Old home town – 25, 40 and 100 years ago today

IN 1977

At least $292,000 in “people program” requests for Lawrence federal revenue-sharing funds were to be determined by the city commission.

Kansas University was planning a series of reading tests for new students to determine which ones might need some remedial help.

A $254,500 budget recommended to the Lawrence United Fund Board of Directors was approved. The tentatives dates for the 1977 drive were Set as Oct. 3-Nov. 11.

There were still 16 teaching vacancies to be filled for the Lawrence school system for the coming academic year.

IN 1962

Douglas County political activity was expected to pick up soon with the filing deadline for the August primary elections June 20. J.D. King was local Republican chairman with Frank McDonald the Democratic leader. Both parties were striving for full tickets, which the Democrats had been unable to achieve in the fairly recent past because of GOP dominance in what some considered “the most Republican county in the most Republican state in America.”

IN 1902

On June 10, 1902, the Lawrence Journal commented on departing professor S.W. Williston’s previous evening’s speech noting: “He did not hesitate to smash idols, and his talk was very much to the point. He showed conclusively that in hanging to old ideas and ancient theories our University is falling behind the procession of modern progress; that it still insists upon the student being exposed to Latin, Greek, and a whole lot of other useless studies, whether they ‘take’ or not, while other progressive institutions of learning have abandoned the old theories of education and are adopting up-to-date ideas.”