Jim Kershner’s this day in history

From our archives, 100 years ago

Juvenile court Judge J. Stanley Webster lashed out at two Child Welfare League women who had been appointed as special police officers. He said their attitude had been “one of obstruction, opposition and abusive criticism,” and he barred them from juvenile court.

They had already been fired by the police commissioner for, essentially, making a stink over the city’s “social evil” (prostitution). The judge concurred with that move, saying that the women had been a “constant source of annoyance” and that they have failed to show that their “motives are legitimate.”

From the bird beat: Songbirds were enjoying a “record year” in Spokane – twice the number from a year before, reported local birdwatchers.

“Not only robins and bluebirds are strongly in evidence, but many wild canaries are beginning to appear everywhere,” said one bird enthusiast, probably referring to goldfinches.

The reasons included favorable weather, increased crop production and the fact that public schools were “teaching children to protect” songbirds.

Some older citizens had not gotten the message. A local man shot a pair of bluebirds because they were “disturbing his sleep.”

Also on this date

(From the Associated Press)

1983: Harold Washington was sworn in as the first black mayor of Chicago.