Photo courtesy of Britannica
On August 1, 1861, Robert FitzRoy, a British naval officer, published the first-ever weather forecast in The London Times. He had been researching ways to predict the weather, and his first report was largely accurate: 62 degrees and clear skies. The innovation marked a huge step in the world of meteorology—before Fitzroy, people relied on cloud watching or even observing animal behavior to determine the weather. “Weather frogs” were a household staple in many parts of Europe: live tree frogs would be kept in elaborate jars or enclosures with a small ladder and a tiny body of water. If the frog climbed on the ladder, it meant sunny, clear skies, whereas if the frog descended the ladder, it meant rain or foul weather.
EA plans many of its activities and programmings without the help of these weather frogs, and the student body pays the price: the school has a history of poor meteorological foresight even with access to daily weather forecasts. Students tabling at the annual Club Fair can attest to the consistently windy conditions: “I spent more time holding my tri-fold in place than explaining my club,” says the anonymous student leader of the Pathfinders Club.
The club fair was not an isolated incident: rainy skies on picture day left many students asking for retakes. And, somehow, on nearly every day that there is some mandatory meeting during activity, students of all grade levels find themselves staring longingly out the window, gazing upon clear skies and idyllic rays of sunshine. To any faculty reading this, please consider adopting a weather frog (perhaps multiple)!