125 years ago
June 1, 1894
The Catholic church is nearly completed. The society has been fortunate in times like these, in building a church edifice, but probably the work and material could never be obtained so cheaply as now, and many volunteered to donate their labor.
***
Our citizens will have the opportunity of hearing a distinguished speaker in the cause of temperance — David Tatum, the Quaker evangelist — who will speak next Wednesday evening, probably at the rink.
***
The finding of four young boys yesterday on the bank of the Chehalis, under the influence of liquor, and two of them in a beastly state of intoxication, was a sight to sicken the hardest heart.
100 years ago
May 30, 1919
D.W. Fleet left yesterday for Yakima to attend the state trap shoot which will be held there the last of this week. Mr. Fleet is one of the crack shots of the state and has won several medals in various shoots.
***
Fred W. Eberling of Ellensburg is here visiting with his many old friends. Mr. Eberling was a pioneer of the ’90s in this county.
***
A. E. Veatch and family left Saturday, starting on their auto trip to Kansas, where they expect to visit much of the summer. Mr. Veatch had overhauled and repainted his Ford and had fitted it up with all the modern camping conveniences.
75 years ago
June 1, 1944
Word was received Saturday morning from the war department by Mrs. Kenneth McNeill that her son, Lt. Clifford D. Jameson, AAF, was reported missing in action over Australia on May 10.
The last letter his mother received from him was dated May 7.
At that time he had been on 13 missions over enemy territory and was expecting to receive a leave of absence soon. Jameson was chief pilot of a Liberator bomber in charge of a crew of ten men.
His wife, the former Jane Murray of Elma, is now making her home in Olympia, where she is employed by the state.
***
Over 300 people attended Memorial Day services at the Montesano theater honoring our fighters of all wars.
Sponsoring the program, the local posts of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars formed the parade at the City Hall at 9:30 o’clock with the line of march directed by J.Herbert Johnson, marshal of the day.
The Montesano High School band was first in line followed by the National colors, color guards, Legion, V.F.W. flags; then came the firing squad followed by members of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars; then the Auxiliaries of V.F.W. and Legion.
Next in line of march were the wives of V.F.W. members who have husbands serving overseas. They carried a large service flag with service stars; they in turn were followed by members of the D.A.R.
The Montesano Boy Scout troop, smartly clad in the Scout uniforms completed the line of march.
50 years ago
May 29, 1969
A Wynooche Valley girl — senior at Montesano High School — became the Grays Harbor Dairy Princess for 1969-70 Saturday evening at the Olympic View Grange. Teresa Schoch, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Marchel Schoch, was crowned by reigning princess Susan Lentz, before a gathering of approximately 150 people.
Teresa, who will graduate from MHS in June, lives on a 117-acre dairy farm in the Wynooche Valley and plans to further her education in the fall at Tacoma General Hospital College of Nursing.
***
The W.H. Abel Memorial Library, through the generosity of Reuben Fleet, renowned former resident of Montesano, has acquired an A.B. Dick copying machine.
This new device is available to the general public for a nominal charge. Businessmen and any other individuals needing duplicate copies of documents may make use of the copier during library hours.
***
Local volunteers were out in force last Saturday to hurry completion of the new grandstands at the City Ball Park before the game Sunday. The stands, which were constructed by members of the Montesano Recreation Council, will accommodate approximately 40 to 50 spectators. As planned now, both the Slo-Pitch and Girls Softball Leagues will have use of the grandstands.
25 years ago
June 2, 1994
From the “Principal’s Corner” column by Ron Bennett, MHS principal: “We have a state champion walking our halls this week. Julie Mattson won the javelin event at the State “A” Track Meet this past weekend. Our Girls Team placed 4th and the Boys Team placed 8th. Congratulations to those teams.”
***
Montesano’s Assembly of God honored Gayleen Bussard, daughter of Gaylen and Fawna Bussard, with a missionette honor star crowning on May 22.
Gayleen, a seventh-grader at Montesano High School earned the Honor Star title for reading the entire Bible, memorizing 62 scriptures and competing many other requirements. She received recognition from the church’s national office and was honored at a reception following the ceremony.
10 years ago
May 28, 2009
Montesano High School’s “top 10” graduates are a talented group of students. Besides excelling in studies, they were all also involved in many activities that range from sports to clubs. Two of them earned a 4.0 grade point average — Caylin Cordray and Megan Rosenbach. The remaining top students are Hillary Lawrence, Hilary Gochnour, Stephanie Korvell, Katie Whelan, Rachelle Ridout, Jared Larsen, Lacey Goble, Kathleen Esses, Vanessa Brulotte and Kyle Toyra.
***
There are a lot of cheerleaders at Elma Elementary School — Dawn Baker has taught them well.
An employee at the grade school since 1997 and a popular high school basketball cheer coach even longer, Baker was named Elma Citizen of the Year in 2007 because she’s done so much for her community.
Now, her community, including dozens of co-workers, students throughout the school and countless others who know and love her have formed “Dawn’s Cheer Team” to support the giving Elma resident as she battles brain cancer.
***
Rick Rakevich, former 14-year head wrestling coach at Elma High School and a state Wrestling Coaches Hall of Famer, will return to the position next school year. The Elma School Board approved the re-hire of Rakevich, who teaches physical education at the school, to that position, May 26.
Rakevich, 53, who was inducted into Washington State Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame last year, was head wrestling coach at Elma High School until 2003. He resigned because his son, Jamie, was competing in wrestling at Oregon State University and “I couldn’t do justice to the job and be able to go watch him wrestle,” he said.
Rakevich said he was “excited ” about returning to his former position as the Eagles’ head wrestling coach. He lead Elma to the school’s first state wrestling championship in the 1994-95 season. He has been employed by the school district for 27 years.
Compiled from the archives of The Vidette by Karen Barkstrom. She can be reached at 360-537-3925 or kbarkstrom@thedailyworld.com
