100 Years Ago: April 8-14

From The Indianapolis News, Thursday, April 13, 1922: The James Whitcomb Riley home is now a public shrine. Lockerbie Street neighbors of the Hoosier poet and scores of others gathered this afternoon in front of the flag draped house to pay tribute to Riley as the children’s friend. Pupils of School No. 9 recited a number of Riley poems as they formally dedicated the home. The Junior League of Indianapolis will supervise the home and a nominal fee of 25¢ (2020: $4) will be charged adults visiting the home to defray its upkeep. The Riley Day observance, carried out by the Riley Memorial Association, began this morning with the announcement of the building campaign for a memorial hospital for children bearing Riley’s name. Plans, unveiled for the first time, show a 250-bed facility capable of caring for 3,500 patients annually.