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© Copyright 2003 EPICS TCHA Team at Purdue University, All Rights Reserved.
Congress created the Cooperative Extension Service spread agricultural information where needed through "county agents" and through land-grand colleges such as Purdue University. Out of this movement evolved 4-H Clubs, in which both rural and urban youth were given instruction in farming, homemaking, practical crafts and other subjects, and were encouraged to exhibit their creations or products at the annual county agricultural fairs.
Work began on an eight-story, 207-room hotel at the southeast corner of Fourth and Ferry streets.
West of Romney a Jackson Township High School opened.
Wabash Township officials opened a school for upper grades at Octagon.
The First and Second Presbyterian congregations, separated for 74 years stemming from philosophical differences at the national level in 1840, merged to form Central Presbyterian, and began worshiping in the newer church built at Seventh and Columbia streets.
The Chamber of Commerce negotiated settlement of a long dispute between the retail clerks union and Loeb & Hene and other stores over alleged unfair labor practices. The Chamber also began a clean-street and clean-alley campaign, sponsored yard and garden beautificaion contests, and pushed railroad crossing safety.
Henry W. Marshall, Lafayette Bridge Company executive, utilities company officer, former state legislator, bought the failing Lafayette Sunday Times from the widow of its founder, John S. Williams. On March 16 he acquired the 85-year-old Lafayette Journal. Within a year his Journal-Times Company took shape, and he suspended the Sunday Times in favor of a daily-and-Sunday Journal.
The Chamber of Commerce encouraged the H.J. Heinz Company to try tomato processing again at its Union Street plant. Heinz offered contracts to farmers with 300 or more acres, giving them seed, and recruiting agriculturalists from Purdue University for planting instructions. A severe drouth during June hurt crops; nevertheless Heinz opened the plant with new equipment on Aug. 17.
One of Lafayette's most memorable fires, discovered before dawn by a newspaper carrier boy and blamed on a furnace malfunction, burned for most of the day and demolished the Dryfus Theater (former Grand Opera House) on the south side of the 600 block of Columbia. Fire Dept. Capt. John Mitchell died of injuries when the burning theater marquee collapsed on him.
Contractor Joshua Chew, builder of eight Purdue University buildings, several Soldiers Home structures, six Lafayette schools, five churches, three rural schools, 12 brick smokestacks up to 175 feet high, numerous homes and stores, died at age 74.
Mayor Thomas Bauer, saying that the "progressive" movement and Citizens ticket disguise had served their purposes, declared himself Republican.
State Sen. Will R. Wood, Lafayette, won nomination for 10th District congressman in a Republican convention in Valparaiso.
In a revival of baseball, manager Frank Hughes' Lafayette Red Sox defeated the Indianapolis Merits 9-4 in the first game of the season in League Park south of State Street Levee. An eight-foot board fence surrounded the field. Northwest grandstands behind home plate seated 1,800, and third-base-side bleachers held 500. [One Red Sox star, pitcher Art Nehf, from Terre Haute, later pitched in the 1921 major league World Series for the New York Giants.]
Charlie Shambaugh and Frank Ray from Lafayette failed to qualify for the Indianapolis 500-mile race. Shambaugh reached 82 mph in a trial run at the Speedway, and 84 mph off the track later.
Henry W. Marshall announced his plans to build a new printing plant containing Journal business and newsroom offices at the northwest corner of Fifth and Ferry streets.
Haywood Publishing Company formed. It was a continuation of a printing service started in 1834 by William Spring.
Republicans regained dominance of Tippecanoe County government elections, winning all contests and helping elect Will R. Wood to the U.S. House. Former State Rep. Alva O. Reser won election to the Indiana Senate, and Harry G. Leslie was re-elected county treasurer.
Main Street Bridge opened, and builder Wallace Marshall drove the first automobile over it. Streetlights were switched on Nov. 25, and street railway service to West Lafayette, the Soldiers Home and Battle Ground, resumed for the first time since the 1913 flood.