The feature “On this day in Stanford history” details events that occurred on the same date in past years at Stanford.
According to The Stanford Daily’s archives, on May 24 in…
1899: University President David Starr Jordan delivered an address to the graduating class in which he said that “government by the people needs its trained and educated men more than any other kind of government, for while monarchy seeks far and wide for wise men and strong men to be used as its tools, strength and wisdom is the daily life of successful democracy.” In more recent times, Jordan has received criticism for his support of eugenics.
1918: A front-page story on the forthcoming commencement address by San Francisco District Attorney John McNab noted that “War Conditions Will Affect Stanford Tradition to a Limited Extent” but did not specify the manner of that effect.
1928: Japan filed a claim with the League of Nations stating that if the Chinese civil war extended to northern region of Manchuria, Japan would be “compelled to protect her interests there.”
1932: A $25,000 award was announced for the capture of the killers and kidnappers of the child of famed aviator Charles Lindbergh.
1938: “DAILY SHUFFLES DECK TODAY,” a front-page story announced following the election of the next editor-in-chief (we did that today, too).
1955: The Political Union and Ram’s Head theater group prepared to put on the play “Waiting for Lefty,” which the director described as “frankly Communist propaganda.” The play revolves around a taxi driver strike.
1963: In a unanimous vote, the “Student Congress [Voted] to Support Southern Racial Integration Attempts,” The Daily reported.
1967: “Tension Increases As Sides Are Chosen In Arab-Israeli Conflict,” a Daily headline reported. The Six-Day War, fought primarily between Israel, Egypt, Syria and Jordan, would begin less than two weeks later.
1976: The Daily reported on a recent meeting by the Stanford University Librarians Association (SULA) to form a collective bargaining unit, or union.
1989: “French House dryer fire serves up towels flambé,” The Daily reported in a self-explanatory headline.
1996: It was announced that noted economist Paul Krugman would be leaving Stanford for MIT, where he had previously taught. Krugman is currently a columnist for The New York Times and a professor at the City University of New York.
2007: Eighteen-year-old Azia Kim, the infamous “Stanford impostor,” was caught after having spent eight months as a would-be student and resident at Stanford despite not having been accepted. “Personally, I don’t feel safe now that Stanford allowed this to happen and that they’re not doing anything to ensure the safety of their students,” said Kim’s roommate, Amy Zhou ’08.
Contact Brian Contreras at brianc42 ‘at’ stanford.edu.