MORE LESSER KNOWN HISTORICAL FIGURES

JUDITH KAPLAN -- IN 1922, AT THE URGING OF HER FATHER, JUDITH BECAME THE FIRST JEWISH GIRL TO READ FROM THE TORAH, AT A PUBLIC BAS MITZVAH CEREMONY.

LESLIE LOMYN -- SHIPBUILDER, WHO IN 1918, LAUNCHED HIS PET PROJECT- THE FIRST EVER OCEANGOING SHIP MADE OF CONCRETE- THE S.S. FAITH. THE COST? $750,000.00.

WILLIAM BANTING -- IN 1862, BEGAN A FAD DIET THAT LOST HIM 50 POUNDS, AND AFTER HE PUBLISHED HIS PAMPHLET A LETTER ON CORPULENCE, HE BECOMES HISTORY'S FIRST WEIGHT-LOSS CELEBRITY. "BANTING" ACTUALLY BECOMES THE ENGLISH WORD FOR DIETING FOR A TIME, AND EVEN TODAY, DIETING IS CALLED "BANTING" IN SWEDEN.

SPIKE -- BELOVED BLACK-AND-WHITE PET DOG OF A YOUNG CARTOONIST NAMED CHARLES M. SCHULZ, WHO WAS LATER TO CREATE THE BELOVED COMIC STRIP PEANUTS. SCHULZ TO USE SPIKE AS THE INSPIRATION FOR THE MOST POPULAR DOG IN COMIC HISTORY, SNOOPY.

DIXIE LOCKE -- FIRST SERIOUS GIRLFRIEND OF A YOUNG ELVIS PRESLEY. WHEN ELVIS WAS DRAFTED AND WENT OFF TO SERVE IN GERMANY IN 1958, HE PLEDGED TO STAY LOYAL AND EVENTUALLY MARRY DIXIE. BUT, OF COURSE, IT WAS NOT TO BE. IN 1959, ELVIS WAS TO MEET A PRETTY, 14-YEAR-OLD NAMED PRISCILLA BEAULIEU, WHO WAS TO BECOME HIS ONLY WIFE.

GAVRILO PRINCIP -- ASSASSIN OF ARCHDUKE FERDINAND ON JUNE 28, 1914 - THE INCIDENT WHICH WAS TO BE THE CATALYST OF THE BEGINNING OF WORLD WAR I.