As we celebrate our historical background during this 100th anniversary year, here’s some history wrapped up in a short quiz which we ‘Springers’ should know.
A, There was a famous Glenn who had an orchestra in the 1930’s and 40’s. What was his last name? (Glenn Miller)
B, This person’s last name is ‘Glenn’ and he was the third person to orbit the Earth. (John Glenn)
C, This ‘Glenn’ was an aviation pioneer who held pilot’s license number one in the U.S. In the early 1900’s he was the holder of many world land speed records on motorcycle, and a prolific inventor who held over 400 patents. He taught most of the pilots for the U.S. and Canada during W.W.1 and he founded or co-founded not one, but three cities here in Florida.
The answer is Glenn Curtiss, our founder, 100 years ago. Let’s continue…..answers at the end.
1, The original name of Miami Springs was
A, Natural Springs Florida, B, Country Club Estates C, Weeki Wachi Springs
2, The first plane to cross the Atlantic, an NC-4, was associated with:
A, Charles Lindbergh B, Baron Von Zeppelin C, Glenn Curtiss.
3, In 1907 Glenn Curtiss established a world record that stood for many years. Was it
A, land speed B, air speed, C, water speed
4, Glenn Curtiss invented the:
A, Sky hook B, Tail Hook C, Captain Hook
5, Among his many inventions one of the more famous was the:
A, wing B, Aileron C, Cockpit
6, Among the many firsts for Curtiss was the fact that he taught:
A, the first woman pilot B, the first Cuban pilot C, almost the entire air corps for WW1
7, The Curtiss Mansion was given a historic designation. Was it placed:
A, on the national register of historic places B, the listing of Statewide historic homes  C, One of the largest homes up to that point in Florida
8, He named his home Dar-Er Aha which is a Persian phrase meaning,
A, There’s an alligator in my pond   B, Hey, is that sand in my shoes?
C, House of Happiness
9, Glenn Hammond Curtis’ parents named him for the area where he was born.
His first name, ‘Glenn’ came from the,
A, beauty of the surrounding glens around Hammondsport, NY. B, a very close relative who was going to leave them a lot of money C, It was the first name they saw in the baby naming book.
10, His middle name ‘Hammond’ came from:
A, A local deli specialty of Ham on rye, B, The Café Du Monde, famous for its beignets in New Orleans  C, Hammondsport NY
11, His last name ‘Curtiss’ came from:
A, Curtiss-ville NY B, The Curtiss candy factory  C, That was his parent’s last name
12, When he was born in 1878, a favored form of the Curtiss family recreation was,
A, television, although still in its primitive form B, picnicking C, Video games
13, Glenn helped out his family by working for Western Union. Western Union was:
A, A wagon train manufacturer for people going West   B, A garment worker’s union. C, A telegram delivery service.
14, A telegram is a:
A, the smallest part of a gram  B, a message received over wires
C, a primitive cell phone service
15, Curtiss developed a reputation in Western NY State as a champion rider. He rode:
A, bulls  B, bicycles  C, skateboards
16, He opened a manufacturing shop and in 1902 produced bicycles under the trade name of: A, Hercules  B, Goliath  C, Schwinn
17, He put an 8 Cylinder engine on a motorcycle in 1907 and achieved a land speed record of:
A, 55 MPHÂ Â B, 640 MPHÂ Â C, 137 MPH
18, He was then given the title of:
A, Mr speed demon   B, The whiz kid  C, fastest man on Earth (For 25 years!)
19, The balloonist Thomas Scott Baldwin ordered a V-twin motorcycle engine from Curtiss to power his blimp. Was a blimp:
A, a heavier than air ship  B, a lighter than air ship  C, the same weight as an air ship
20, Curtiss joined the ‘Aerial Experiment Association’ which included the famous inventor Alexander Graham Bell who was famous for:
A, the ‘Brandy Alexander’   B, the Graham Cracker   C, the telephone
21, In 1908, with the help of the people in the AEA, Curtiss launched the first official public flight in the United States.
The plane’s name was the:
A, The June Bug B, The bucket of bolts   C, Bug off
22, The first certified public flight in 1908 won a trophy for Curtiss and was called the:
A, Airborne for the first time award   B, Scientific American trophy
C, the American Flying Spirit award
Answers:
1, B Country Club Estates
2, C Glenn Curtiss
3, A, Land speed
4, B, Tail Hook
5, B, Aileron
6, All three answers are correct
7, A, National register
8, C, House of happiness
9, A, Beauty of the surrounding glens in the Hammondsport area
10, C, Hammondsport, New York
11, C, It was his parent’s last name!
12, B, Picnicking
13, C, Telegram delivery service
14, B, A message received over wires (Ask your parents)
15, B, bicycles
16, A, Hercules
17, C, 137 miles per hour
18, C, fastest man on Earth (for many years)
19, A, A heavier than air ship
20, C, the telephone (100 years later, it was disconnected from the wall in your kitchen)
21, A, The June Bug (An integral part of the new Curtiss Memorial on Curtiss Parkway, by local resident artist and sculptor Natalie Plasencia Calvo
22, B, Scientific American Trophy
As we memorialize our history and acknowledge our founding father, let’s not forget his unselfish and egalitarian dedication to our nation and its founding tenets guaranteed by our Constitution and Bill of Rights.
More quizzes to come in future columns.
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