Douglas County authorities said they thought a man found burned to death the previous day in a rental truck parked near Clinton Lake had deliberately set a gasoline fire to kill himself. The victim apparently was an off-duty Kansas City, Mo., police officer, but the body was so badly burned authorities had to turn to dental records for a full identification. A police badge and two revolvers found at the scene belonged to a 32-year-old member of Kansas City’s police force. No details were being released about theories for a motive.

Despite city actions and codes to lower the rate of false burglary alarms here, the problems continued and officials were striving to find ways to eliminate or at lest curtail the problem. Stiff fines for repeat violations were being considered.

There was substantial debate about whether the local school district should embrace an “open school” philosophy of some patrons and help finance such operations with public funds. The Lawrence Open School at 15th and Monterey Way had been in existence about three years and had asked for public money to keep operating.

Local daily temperatures continued to run 10 to 20 degrees above normal, something holiday shoppers and merchants found much to their liking.