The existing Lawrence telephone exchanges of 842 and 843 were to be joined by the new 841 exchange. The reason given by the local phone company manager was that “we simply ran out of numbers.” Theoretically, 9,999 numbers could be added to each exchange, but in actual practice, some were reserved for testing trunks and numbers out of service before being transferred to new persons. The Lawrence phone system was at that time handling about 17,500 accounts.

After several soaking rains and a decrease in temperatures, the Lawrence area had breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed its vigilance against hot and humid weather. But Fall had not yet arrived, and the new month of September began with temperatures again running high and rainfall amounts still about two inches below normal.

ROTC enrollments at Kansas University were showing declines from the previous years. Officials mentioned a “general dissatisfaction” with the Vietnam war among the nation’s youth, resulting in an “anti-military sentiment.”