One of the wettest Augusts on record, with more than 9 inches of rain having been measured in Lawrence, was having the result of throwing some plants and animals slightly off their usual schedule. Crab apple trees outside Watson Library were blooming out of season, squirrels were foraging for their winter food a little early, fall crops were later than usual, and the spider population was getting an early start on moving indoors.

Kansans for the Improvement of Nursing Homes had recently released the first of a series of reports titled “Inside Kansas Nursing Homes.” Petey Cerf, president of KINH, explained that the project had involved interviews with about 70 people, mostly relatives and friends of nursing-home residents. Mrs. Cerf said that she was “trying to prove whether nursing home neglect does exist.”