100 years ago today in Spokane: Flu fears keep Spokane students home from school

The Spokane school absentee list was perhaps the clearest indication that Spokane residents were deeply worried about a recurrence of the flu epidemic.

A total of 4,753 students were absent from school for the day, more than 300 more than the day before, and 600 more than two days before. Overall, there were far more absentees than a typical school day.

This did not mean that 4,753 students were actually sick with the flu. In fact, only 1,570 cases overall had been reported citywide. But it did indicate that parents were becoming increasingly reluctant to send their children to school, where the virus might be spread.

There was some good news from the city health department, which reported only 60 new cases. However, one more death was reported, a young woman from Outlook, Wash., who had been visiting Spokane with her husband of three weeks. Her husband was also ill.

“The situation is just as acute as it was last year and we are just as much in need of precaution, proper rulings and aid,” said Johanna Burns, superintendent of the temporary flu hospital. “It is just as much the patriotic duty of the citizens to do everything in their power to prevent the disease and to care for those stricken.”