PIONEER PORTRAITS

Ten Years Ago August 21, 2003

Local western and wildlife artist Jackie Penner has been accepted into the Women Artists of the West 5th International Juried Art Show with two of her oil paintings. Their titles are "Header Team" and "Tatu's Attitude." The show will be held at Headwater Arts and Conference Center in Dubois, Wyoming, September 5-21, 2003. This event is an official event of the Jackson Hole Fine Art Festival with cash and merchandise amounting to over $4000 being awarded to winners of the show. Along with several other women artists, Jackie's painting, "Header Team" is featured in the Women Artist of the West ad found in the Sept./October issue of Art of the West magazine.

Twenty-Five Years Ago August 18, 1988

"My interest is in Prescott," says Mary Grant Tompkins, graduate of Prescott High and new superintendent at Prescott School District. Tompkins, 53, recently took over the helm of Prescott School District, coming "back home" from Boise, Idaho, where she was elementary principal for Kuna School District's Indian Creek School of 300 students. The daughter of Irene Grant and the sate Sam Grant, Tompkins attended school in Prescott, graduating in 1953. As with any active high school student, she was active in nearly all aspects of small school life, from cheerleader to ASB president to play- ing in the band. She was also valedictorian of her class of seven, which were all "very good students, all very close," she says. Returning to her home town is a move she made to further her educational career from beginnings as an elemen- tary teacher to what she hopes will be a satisfactory conclu- sion as a small school superintendent in Prescott.

Fifty Years Ago August 16, 1963

Firemen were called out last Saturday to extinguish a stubble fire at Dick Harper ranch. The fire apparently was started from the combine and only about ten acres of stubble burned. No standing grain was hurt. While the firemen were on that call, they also received another cry for help when a car had overturned near the Jack McCaw ranch and was burning. None of the occupants were injured. On Sunday, firemen were called to the Kenneth Smith ranch for another stubble fire. During the severe storm Monday night, lightning started a fire in the stubble at the Howard Smith ranch. About 35 acres was burned, but the torrents of rain extinguished the fire before the firemen could get to it. Many local residents saw the reflection of this fire as the sky was illuminated a muted red over the southwest part of town. Tuesday, firemen spent nearly four hours on Jasper Mountain putting out a brush and timber fire on land owned by Boise-Cascade Co. This land is adjacent to farmland leased by Ellsworth Conover. Also Tuesday evening, lightning again started a small stubble fire at the Ron Kenny farm.

Seventy-Five Years Ago August 19. 1938

A unit of the Gamble Stores is to be formally opened in this city on Saturday of next week under the management of Mr. A. J. Minshall, formerly of McLaughlin, Sout Dakota. The business will be in the store room of the W. M. Bursh building.

Miss Joan Hamilton is home after a two week's visit in Goldendale.

Miss Betty Beechinor of the Prescott district is one of the Fair Farmerettes who are boosting for the Walla Walla Valley Fair.

Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Leid left for a week's vacation over in Idaho.

In honor of Miss Henrietta Vollmer, popular bride-elect, Miss Erma Zuger, Miss Dorthe Mount and Miss Winnifred Neace entertained Tuesday.

One Hundred Years Ago August 22, 1913

On Wednesday, Aug. 27, Asa H. Hankerson, the Most Worshipful Master of the Grand Lodge of Masons of Wash- ington, will convene the Grand Lodge in Waitsburg and lay the cornerstone of the new Masonic building.

The State Board of Highway Commissioners Saturday left the Wilson-Bailey Construction Company of the city two contracts that will complete the Inland Empire highway between Walla Walla and Waitsburg, 18 ½ miles. The total cost of the entire road will be $69,317.59.

Rats, which made their appearance in this locality about a year ago, seem to be holding their own despite every effort to exterminate them or reduce their number. The citizens have used every method ever thought of or dreamed of but the pests seem to maintain a substantial population.

A new furnace is in the Spring Valley school house ready to be installed.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago August 10, 1888

Born, near this city, August 4, to the wife of Marcus Zuger, a boy.

At the organization of the Eastern Star Lodge in this city, last Saturday, many visitors from neighboring commu- nities were present.

On Wednesday night of last week, a number of mirth loving youths of our city were determined to have a barrel of fun and treat Mr. and mrs. Rufus Willard to an old fashioned charivari. Armed to the teeth with bells, pots and pans, etc., etc. they set out on their stealthy tread. Windy Billups, Chas. Hol and Dick Thorn concocted a scheme to turn the tables on the charivari crowd. They started post haste across lots, beat the boys to the Williard residence and gained admittance. When the charivari boys arrived and began their harmonius music, in response they received a fusillade in such rapid succession as to cause a stampede compared with which Bull Run is nowhere.

After the firing ceased, Windy Billups, attired in night cap and Mother Hubbard gown, quietly opened the door and with a large bucket of water gave them such a thorough duck- ing as they will not soon forget. They all pronounce Mrs. Williard the bravest woman they ever saw. After they read this and fount out how it all happened, they will probably be as mad as they were scared and wet last Wednesday.