Years ago

Today is Thursday, Nov. 26, the 330th day of 2009. There are 35 days left in the year. This is Thanksgiving Day. On this date in 1789, a day of thanksgiving is set aside by President George Washington to observe the adoption of the Constitution of the United States.

In 1825, the first college social fraternity, the Kappa Alpha Society, is formed at Union College in Schenectady, N.Y. In 1842, the founders of the University of Notre Dame arrive at the school’s present-day site near South Bend, Ind. In 1933, a judge in New York decides the James Joyce book “Ulysses” is not obscene and could be published in the United States. In 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt orders nationwide gasoline rationing, beginning Dec. 1. The motion picture “Casablanca,” starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, has its world premiere at the Hollywood Theater in New York. In 1943, during World War II, the HMT Rohna, a British transport ship carrying American soldiers, is hit by a German missile off Algeria; 1,138 men are killed. In 1949, India adopts a constitution as a republic within the British Commonwealth. In 1950, China enters the Korean War, launching a counteroffensive against soldiers from the United Nations, the U.S. and South Korea. In 1973, President Richard Nixon’s personal secretary, Rose Mary Woods, tells a federal court that she’d accidentally caused part of the 181‚Ñ2-minute gap in a key Watergate tape.

November 26, 1984: Gary Kubic, assistant finance director, is completing a month-long investigation into whether members of former mayor George Vukovich’s cabinet were entitled to payments received for claimed accumulated vacation and compensatory time off.

Youngstown police use a helicopter from Cleveland to patrol the night skies and are on the lookout for burglars attempting to enter banks through the roof. Many banks will be holding large deposits overnight after the first day of the Christmas shopping season.

November 26, 1969: At least six Youngstown district alleged bookmaking operations are among 60 such spots in Northern Ohio raided by a federal rackets strike force.

A tentative plot plan for the proposed Boardman Hospital on the former estate of the late L.A. Beeghly is presented to township trustees. The Beeghly home, bequeathed to the Youngstown Hospital Association, is being leased to Shriver-Allison Co. as a funeral home.

November 26, 1959: U.S. Air Force officials offer a written guarantee for civilian planes to use the portion of a long runway at Youngstown Municipal Airport on military property if the city will assume maintenance and extend the military lease an additional 33 years.

The downtown board of trade announces a promotion that will give $5 certificates to 130 lucky shoppers on 13 nights during the Christmas shopping season.

November 26, 1934: Twelve Youngstown boys are included in recent ROTC appointments and promotions at Ohio State University: Howard F. Jenkins, Warren B. Goodwin, Paul F. Goodwin, Frank Graneto, Ben Z. Boorstein, John J. Armishaw, Robert S. Moyer, Dale H. Green, Joseph J. Kooperman, Edward Roth, Paul W. Brown and Charles Hoist. Also promoted were Norman E. Lugenbuhl of North Lima and Watkin R. Edwards of Poland.

Notre Dame defeats West Point, 12-6, in Yankee Stadium, packed with 81,000 fans. Gate receipts of $329,000 set a record for the year for any gridiron contest.