Jim Kershner’s This day in history

From our archives,

50 years ago

An overflow crowd filled the Spokane City Council Chambers in 1960 to witness what the new mayor, Neal R. Fosseen, called a “historic” event.

It was the swearing-in of a new mayor and council under the city manager form of government, approved earlier in the year by the voters. It replaced the city commissioner form of government, which had been in place for 50 years.

“We call on the public to be patient with us,” said Fosseen. “We do not expect miracles. … There will be mistakes, but they will be of the mind and not the heart.”

Spokane would keep its city manager form of government until 1999, when voters approved the current strong-mayor form of government.

From the juvenile delinquent beat: In a 1960 symposium on juvenile delinquency, the head of the county sheriff’s juvenile department complained that kids no longer respected authority.

“When I was growing up, if you got in trouble, you got ostracized,” he said. “Now, in some circles, you aren’t anybody until you’ve been ‘down juvey.’”

Also on this date

(From the Associated Press)

1960: The Food and Drug Administration formally approved Enovid as the first oral contraceptive for sale in the U.S.