On this Day... Dec 16

CEBU, Philippines – In 1770, the unsociable German composer Ludwig van Beethoven was born. He had enormous black hairy hands which were particularly thick at the fingertips, and once broke six piano strings when he hit the keyboard too hard. Before composing he liked to bathe his hands in cold water to help him concentrate, and if that failed, he poured the water over his head! Abandoning the social graces, he constantly muttered to himself, and once appeared in public so badly dressed that he was arrested for vagrancy. His growing deafness made him even more of an outcast, but it didn't affect his composing, since he taught himself to "hear" through his teeth. Biting on a long piece of wood touching the piano, he could "listen" through the vibrations!

• In 1773, history's most famous tea party took place in Boston Harbor, stirred up by the British government's unjust tax of three pence on a pound of tea. In the moonlight, over a hundred Bostonians disguised as Mohawk Indians stealthily crept toward three English ships, each carrying 114 chests of tea. The raiders were aged between 14 and 57, wearing blankets and castoffs and with their faces covered in red ochre mixed with lampblack, axle grease, and soot. When they gained the ships, they hurled the offending cargo into the harbor, but it was low tide and the tea chests piled up in huge stacks. One actually toppled backwards onto the ship, and another fell over and gave a passing "Indian" a concussion!

- from Today's the Day! By Jeremy Beadle

In Christian history

• In 1904, 15-year-old (Sadhu) Sundar Singh burned a Bible in his rage at the death of his mother. A few days later, he was miraculously converted to the Christian faith, and went on to become an apostle to India and Tibet.

- from This Day in Christian History

By William D. Blake

In the Philippines

• In 1976, President Ferdinand Marcos created the National Scientist Award to give due recognition to the achievements of Filipino scientists in the field of science and technology. The rank and title of National Scientist of the Philippines was created through Presidential Decree Nos. 1003 and 1003-A which also established the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST). Accordingly, a scientist is defined as "an individual who has earned a doctoral degree in any field of the sciences" and "has demonstrated and earned distinction in independent research or significant innovative achievement in the basic and applied sciences, including agricultural, engineering, and medical sciences, in mathematics and in the social sciences as manifested by published works in recognized scientific and technical journals." Awardees are conferred the rank and title of "National Scientist," with accompanying medallion and citation and are given a financial gratuity with the amount determined by the National Academy. They are also entitled to the same privileges enjoyed by National Artists of the Philippines, which include a monthly life pension, medical and hospitalization benefits, and a place of honor. Upon their death a state funeral will be conducted by the National Academy and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, befitting their recognized status as heroes of the Philippines.

- www.kahimyang.info

In Cebu

• In 1895, the Spanish play "La Zapatilla" is staged in the newly-finished Teatro Junquera in Cebu. The affair was held in honor of departing Don Inocencio Junquera, politico-military governor of Cebu, who had been responsible for the construction of Cebu's first permanent playhouse.

- from Cebuano Studies Center, University of San Carlos