Jim Kershner’s this day in history

From our archives, 100 years ago

It was back-to-school time in 1913, but over in the East Spokane (Carnhope) School District, a “school war” was underway.

The school directors (board members) refused to open the fall term and “locked the schoolhouse doors against J. Wesley Taylor, the school principal.”

Apparently, a majority of the school board was opposed to Taylor. He had a contract, but it was signed by the old school board. So when Taylor showed up to open the school, he and three teachers found the doors locked.

The controversy “bids fair to keep the East Spokane school closed indefinitely, till the matter can be threshed out in the courts.”

From the language beat: In other school news, North Central High School was planning to toss out the German language textbooks and teach German by “the Direct Method.”

Apparently, this was an immersion method in which nothing but German would be allowed in the classroom.

“A fine will be placed against any student in the upper classes who speaks in English,” said the paper.

The students would also “give German plays and hold German gatherings.”

Also on this date

(From the Associated Press)

1939: Four days after war had broken out in Europe, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued a proclamation declaring U.S. neutrality in the conflict.