100 years ago in the Inland Northwest: University of Idaho students slaying the English language

Freshmen at the University of Idaho seemed “intent on murdering the mother tongue,” said a report out of Moscow.

Students insisted on using slang and “other derelictions” in a recent survey.

The most common offenses included the words “ain’t” and “gotta.” The former was by far the most common and was used “persistently and promiscuously.”

However, other grammatical mistakes were even more common than slang words.

The survey found a wide variety of misused pronouns, double negatives and plural subjects with singular verbs.

From the holiday beat: Spokane’s orphanages were planning special Thanksgiving feasts.

The Spokane Children’s Home was preparing a “sumptuous dinner” including turkey and other traditional treats.

At the Hutton Settlement, a full Thanksgiving turkey dinner would be followed by “musical entertainment.” At the county infirmary at Spangle, North Central High School students were planning a holiday entertainment.