Grants Pass High School, we are in the homestretch for senior graduation and the end of the 2023-24 school year. Enjoy learning about these national days as you push through this final sprint into summer. Happy May, Scrollians!

It is fair to say that most people are familiar with the name NASA, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the work the agency does in regards to space exploration, but how many truly realize the dedication of the men beyond the scientists and engineers who physically make space exploration possible? Astronauts take on a boatload of rigorous training and preparation to make accessing space safe and possible and, on May 5, a national day was created to celebrate these remarkable people.

Astronauts are considered to be “modern day pioneers,” as they are used for space exploration, conducting research and performing various tests in the unique conditions that space holds. The website Astronomy explains the various everyday roles of astronauts as conducting scientific research for scientists back on Earth,  completing space walks, maintaining and completing repairs of spacecraft, communicating data and information to Earth, and at times piloting spacecraft, all of which are extremely vital to NASA and other agencies' operations.  

Every astronaut in training must take classes in science, technology and mathematics, along with intensive survival training. PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, explains that astronauts in training are also subject to survival challenges where atmospheric pressure changes are in constant effect in order to simulate space. Not only is the physical and mental training a challenge to overcome, but the selection process is extremely competitive for astronauts. In America, one of the best-known astronaut training centers is the Johnson Space Center, located in Houston, Texas, and it is there that a multitude of people–both national and international–come together in preparation for the demands of space. According to an article by the Johnson Space Center, the very first astronauts for the United States were selected in 1959 and, only a decade later, the very first American astronaut was sent to the moon. 

Astronauts are the embodiment of bravery and perseverance. Not only do they push themselves through rigorous, military-grade survival training and flight school, but they also persevere through countless classes in mathematics, physics and shuttle technology to achieve their goal of becoming a true representative of space for Earth’s complex research. May 5 takes a moment to truly admire the hard work and dedication of astronauts past, present and in training. This National Astronaut Day, take time to recognize the incredible and important work of astronauts, and let their perseverance inspire you in your own life.

Technology has made the sharing of news faster and easier, but there is still beauty in the old-fashioned methods. In a video completed by London Review of Books, a paste-up artist, Bryony Dalefield, explains that the original process of paste-up included “cutting up, copying and pasting it (articles and images) onto a board so it could be sent to the printers and photographed for printing. Now, all of this is done on the computer.” Dalefield challenged herself to attempt the newspaper creation process that was used in the 1980s, which was the method of paste-up. She would start with her article, fresh from the typographer, which included headings, subtitles and paragraphs, all in different spots. With scissors, she cut out each section and began to create the publication's even and neat layout in order to make it photograph-ready. Dalefield would use an X-acto knife to resize the lengths of columns so that the paper remained even and orderly. By pasting the cutouts with a contact adhesive called cow gum, she was able to develop the desired full newspaper layout. Once the paste-up process is finished, the completed layout is sent to the newspaper editors, looked over and photographed so that the official newspapers can be mass-printed.

Newspaper paste-up was a key part of relaying news, and an art form for those who created with this method. This past-time process was no simple task and, along with recognizing the art of paste-up, National Paste-Up Day appreciates the hard and detailed work of dedicated paste-up artists.

In North America, the largest underground city is said to be SubTropolis, which is located in Kansas City, Missouri. SubTropolis is not just an underground city, but a major place of industry, accounting for ten percent of Kansas City’s industrial market. Construction for what would become SubTropolis began in the 1940s, when miners began carving their way into a limestone deposit called Bethany Falls. By the conclusion of the Bethany Falls mining process, 55 million square feet were mined and 14 million of that amount was made perfectly open for industrial use, therefore birthing SubTropolis.

In the 1960s, it was decided that it would be cheaper to create an underground industry building than it would an above-ground one, and given that the work in Bethany Falls had already been finished 20 years earlier, it gave Hunt Midwest real estate the perfect opportunity to save some money, along with bringing about a unique spectacle: underground business. According to the Economic Development Incorporation, Ford Motor Company, Russell Stover and Pillsbury were the first inhabitants of SubTropolis in 1964. Presently, it is estimated that SubTropolis holds 1,600 employees in its 1,100-acre artificial cave. It is said that the companies residing in SubTropolis save within the range of 50 and 70 percent on energy costs, which is a huge help to the companies financially. Companies also save between 30 and 50 percent on rental costs. Today, many government agencies reside in SubTropolis such as the Environmental Protection Agency, National Archives, and the United States Postal Service, which requires the underground business complex to be under constant GSA level III security. This security measure means 24/7 security patrol. As of 2015, major expansion plans had been put in place for the future of SubTropolis. Underground life is very unique, and SubTropolis is a good example of how it can be both exciting and efficient for a life of leisure and a life of business.

National Underground America Day was created in 1974 by Malcolm Wells, who was considered by many as “the father of modern earth-sheltered architecture.” As an advocate for underground living, Wells wanted to recognize those Americans who dwell beneath Earth’s surface, and that is exactly what this national day is for. 

In tap dance history, one of the most renowned artists would be Fred Astaire, who lived from 1899 to 1987. He began in show business at the young age of four and by the time of being a young adult, he found himself gaining fame in Hollywood. Astaire was known for his “unique artistry and his contributions to the technique of musical pictures,” as stated by his biographical website, Fred Astaire. He joined with Ginger Rogers, another immensely talented and popular American actress, singer and dancer, creating nine movies alongside her expertise. Astaire was said to have changed the face of American movie musicals by his style and grace, especially as a dancer. His skills were broad in dance, but tapping was one of his strong suits throughout the years, and that classifies him as a great representative of the tap dancing world.

Tap became popular on Broadway and in movie musicals raising to fame many dancers. The Library of Congress explained a scene from the 1997 Grammy Awards, where two influential men in the performing arts world, Colin Dunn and Savion Glover, completed a tap dancing face-off. “The dazzling speed and precision of Dunn's footwork…the handsome symmetry of his form” is how the dancing was described, and even today it is a perfect observation of what tap dancing is made of. Tap dancing takes talent, rhythm, timing, sharpness and yet also smoothness of movement. It takes a lot of training to make a good tap dancer, but the glory of watching and listening to a true tapper move is unlike any else. 

On May 25, search up footage of Fred Astaire tapping in his shining era, or even search up modern-day tap dances to feel the true experience of tap dancing talent. Remember the greatness that the emergence of tap has brought to, not just the dance world, but to society as a whole.