday, June 23 – 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
HAMBURGER PLATES & BAKE SALE
Drawing at 4:00 p.m.