From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for March 21, 1913:

• “The Annual Douglas County Spelling ‘Bee’ will be held in Lawrence next Saturday afternoon. The County Spelling Match is open to the country schools of the county and the day of the annual match is always a big one in the rural school districts. Each township in the county is entitled to three representatives in this county contest. The entries to date number 27 boys and girls and there are yet two townships to be heard from…. The contest will be in charge of County Superintendent C. R. Hawley aided by the school teachers of the county. A list of fifty words to be written will first be given out. This will eliminate a number from the contest. Those who survive will then undertake the oral spelling of 500 other words. By the time this supply is exhausted it is expected that the best speller in the county will have been discovered and the contest closed…. The prizes this year will be a gold medal for first place and another for second place. It was thought that medals wold be more suitable than merchandise awards as were given last year.”
• “A large crowd of Lawrence people saw the first exhibition of the film ‘From the Manger to the Cross’ in the Bowersock Theater yesterday afternoon and evening. Many who witnessed the reverent motion picture of the life of Jesus of Nazareth remarked on the appropriateness of the performance during Holy Week. Those who enjoyed the remarkable film, showing the authentic locations in Palestine and Egypt where Christ lived and preached, found the Kalem masterpiece all that it had been recommended to be by the local clergy and educators. The enthusiastic reception with which the film was received the first day indicates that a large per cent of the people of Lawrence will avail themselves of the opportunity of witnessing this great picture…. The musical accompaniment throughout the five reels is rendered by Mrs. C. W. Stratton on the organ and the piano.”