Widely referred to as the ditto machine, the spirit duplicator
was essentially an early printer invented in 1923 by Wilhelm
Ritzerfeld. Its name "spirit duplicator" refers to the alcohols
or “spirits” which were used as inks.

They were mainly used in organizations like schools, churches,
and various clubs. Basically, any place that often needed to
produce learning materials, newsletters, brochures, and event
flyers. Because hey had the ability to print multiple colors in a
single pass, they became very popular with cartoonists.

Initially, the fluid consisted of a 50/50 mix of isopropanol and
methanol. In 1938 a nonflammable solvent came out and had
a pleasant odor. It was 10% of monofluoro tri-chloro methane
and 90% of a mixture of 50% methyl alcohol, 40% ethyl alcohol,
5% water and 5% of ethylene glycol mono-ethyl ether. 

Sarah Norman 

?
1959

Crayola was founded as Binney & Smith Company by cousins
Edwin Binney and Charles Harold Smith (below) in New York
City in 1885.

  
Edwin Binney                        C. Harold Smith

Comparison of the original two Crayola No. 8 boxes
showing each side of the 1904 Gold Medal they
received.

On August 25, 1939, The Wizard of Oz, which became one
of the best-loved movies in history, opened in theaters
around the United States.

Nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Picture
category, The Wizard of Oz lost to the Civil War–era
epic Gone With the Wind. The Wizard of Oz won a
Best Song Oscar for “Over the Rainbow,” which
became one of Garland’s signature hits. Garland
won a special award at that year’s Oscar ceremony,
for Best Juvenile Performer.

Amelia Mary Earhart
(July 24, 1897; disappeared July 2, 1937; declared dead
January 5, 1939)

Aviation trailblazer Amelia Earhart became the first woman to
fly solo across the U.S. nonstop on this day in history, Aug. 24,
1932.

Earhart piloted her Lockheed Vega 5B from Los Angeles to
Newark in 19 hours and 5 minutes.  She set an official U.S
record for women’s distance and time.

Amelia Earhart’s Lockheed Vega 5B in the National Air
and Space Museum.