Pomeroy Pioneer Portraits

Ten Years Ago

May 12, 2010

Garfield County Courthouse will close at noon on Thursday so county personnel can begin the process of relocating to Pomeroy Elementary School for the next year.

In an effort to assist economic development in Garfield County, the Community Planning Task Force Business/Services Committee will conduct a survey to assess shopping habits of county consumers and identify gaps in the businesses and services offered locally.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

May 17, 1995

Pioneer Day planning discussed possible events to replace the popular Groundhog Races that were discontinued because of laws dealing with non-domesticated animals and complaints by PETA.

The theme of this year’s Pioneer Day program is “Sentimental Journey” and features the rural schools that dotted the countryside.

Fifty Years Ago

May 14, 1970

Led by Doug and Don McGreevy, Garfield County exhibitors swept all top honors at the Spokane Junior Livestock Show, perhaps the first time in the history of the show that two brothers had shown both grand champions. Doug was FFA grand champion and Don won 4-H. The boys’ Herefords also won the Hereford class championship.

Eleven tractor outfits made quick work of plowing 200 acres of summer fallow ground for Mrs. Bill Evanson on Alpowa ridge. Mr. Evanson died suddenly last week and neighbors organized a plowing bee to finish the spring work of their well-liked friend. Another plowing bee is planned for land farmed by the Evansons south of Pomeroy.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

May 17, 1945

Lieutenant William McCanse, 23, only son of Mr. and Mrs. J.W. McCanse, was killed in action on a German battlefield on April 10, 1945, according to an official telegram received from Washington, D.C. Lieutenant McCanse had been listed as missing in action as of April 9th.

Finding it impossible to locate an organization willing to undertake the serving of a banquet due to lack of food points, the Pomeroy high school alumni association decided to forego the banquet this year when they hold their annual reception for the graduating seniors at Maple hall.

One Hundred Years Ago

May 15, 1920

As no teacher’s application had been received here for any school in the rural districts, a rise in salaries was deemed imperative by Garfield County school district directors. Keeping within limits recommended by the state department of education, annual salaries for county teachers next year will be $900 to $1000 for teachers who have had nine weeks’ normal training, $1100 for those with one year’s training and teaching experience, and for normal graduates with teaching experience, $1200. No one is qualified to teach who has not had some normal training in addition to graduation from a high school.

The Mayview church was filled beyond seating, in honor of Mother’s Day exercises and a basket dinner. Many attended although the weather was bad and cars became stuck in the mud.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

May 11, 1895

If reports are correct, and there is reason to believe they are, there is a den near the China washhouse back of the St. George Hotel that ought to be looked after. Scenes, such as are said to have occurred there, are a disgrace to civilization, and the sooner the nest is broken up and the unclean birds routed the better it will be for the good name and morality of the town. A place where boys are permitted to gather at night to see and hear all manner of beastliness, and where girls claiming to be decent visit in a clandestine manner is the sort of a place to put under ban as quickly as possible. If gross immorality and lawlessness are permitted to sail under a questionable garb of decency rottenness will spread apace among the young. Parents should be knowing where their boys and girls are and what they are doing of evenings.

Mr. Houser says there is a hitch in the deal he is supposed to have made for the flour mill in this city and the trade has not been closed. He asks some improvement in the way of repairs to the mill that was not specified in the original contract.

A hobo who was gathering in the shekels Wednesday,in this city, on the plea of having a broken arm, was himself gathered in by marshal Lakin, and taken before a physician that the injured member might be dressed. The fellow had his arm encased in a plaster of Paris cast, and when this was removed the arm was found to be in a perfectly sound and healthy condition. The fellow was not slow in taking advantage of the opportunity given him to fire himself out of town on “shank’s mare.” He is an imposter whom it would be well for communities generally to look out for.