This day in history: An influx of Vietnamese refugees after the war was changing the demographics in Spokane schools

From 1975: A total of 43 Vietnamese students were enrolled in Spokane Public Schools on the first day of school, reflecting the recent influx of South Vietnamese refugees.

An assistant superintendent said the district’s first goal would be to teach the new students how to speak and understand the English language. Special learning centers had been established at some schools, and a tutoring program would be provided.

The district would also establish a “buddy system” in which another student would help the Vietnamese students.

“Our real goal is to move them into the classroom and the mainstream of activities as soon as possible.”

From 1925: The city’s Episcopal church members were planning a massive outdoor service later in the month at Twelfth Avenue and Grand Boulevard.

Today, that is the location of the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. But in 1925, it was still a rocky empty lot.

“The purpose of this service is to strike the note of dedication of the ground on which the cathedral is eventually to be built,” Bishop Cross said. “… A large altar will be built of the lava rock on the ground, a rustic cross will be made of a small pine tree, and other things will be done … in keeping with the outdoor setting.”

Preliminary building plans were in the works, which he said would “give the people of Spokane some idea of the character of the proposed structure and of the real magnitude” of the project.

Also on this day

(From onthisday.com)

1901: President William McKinley is shot by anarchist Leon Czolgosz in Buffalo, New York. McKinley would die eight days later.