50 years ago in Expo history: Fun isn’t free, fair officials warned as a rash of illicit season-pass sharing came to light

Expo ’74 gatekeepers had already confiscated 24 season passes, and officials warned that they would be confiscating more if people persisted in loaning theirs out.

Season passes were not transferable, and every pass included a photo of the purchaser.

“This means people are loaning their season passes to others, thinking the gate attendants won’t check closely,” said Expo’s director of admissions. “But they do.”

He noted that every season pass purchaser had signed a statement that granted Expo the right to confiscate the pass if anyone else tried to use it.

Some people were apparently trying to get around this by saying it was lost or stolen. But officials would not give them a new pass unless they signed a statement declaring so. If they were lying, “they have, of course, perjured themselves under oath.”

He noted that a lot of the confiscated passes were from teenagers.

From 100 years ago: Two graduates of Professor Bouley’s College of Dancing in Spokane had established professional stage careers in New York and Chicago.

Barbara Melkie Bronell had just ended a 40-week run as “the feature player in ‘My China Doll,’ written especially for her by Charles George.” The show was about to open its second season in Chicago. Bronell’s specialty was described as “toe-dancing.”

Laura Bullivant Lee had been performing in “The Cake Eaters,” a comedy sketch on the Orpheum circuit, and had also been a stock player in New York and San Francisco.

Both Lee and Bronell had returned to Spokane for a visit and were feted by Professor Bouley and his wife during a reception at their home.