April Fool's Day, 1901

Sunflower Lamps (1901) The German Gardener's News, edited by Herr Möller, issued an April Fool's Day edition that discussed various botanical discoveries, such as varieties of flowers that were so phosphorescent they gave sufficient light to read by. "Under proper conditions the flowers of the clematis glow like stars, while sunflowers, if correctly nurtured, make it quite possible to read a newspaper by their unaided light." A photograph showed Herr Möller reading by the light of sunflower lamps in his garden at 10 o'clock at night.

School Quarantined (1901) Pranksters placed a yellow quarantine sign outside the Central school building in Waterloo, Iowa:

The quarantine signal was placed in the most conspicuous place on the building. The lads who are responsible for the misdemeanor probably thought it would be a great joke and possibly be the means of permitting them to a holiday... The teachers and high school scholars entered the building at the main entrance, but did not go into the room just back of the sign until assured that there was no danger. It was only a short time until the news that the west side Central building was quarantined spread pretty well over the town and Mr. Hukill and Mrs. Couch, who use the high school room, were kept busy denying the report and explaining. [Waterloo Daily Courier]

A New Bunch of Practical Jokers (1901) "A few of the unsophisticated and unwary who were made victims of practical jokers on All Fools' Day and the methods used to accomplish their undoing and furnish amusement for the gaping spectators." [The San Francisco Call - Apr 2, 1901]