GERMAN LEARNING, AMERICAN LABOUR + ALASKA DAY AND THE BBC

The 18^th October is a very mixed bag.

The Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg (Heidelberg University, Ruperto Carola) is a public research university located in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Founded on the 18^th October 1386, it is the oldest university in Germany and was the third university established in the Holy Roman Empire.

The Great Schism of 1378 made it possible for Heidelberg, a relatively small city and capital of the Electorate of the Palatinate, to gain its own university. The Great Schism was initiated by the election of two popes after the death of Pope Gregory XI in the same year. One successor resided in Avignon (elected by the French) and the other in Rome (elected by the Italian cardinals). The German secular and spiritual leaders voiced their support for the successor in Rome, which had far-reaching consequences for the German students and teachers in Paris: they lost their stipends and had to leave.

Rupert I recognized the opportunity and initiated talks with the Curia, which ultimately lead to a Papal Bull for foundation of a university. The final decision to found the university was taken on June 26, 1386 at the behest of Rupert.  As specified in the papal charter, the university was modelled after University of Paris and included four faculties: philosophy, theology, jurisprudence and medicine.

On 18^th October 1386, a special Pontifical High Mass in the Heiliggeistkirche was the ceremony that established the university. The university grew up quickly and in March 1390, 185 students were enrolled at the university

As to organised labour in America, probably the first American guild was that of the “shoomakers of Boston”, and its charter of incorporation. Granted by the Colony of Massachusetts Bay, on the 18^th October 1648, it is the only complete American Charter of its kind. The main object of the shoemakers was the suppression of inferior workmen who damaged the country by “occasion of bad ware”. The officers were given authority to examine the shoemakers and to secure from the courts of the colony an order suppressing any one whom they did not approve “to be a sufficient workman.” They were also given authority to regulate the work of those who were approved and thus to “change and reforme” the trade and “all the affayres thereunto belonging”. They were erected into a branch of government with power to annex “penalties” and to “levy the same by distress.”

It also appears to be a day on which the United States chose to expand its territory.

On the 18^th October 1867 the Unitred States took possession of Alaska after purchasing it from Russia for $7.2 million. Celebrated annually in the state as Alaska Day.

On the 18^th October 1898, the United States took possession of Puerto Rico; however, it is not Puerto Rico Day.

Also on this day, the privately owned BBC was the world's first national broadcasting organisation and was founded on the 18^th October 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company Limited. The original company was founded by a group of six telecommunications companies—Marconi, Radio Communication Company, Metropolitain - Vickers (MetroVick), General Electric, Western Electric, and British Thomson-Houston (BTH)[—to broadcast experimental radio services. The first transmission was on 14 November of that year, from station 2LO, located at Marconi House, London.

It only lasted 5 years as a private company. The British Broadcasting Company Ltd was created by the British General Post Office (GPO) and John Reith applied for a job with the existing company and later became its employee general manager. The company was wound-up and on 1 January 1927 a new non-commercial entity called the British Broadcasting Corporation (what we now know as the BBC) established under a Royal Charter. became successor in interest.