IN 1977 – Lawrence voters strongly chose retention of the nonpartisan, non-geographical city manager-commission form of government over the political, geographical mayor-council form. The retention was by a 70-30 percent margin, similar to that of 1950 when the manager-commission form was first voted in to replaced the mayor-council modus operandi.

Barkley Clark, Ed Carter and Jack Rose were elected to seats on the Lawrence City Commission. Clark led with 5,311 votes; Carter had 4,709, and Rose had 4,471. Commissioner Carl Mibeck failed in his bid for re-election with 4,127 votes while Muriel Pau was fifth with 2,281 and Jerry Albertson sixth with 2,181.

A total of 9,155 of the city’s 29,778 registered voters produced a paltry turnout percentage of 30.7.

The three electees to the school board were Roger Pine with 5,449 votes, Bob Davis with 4,354 and Bill Hopkins with 4,082. Eliminated were Arkie Vaughn at 3,994, Paul Wolfe at 3.614 and Barbara Crews with 3,343.

A $2.6 million budget for the Kansas University Athletic Corp. for fiscal 1979 was approved by the athletic board.

The city of Lawrence signed an agreement replacing the 105-year-old Darling lease on the levee property east of the Massachusetts Street bridge. The agreement set in legal terms an arrangement that amounted to a Bowersock Dam pact that would pave the way for location of a new city hall in the region.

IN 1962 – The highest-quality exhibits in the 11 years of the event were reported as the Douglas County Science Fair was conducted. A shortage of funds to operate the project, however, was seen as a major problem for the immediate future. There was fear in some corners that the lack of funding might lead to the death of the fair, an annual event many teachers said was “inspirational to many young minds.”

Lawrence National Guard officers said they could not comment on the Pentagon’s proposal to eliminate the Army’s 35th Division until they had more definite information on the rumored final proposal.

Ed Howard, city library director, announced his resignation to take a similar position in Evansville, Ind., as of June 1.

IN 1902 – On April 7, 1902, the Lawrence Journal told of a new park by the Santa Fe passenger depot. The Journal told of the work of landscape gardener Reinisch stating: “The park will begin 15 feet outside the second track that runs in front of the depot, and will run clear to the edge of the bank. It will be 900 feet long, beginning at the old ice-house, and running east.”