100 years ago: High school debaters argue Panama Canal, Merchant Marines

From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for April 3, 1913:

  • “The debating team of the Lawrence High School will invade the rendezvous of the Iola arguers on May 2nd. The question will be on whether it would be better to fortify or neutralize the Panama canal…. The team will go to Ottawa the sixteenth of May to argue the point with the Ottawa boys as to whether the United States should subsidize the merchants marine or not, Lawrence taking the affirmative.”
  • “There was a small blaze last evening at 1303 Kentucky street, when the barn owned by Wm. LaCoss caught fire. The cause of the fire is unknown except that it started in the manger. The flames spread quickly and the barn was soon ablaze. Another barn standing near, also owned by Mr. LaCoss, caught and slight damage was done to it. The fire company succeeded in saving most of the property but before the fire could be extinguished damage amounting to about $250 was done. The building was rented by Mr. Davidson and was insured.”
  • “The Journal-World last night received $6.45 from the Sunday school of the Washington Creek Brethren church. The appeal for help on the part of Ohio flood sufferers has been responded to nobly and it shows the proper attitude. This contribution has been put with the others that have been sent.”
  • “Did you try to get ‘K.U.’ or ‘2700’ today? If you did you didn’t. For the fire which destroyed a barn in west Lawrence yesterday evening burned out a cable for the Mo. and Kans. and the University was cut off from down town today as far as the Bell system was concerned.”
  • “A monster lizard thirty feet long that crawled over Kansas some 18,000,000 years ago, was brought to the University yesterday. Imbedded in stone of the cretaceous age, the giant known as the plesiosaur is believed by H. T. Martin to be an entirely new member of the species. The fossil was discovered on the farm of John Kaplick at Hollyrood in Ellsworth county, by J. A. Brouk, a junior in the School of Engineering. Kaplick donated the fossil to the University.”
  • “Trial marriages for young women under eighteen are legal in New York according to a decision of Supreme Justice Conalan. If she marries with the consent of parents, and leaves her husband before she attains age, the law permits her to come into court and obtain a decree of annulment, the judge declared.”