50 years ago in Expo history: Dolly Parton, Tony Bennett and more were announced as musical acts

Several more big-name singers were booked for Expo ’74. Tony Bennett and Lena Horne would perform together in July, and Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton were scheduled in September.

Meanwhile, Expo organizers said there was still time to sign up more foreign pavilions. A number of nations, including Japan, the Soviet Union and the Republic of China (Taiwan), were finishing the interiors of their pavilions.

The fair’s site development director said new pavilions could be started as late as Feb. 1 and still be ready by the May opening.

From 100 years ago: An emotional debate was being waged in Spokane over this question: Should a woman propose to a man?

This question came up a week earlier when some leaders of women’s clubs said that 1924 should be the year in which women proposed to men. Other club leaders demurred.

Now, Mrs. G.C. Covey, president of the Shakespearean Study Club, weighed in on the question.

“A girl in love is an ingenious creature and she has the ability, through ages of training, to make the man she loves propose marriage, provided she has succeeded in winning his interest.”

The president of the Woman’s Club had a slightly different take. She said she could see “no ethical reason why a girl should not propose if she wants to.” But she believed it would be rare for such a proposal to “take.”

Also on this day

(From onthisday.com)

1959: Alaska is admitted as the 49th U.S. state.

1987: Aretha Franklin is the first female artist to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.