100 years ago: High school boys fined for violating street-sledding ordinance

From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Dec. 13, 1914:

  • “Six High School Boys Broke the City Ordinances By Coasting Before Eleven O’Clock. — The coasting fever struck six High School boys Saturday night and they proceeded to go to the old favorite coasting hill on Thirteenth street and for a short time they enjoyed themselves very well, but the police were notified and they stopped the coasting very shortly…. The boys pleaded guilty to the charge and were fined $1.00 and costs. The costs were remitted on the promise of the boys not to break the ordinance again. The dangers of coasting while hacks and street cars were running has been demonstrated by fatal accidents several times, but this does not have any effect on the coasters.”
  • “President W. J. Cummings of the Kansas Sheriff’s Association has called a meeting of the Sheriffs to be held at Wichita on December 22. This meeting is an annual affair…. The cooperation of the sheriffs of the different counties is the best thing possible for the proper protection of the people for the men understand each other and it is easier for them to apprehend criminals.”
  • “Watch the wiring of your Christmas decorations, says Chief Reinisch of the fire department. Owing to the many temporary decorations of the store windows and the home and the temporary extensions put on electrical wiring there is a great chance for a short circuit that might result in a serious fire. Christmas decorations are usually made of combustible materials and the more care with which the lighting effects are used the less chance there will be for a destructive fire. ‘Lawrence is in no shape for a big fire now,’ say the officials of the water company and for that reason every possible care should be exercised especially in the use of the candle and electric light for a number of the most destructive fire have originated from defective wiring in Christmas decorations.”
  • “By declaring that the suitcase containing liquor, that was found in his possession by the police, was the property of another, David Puento was declared not guilty of the charge of violating the prohibitory law in Justice Clark’s court this morning. Hario Rodigres, his fellow country-man, did not have David’s fluent command of English so was found guilty of bringing liquor into the state for unlawful purposes. He was given a sentence of thirty days in the county jail and a fine of $100.”
  • “After two years without a single inter-scholastic debate Lawrence High school will engage in a triangular debate with Ottawa and Topeka High schools. This debate will be held some time in April. Representatives will meet in Lawrence Saturday when the complete plans for the contest will be arranged.”
  • “By means of a catechism on malaria, the Public Health Service proposes to teach children in the public schools that this disease is conveyed only by certain species of mosquitoes, and that it may be prevented. This is another evidence of the fact that sanitarians in their efforts to conserve one of the most valuable of human possessions – health – are turning to the young instead of to the old…. What has been called the most powerful agent of civilization – the public schools – are being utilized to this end. No longer is it accepted that the three ‘R’s’ form the sum and substance of school education. Public health authorities now agree with Herbert Spencer that the most useful knowledge is that which enables a person to preserve his health and life.”