125 years ago
May 18, 1894
The people of North river will celebrate the 4th of July at Artic this year. A meeting was held and it was decided to have an all day entertainment and picnic dinner, songs, recitations, etc. by the school children, vocal music and speeches by the elder people. A platform will be erected near by where whose who wish to trip the light fantastic can do so during the afternoon and evening if they wish to continue it. Good music will be furnished and everybody is invited to come and be merry with us.
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A section of sequoia giganita sent from California to the British Museum has had its annual rings counted and it turns out that the tress was 1,330 years old. Yet the diameter of the tree was only 15 feet.
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The street commissioner has never before received so many applications from parties to work out their road tax as this year. The most of them have more time than money at their disposal.
100 years ago
May 16, 1919
The Rev. W.R. Caldwell, logger-preacher of the Wynooche valley, attending the great conference of federated churches, at Cleveland, Ohio, has been recognized there as one of the great men who are carrying a practical religion into practical places.
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Robbers on Wednesday night broke into the post office at Elma and robbed it of stamps, money orders, savings certificates and War Savings Stamps and cash to an amount of $6,738.
75 years ago
May 18, 1944
Lt. Lloyd A. Pennick, Army Air corps, who just recently spent his furlough here in Montesano visiting his parents, Mrs. and Mrs. D.C. Pennick, and his aunt, Miss Blanche Pennick, county superintendent of schools, is now stationed at an army base in New Mexico and has been assigned to duty as a bomber pilot, training bombardiers and navigators.
Lt. Pennick graduated from the Montesano high school with the class of ’41.
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Members of Sunbeam Rebekah lodge of Satsop were hostesses to the other lodges of the eighth district on May 10, according to Mrs. Fred Bryan.
The district officers were seated by Alpine lodge of Hoquiam, and an interesting program was presented which included a lovely pageant typifying the various types of work being carried on by women in the war effort, exemplification of the initiatory degree by Friendship lodge of Elma, a beautiful memorial service by Aberdeen No. 240, vocal numbers and a school of instruction.
50 years ago
May 15, 1969
Joan Hardy was named salutatorian of the Montesano High School Class of 1969, and Linda Boyer is the valedictorian.
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In ceremonies last Thursday evening Sally Zepp, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Zepp, was selected Girl of the Year for 1969 at Montesano High School. Sally is active in the Girls Club, a D.A.R. winner and one of the top ten students at MHS. After graduation in June, Sally plans to attend Grays Harbor College.
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Three cars are planning to take the fourth, fifth and sixth grade pupils from Satsop Grade school on a three-day trip May 26-28. This is to be an educational trip to see firsthand the history of places in the Northwest. They plan to go to Vancouver, Washington, and visit Fort Vancouver, on to Bonneville and take in all the famous falls along the way, then to Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, to Oregon City to visit the Crown Zellerbach paper mill and the McLaughlin house and many firsts of the development of our coastal towns. They will spend the nights at tourist parks along the way.
25 years ago
May 19, 1994
Some 400-plus people attended a memorial service for Montesano’s late Police Chief Bill Brookshire who died unexpectedly May 8, while on a weekend vacation with his wife, Jackie, at Warrenton, Oregon. The service was held in Montesano High School gymnasium. Of the 400-plus people attending, approximately 80 were police officers from numerous departments in the state. At the end of the service, Mrs. Brookshire was presented her late husband’s duty hat, his badge and a box containing her husband’s medals and citations. With military honors, a squad of seven members of the U.S. Navy fired three volleys each with their rifles, followed by taps played by Chad Gerchak, an MHS senior. Wayne McDonald followed as he serenaded Mrs. Brookshire and family with “Amazing Grace.”
10 years ago
May 14, 2009
At a special meeting May 7, the McCleary School Board approved eliminating a teacher next school year.
Though it’s still unknown exactly how deep state funding cuts will be, deadlines are looming, and Superintendent Dan Bolender suggested projected cuts of about $92,000 in the district’s budget.
School board members Andy Mesojednik, Lonnie Zeller, Dean Schwickerath and Troy Colley considered four different scenarios, then unanimously — if reluctantly — passed a resolution to reduce the district’s certified teaching staff.
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Due to large cuts in state funding resulting in major impacts to basic education, the Elma School District has cut 15.8 full-time equivalent teacher positions for next year — about 14 percent of its certified teaching force, Superintendent Howard King said.
That would save the district about $600,000 said Lisa Arnold, the district’s business manager. Overall, the district is working on ways to cut about $1 million from its budget for the 2009-10 year.
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Utilizing all facets of the game — some small ball, a long ball, solid pitching and tough defense — Montesano upended the sixth-ranked Class 3A Holy Names Academy 7-2 in a nonleague fastpitch match-up Saturday at Crait Field.
With both teams’ post-season pictures in focus, they agreed to play the first two innings under international tie-breaker rules (normally used in the ninth inning on) to gain some experience in the seldom-used format. Under tiebreaker rules, the final out of the last inning begins on second base to increase the chances of scoring.
Devyn Baker pitched a complete-game six hitter and struck out four in the win that improves Monte’s record to 16-1 overall.
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Elma sent its seniors out in style by drubbing River Ridge 7-0 in the 2A Evergreen Conference soccer finale Thursday at Davis Field.
In a nice touch, all seven goals were scored by Elma seniors — Caton Wescott, Joaquin Meseguer, David Hernandez, Brendan Hann, Kango Katzer, Derrik Brown and Ernest Cedillo.
Compiled from the archives of The Vidette by Karen Barkstrom. She can be reached at 360-537-3925 or kbarkstrom@thedailyworld.com
