50 years ago in Expo history: A Spokane world fair better than Seattle’s? A national Expo official made a then-bold prediction

The man in charge of the U.S. role in Expo ’74 said Spokane’s fair would outshine Seattle’s Century 21 world’s fair in 1962.

“I don’t mean to knock Seattle’s fair,” Edward J. Krause said. “But the Russian Pavilion alone at Expo ’74 has more of everything than all of the foreign nations combined at Century 21.”

In terms of sheer square footage, this seemed to be correct. The Spokane Chronicle noted that the Russian Pavilion would cover 55,000 square feet, more than the total foreign floor space at Seattle’s fair. The Russians did not participate in Seattle’s fair.

Krause said Spokane’s fair would also outdo San Antonio’s HemisFair, and “it will compare to New York, Montreal and Osaka world’s fairs.”

“We’re going to have one hell of a world’s fair here!” he said.

From 100 years ago: Spokane’s juvenile court department reported a 30% decrease in juvenile delinquency since 1918. This was a stark contrast to national trends, and local authorities thought they knew why.

They said they had followed a careful plan to nurture the right “spirit in the children of the city,” both in the city’s playgrounds and in the juvenile court system.

Also, they said, most Spokane citizens “have a proper appreciation of normal home life.”

Also on this day

(From onthisday.com)

399 BC: Philosopher Socrates is sentenced to death by Athens for corrupting the minds of the youth of the city and for impiety.

1989: Soviet military occupation of Afghanistan ends as last Soviet troops cross the border.