This day in history: Eastern Washington State College’s director of Black studies said promises to students weren’t kept. Elaborate multi-faith funeral planned

From 1976: Clarence Williams, director of Eastern Washington State College’s Black Studies program, told a Spokane audience that “the people of Eastern need an education – many of the 8,000 whites need a Black and Chicano education more than the Blacks.”

Williams’ speech at the Spokane Coalition for Human Rights came amid a turbulent time at the college. Some students “claim they were recruited by the Cheney school from urban ghettoes with promises of social, cultural and remedial programs.”

Williams said these promises had not been kept. Instead, they were funneled into remedial courses “designed for the middle class agrarian white.”

From 1926: Spokane was making preparations for one of its most elaborate and colorful funerals, “conducted in the Christian and faiths,” for Hoy Chong Gar, head of the Wing Wo Chinese Medicine Co.

He died following an appendicitis operation.

Following services at St. Paul’s Methodist Church, “a cortege will be formed and many automobiles … will drive slowly downtown, arriving at Mr. Gar’s place of business on Wall Street near Main.” The cortege would contain floral tributes followed by a band.

“From the hearse will be scattered many pieces of perforated paper,” said The S-R. “The Oriental custom is to throw these bits of paper in the air that the evil spirits will be confused and left behind.”