Pages of the Past: Bomb threat search proves how clean Monte students are, 50 years ago this week.

Pages of the Past for March 19, 2020

125 years ago

March 22, 1895

Mrs. J.A. Gamage, of Hoquiam, visited friends in Montesano the first of the week.

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The grippe has its grip again on a number of our citizens.

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Do not forget the social to be given this evening at the home of Rev. L.D. Wells, on Pioneer street.

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A letter received by the family a few days since from Mrs. F. M. Wilson, who is now in California, stated that Tom’s health was in a critical condition and it was feared that he could survive but a few days. He has quick consumption, and since going to California he has failed rapidly.

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This is the time of year people should clean up their alleys. If this is done it might be the means of preventing considerable sickness during the summer months.

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Hereafter county commissioners will be elected by the voters of the entire county instead of one district.

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Advertisement: I have opened a meat market in the French building, on Main street, north of postoffice, where I will keep on hand a full stock of FRESH AND SALT MEATS. A share of the public patronage is respectfully solicited. B.C. Gregory.

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Mrs. J. A. Griswold, who has been visiting friends in Aberdeen, returned to Montesano, Wednesday.

100 years ago

March 19, 1920

The basket ball team has for sometime been planning a trip to Ilwaco, a town on the Columbia river. However, Coach Scott has received a message that a “flu” epidemic is prevalent there, necessitating cancellation of the game.

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L.A. Hertzberg, Mr. and Mrs. Donn J. Wyllys, J.J. Rottle and Miss Kohn made a theater party to see “Twin Beds” in Elma Friday night.

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Gordon Calder, Francis Bergstrom and Earl Philips represented the Montesano high school at the older boys’ conference, Y.M.C.A. at Olympia Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

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About 25 or 30 friends of Mrs. James Dickinson gave her a surprise birthday party at her home last Wednesday night.

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Mrs. J.A. Pike of Elma was in Montesano Wednesday.

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The W.C.T.U. met at the home of Mrs. O.H. Finkle Tuesday afternoon.

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Harry L. Williamson has sold a house to Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. King. Mr. King is employed by the Fir Products Company.

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Mr. and Mrs. J.A. Hutcheson entertained George Bailey, pianist of Seattle, Friday night.

75 years ago

March 22, 1945

Mr. and Mrs. C.E. Hollingsworth received a card this week from their son, Captain James Hollingsworth, that he was well and unhurt. He stated that as soon as he was permanently located he would advise as to his address.

Hollingsworth was shot down over Germany December 25.

The first part of this month his parents received many cards from short wave listeners that they had heard the captain over a prisoner-of-war broadcast. At that time he was a prisoner at Stalag Luft No. 1, at Barth, Germany, near the Baltic Sea.

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The Montesano high school auditorium is to be the scene of three one-act plays, this Friday night at 8:00 p.m. The prices are 25 cents for adults and high school students and 10 cents for grade school.

The first play will be presented by the sophomore class, and is entitled “Red Flannels,” and will consist of the following program:

Grandpa Buston, Paul Taylor; who wears the red flannels. Mrs. Flibber, Hattie Althuisius; misguided by them. Lizzie, Margie Easter; attempts to burn them. Josie, Bertha Jacobson; tolerates them. Elmer Broos, Junior Bogdanovich; sells them. Walker Brean, Dayton Holoway, buys them. Mr. De Wonsky, Bill Quimby; wants to paint them.

Director, Stanley Bogdanovich; assistant director, Sherman Esses.

The second title and act will be played by the juniors, which, according to its title, seems to be a play within a play, or “They Put On a Play: — and here’s the cast:

Mrs. Cameron, Roberta Beardslee; the director. Mrs. Wallace, Ida Jean Carlstad; a sweet old “mother.” Dot Macy, Ruby Pinkston; a “woman in red.” Mary Blair, Juanne Voigt; a stage-struck miss. Clara Watson, Coralee Barton, a hog-calling dinner. Jimmy Hadley, Lynn Cash; an over-worked prop boy. Joe Dennis, Donald Osterberg; a farmer turned actor. The carpenter, Jack Powell; a man of mystery. The chief of police, Wallace Meyer; a hard boiled officer.

Director, Helen Borro; assistant director, Melba Quinn.

The third and last play and act of the evening’s program, is being presented by the 1945 freshmen, and, apparently, it is all about another freshman, if we can judge by his name, for the act is entitled, “Life With Willie” — and supporting “Willie” we have:

Herbert Taylor, Gerald Leetham. Eunice Taylor, Beverly Mobray. Willie Taylor, Lewis Parker. Henry Taylor, Albert Owen. Susie Taylor, Bernadette Hayden. Janice Carter, Patsy Oleson.

Director, Pat Gleeson; assistant director and prompter, Francis Polsfoot.

50 years ago

March 19, 1970

“There is a bomb on the second floor of the high school. This is no joke.” Those were the words of a male adult last Friday about 10:15 a.m. as the telephone call came into the Montesano Fire Department.

Within minutes the building was cleared and the time-consuming, frustrating job of searching started for school officials, firemen, local police and sheriff’s deputies. Several hours later the search revealed nothing.

However, several things came to light during the course of the day. One, was the unusual cleanliness of the students’ lockers. In the words of Herb Herrick, undersheriff, “I’ve been in on several such searches in other schools, and this high school is undoubtedly the most orderly as far as the lockers go, that I have seen.”

Echoing Herrick’s statement was Wheeler Principal Lloyd Enz who said, “There were several rumors to the effect that marijuana, speed pills, etc., were found during the search. Nothing can be further from the truth. The lockers we searched, and that included almost all, divulged nothing, except aspirin tablets. I’m very proud of these kids.” …

The dampening thought to the evacuation of the school building last Friday was the fact that school officials indicated that all time lost from class would undoubtedly result in an extension of classes in June.

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Meeting with State Park officials Wednesday morning, six members of the Montesano City Council were in unanimous agreement that an emergency fund of $5,000 should be asked of the city for the repair of stringers and pilings under the Lake Sylvia Bridge.

Representing the state were Derrin Johnson, chief engineer; Howard Hannigan, park regional planner; and Mel Murray of the attorney general’s office.

Johnson, in stating the park department’s stand on the bridge, said, “In the first place, we have to decide just what the state wants to do in regard to the park, maintain it as a park, or not. This decision cannot be made here, nor can it be made in the near future. We will have to return to Olympia and submit our recommendations to the Commission.” Johnson indicated this would be done within the next 30 days.

Both the state and city officials present at the meeting were in agreement that something has to be done with the bridge.