Jim Kershner’s This day in history

From our archives, 50 years ago

The Spokesman-Review was loaded with teen-related news, including a story about new “good conduct” rules for teens, issued by Spokane’s Catholic bishop.

The 1960 directive stated that “going steady” was almost never permissible for high school students.

But the directive did say going steady could be justified under two conditions: “That the parties involved are keeping company with the possible view to marriage within a reasonable time (usually six months) and that they are using all means necessary to prevent undue familiarity.”

The directive also came down hard on teen drinking and teen ownership of cars (“good marks and cars do not mix”).

From the positive teen news beat: Meanwhile, the paper had plenty of stories about teens engaging in good conduct. One story was about a Newport (Wash.) High School student who placed sixth in a nationwide contest by “building and describing a hopper-bottom self-unloading dump wagon.”

And Patty Neihart was named Coulee City High School’s “Miss Friendliness” for September.

Also on this date

(From the Associated Press)

1930: Laura Ingalls became the first woman to fly across the United States as she completed a nine-stop journey from Roosevelt Field, N.Y., to Glendale, Calif.