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Balanchine, George

(Encyclopedia)Balanchine, George bălˈənshēnˌ [key], 1904–83, American choreographer and ballet dancer, b. St. Petersburg, Russia, as Georgi Balanchivadze. The son of a Georgian composer and a Russian mother,...

Anti-Masonic party

(Encyclopedia)Anti-Masonic party, American political organization that rose after the disappearance in W New York state in 1826 of William Morgan. A former Mason, Morgan had written a book purporting to reveal Maso...

Lubin, David

(Encyclopedia)Lubin, David lo͞oˈbĭn [key], 1849–1919, American agriculturist, b. Poland. After prospering as a merchant in California, he devoted himself to helping farmers with their problems. Through his eff...

European Space Agency

(Encyclopedia)European Space Agency (ESA), multinational agency dedicated to the promotion, for exclusively peaceful purposes, of cooperation among European states in space research and technology. Member states in...

Prohibition party

(Encyclopedia)Prohibition party, in U.S. history, minor political party formed (1869) for the legislative prohibition of the manufacture, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages. The temperance movement was...

Alston, Walter Emmons

(Encyclopedia)Alston, Walter Emmons, 1911–84, American baseball manager, b. Venice, Ohio. Nicknamed Smokey, he played one major-league game, for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1936, and struck out in his one at bat. ...

Wood, Fernando

(Encyclopedia)Wood, Fernando, 1812–81, American politician, b. Philadelphia. He became a successful shipping merchant in New York City and a leader of Tammany Hall. Wood was elected mayor in 1854 and was reelecte...

Gruenther, Alfred Maximilian

(Encyclopedia)Gruenther, Alfred Maximilian, 1899–1983, U.S. general, b. Platte Center, Nebr. A brilliant staff officer, during World War II he was deputy chief of staff to Dwight D. Eisenhower in London (1942–4...

Anti-Saloon League

(Encyclopedia)Anti-Saloon League, U.S. organization working for prohibition of the sale of alcoholic liquors. Founded in 1893 as the Ohio Anti-Saloon League at Oberlin, Ohio, by representatives of temperance societ...

Willard, Frances Elizabeth

(Encyclopedia)Willard, Frances Elizabeth, 1839–98, American temperance leader and reformer, b. Churchville, N.Y., grad. Northwestern Female College, 1859. She was president of Evanston College for Ladies and dean...