Crispus Attucks, Colored Hero, Name Wished for High School

From The Indianapolis News, Saturday, March 27, 1926:  “Crispus Attucks” will be the name of the new colored high school on recommendation of the instruction committee of the Indianapolis school board instead of “Thomas Jefferson,” as it was named by the former school board.  Soon after the new school commissioners took office in January, a large number of requests were received from colored patrons with the suggestion that the new high school be named after a colored man of fame.  The name of Crispus Attucks, who was killed by British soldiers in the March 5, 1770, Boston Massacre, was suggested along with that of Ohio poet Paul Laurence Dunbar, the colored James Whitcomb Riley. The selection was left to the Colored Parent-Teacher Association to decide, and they recommended “Crispus Attucks” was the most favored by the colored people of Indianapolis.  

“Crispus Attucks, Colored Hero, Name Wished for High School,” The Indianapolis News, 27 March 1926, p. 37:4

"Race Traditions Permeate School," The Indianapolis Star, 18 September 1927, p. 30.2

Butler to Honor $350,000 Donor

From The Indianapolis News, Monday, February 8, 1926:  The first new building at Butler University’s Fairview site will be named in honor of Indianapolis capitalist Arthur Jordan as a token of appreciation for his $350,000 (2024:  $6,330,000) gift to the school’s building fund.  The building will be known as Arthur Jordan Memorial Hall. The announcement was made by John W. Atherton, Butler’s executive secretary, at Saturday night’s Founders’ Day banquet.  Butler University opened its doors in the month and year of Jordan’s birth, September. 1855.  This is his second gift; Jordan gave $25,000 (2024:  $452,000) to Butler’s fund last year. “Although I was deprived of the privilege of attending college, many of my closest and life-long friends have been Butler graduates and I have followed with interest the progress of the institution particularly in the last few years,” Jordan said. 

“Butler to Honor $350,000 Donor,” The Indianapolis News, 8 February 1926, p. 1:6

To Cut Street Lights in Half at Midnight

From The Indianapolis News, Monday, February 1, 1926:  Indianapolis will be only half lit tomorrow at midnight.  As an experiment to keep the street lighting bill within the budget for the year, assistant city engineer Arthur Haufer announced that all streetlights on one side of each main thoroughfare will be turned off promptly at midnight Tuesday.  It is estimated this action will save the city $15,000 (2024:  $271,273) annually and an additional saving of $28,000 (2024:  $506,376) will be made by reducing the lights in the overhead globes from 1,000 to 600 candle power.  This action was approved by the board of works after receiving a report that the present arrangement for street lighting would exceed the budget.  The board also cancelled plans for extending new lighting service.  Merchants Heat & Light Co has a ten-year contract with the city.

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“To Cut Street Lights in Half at Midnight,” The Indianapolis News, 1 February 1926, p. 1:7