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Welcome, those of you arriving at Bartography via my What-nik?!? manuscript about Sputnik's effect on one boy (or my posting about the manuscript). Now for a true-life recollection:

"[A]t the appointed moment, Sputnik flew over Coalwood. If it had been God in his chariot that had flown over, I could not have been more impressed. It was awe-inspiring. Sputnik looked like a bright star that moved with such utter purpose that nothing could stop it; and I, in that moment, realized I wanted to be part of the movement into space."

That's Rocket Boys author Homer Hickam, quoted today as part of The New York Times' massive coverage of the 50th anniversary of Sputnik's launch. (The movie that commenter Bruce mentioned the other day, October Sky, is based on Hickam's book and a longtime favorite with my 8-year-old, S.)

The Times isn't the only outlet with a big Sputnik package. Check out Computerworld's Happy Birthday, Sputnik! (Thanks for the Internet) and nifty timeline. But of the two publications, only The Times pointed me to this:

From today's Philadelphia Inquirer article, "Does U.S. need a new Sputnik?":

Today, amid a fast-shifting global economy, there are cries that once again the United States is behind, as measured by everything from test scores to technological advances. In 1966, one in five U.S. bachelor's degrees was awarded in math or science, according to federal education data; in 2004, that proportion had dropped to one in six.

There are those who argue we need a jolt to the system. Another Sputnik. ...

Sputnik led to a surge in spending on education programs such as the one [profiled scientist Lisa] Klein attended, and that continues today. In the 2004 fiscal year, 13 federal agencies spent $2.8 billion to encourage the pursuit of science and math careers, according to the Government Accountability Office. But there is little coordination among programs, and only half have been formally evaluated, the GAO found.

I'm all for a "jolt to the system," but I wonder whether another one based on federal spending would be just as shortlived. Seems to me that we'd be better off for longer if individual children simply had more opportunities -- that is, time -- to discover what fascinates them, and then to pursue that.

The Amazon Bookstore's Blog has an interview with Nick Abadzis, the creator of the graphic novel Laika, about the first Earthling/Russian/dog in space, aboard Sputnik 2. An excerpt:

Amazon.com: Was there anything that didn't make it into the graphic novel because it just didn't fit?

Nick Abadzis: There was quite a bit, actually. I could have done with another hundred pages. But I'd taken a bit of time to write and thumbnail it (which I do at the same time) and when that stage was finished, the publisher and I realized that the 50th anniversary of the Sputnik launches was fast approaching. When I first pitched the idea to Mark Siegel at First Second, neither of us realized that it was so close. It felt like we needed to be a part of that, so I drew it extremely fast--two hundred pages in a little over eight months. It's an understatement to say that it was extremely hard work.

Since I posted my Sputnik manuscript a couple of weeks ago, I've been watching for reminiscences from folks who remember the original event and for celebrations of the upcoming 50th anniversary.

A pair of posts have caught my eye:

I Remember Sputnik, at Creative Think
"I was in fourth grade in Linworth, Ohio. The school principal came in (during our science period) and announced that he had just received word the Russians had just put up the first satellite. Surprise, confusion, and uncertainty. "Why weren't we first?" everyone wondered."

Book Review: Engineering for Every Kid at National Space Society.
"On October 4, 1957 I, along with millions of other kids was inspired by the launch of the world’s first artificial satellite, Sputnik I, by the Soviet Union. It seemed miraculous to see that tiny dot of light passing overhead, and realize that it was a machine that engineers had built. I wanted to be a part of that kind of achievement."