April 21st is National Chocolate-Covered Cashews Day! Somebody must have really loved those chocolate-covered cashew truffles to dedicate a day to this treat, but you need to admit a bowl filled with them wouldn’t last very long! The cashew nut itself is often eaten roasted, on it’s own, salted, sugared or for those sweet lovers, dipped in melted chocolate. To make yourself feel better about adding the chocolate, at least you’re eating a healthy nut- can’t be that bad! Celebrate by indulging in some tasty chocolate-covered cashews!
The Full Story:
April 21st is Kindergarten Day! This day honors Friedrich Wilhelm August Frobel, who is considered the “father” of the kindergarten concept. Frobel, a German teacher and a student of Johann Pestalozzi, Frobel conceived that children learning through play and experience was a true foundation of education.
With his framework, the first kindergarten (which means “garden for the children”) was opened in Blankenburg, Germany in 1837. Frobel had surmised that social experience would allow children to more easily transition from home to school.
While his unorthodox methods were eventually banned by the Prussian government, the rest of the world – including the United States - embraced the idea.
Fast forward to 1856, when the first kindergarten opened in Watertown, Wisconsin. Founded by Margarethe Schurz, this kindergarten was a German-language class, as were many in this region. Kindergarten found its way into private English speaking institutions across the country, but it wasn’t until 1873 that became part of any public school system.