Pioneer Portraits

Ten Years Ago-June 26, 2008

Organizers have mobilized and are calling all former students of the Huntsville School or Huntsville residents to gather for a reunion in August. Photo caption: The Huntsville Grade School students for the 1946-47 school year. Front Row: Unknown Sutter, Unknown Sutter, Bobby Leroue, Dell Groom, Bud Groom, Bill Kendall. Second row: Darlene Tubra, Betsy Hunt, Kay Huwe, Rosella Koch, Merry Joyce Brown, Mary Liebermann, Eden Brown, Mona Groom. Third row: Teacher Dorothy Hatley, John Libermann, Eugene Tubra, Pete Huwe, Jim Mays, Alfred Tubra, Jim Koch, Teacher Gertrude Moore, Back row: Virginia Hunt, Llene Sutter, Joyce Kendall, Juanita Sampson, Doris Sutter, Aggie Polumsky, Bess Groom, Earlene Groom.

Photo caption: The long-anticipated Waitsburg Streetscape Project got underway the middle of last week and continued this week with cutting of concrete to prepare a 32-inch segment from the curb that will be replaced by pavers. The project, spearheaded by the Waitsburg Community Revitalization Committee, an ad hoc committee of the Waitsburg City Council, will include pavers, new decorative street lights, planters and other improvements in the downtown area.

Twenty Five Years Ago-June 17, 1993

The Hessian fly, a tenacious crop-eating pest which cannot be destroyed this late in the growing season, is attacking soft-white spring wheat crops and could cause yields in some areas to fall by 75 percent. “There is nothing we can do to save the infected spring wheat” said agronomist Pat McConnell, manager of the McGregor Co in Waitsburg. “The systemic insecticides we use for wheat won’t control the Hessian fly”

The F-117A Stealth fighter will highlight this year’s, “Wings Over Walla Walla” air show Saturday, June 26, at Walla Walla Regional Airport.

Fifty Years Ago-June 20, 1968

“Java Music” four-year quarter horse gelding owned by Kenneth and Erma Lee Smith, earned his share at the tropies at the Central Washington Quarter horse Show held at the Morley Ranch in Yakima, June 15-16. Ridden by Curtis Tatwater of Walla Walla, he took first in te junior registered cutting class: second in heeling and team roping and won his class as a mature gelding. He went on to win the Grand Champion Halter Trophy with Oscar George of Walla Walla handling the reins.

A spectacular automobile building crash brought Waitsburg residents onto the streets in record numbers during the wee hours of Sunday morning. A 1960 sedan driven by Woodrow Oliver Wilson, 28, of Dayton, hit the front of the Plaza Theater building at approximately 1 am. The impact demolished the wll at Joe’s Barber Shop and totaled out the car. Wilson had been pursued in Dayton for going over the speed limit and had attempted to outrun the Dayton Police car. Police said that they clocked the car at speeds up to 120 miles per hour on straight stretches.

Ad for Dayton Drive In: “El Dorado” starring John Wayne and Robert Mitchum, “Easy Come, Easy Go” starring Elvis Presley, “Hurry Sundown” starring Michael Cane and Jane Fonda, and “Penelope” starring Natalie Wood.

Seventy Five Years Ago-June 25, 1943

The people of Waitsburg are asked by the City Council to trim the low-hanging brances on the trees along the sidewalks so that they will not interfere with pedestrians.

A public hearing on the proposed re-organization of the Waitsburg school district will be held at the high school next Wednesday. The proposed re-organization includes Bolles, Coppei, Jasper Mountain, part of Dist 25, part of Prescott, part of Dixie, most of Dist 100, Menoken, McKay, and a part of Lost Springs.

Paul Koper, who was minister in the Presbyterian Church here for two years, has returned after a year’s leave of absence during which time he was studying at the Union Theological Seminary in New York City.

One Hundred Years Ago-June 28, 1918

J. S. Arnold who some months ago purchased the D. B. Stimmel place just east of town is complaining to the County Game Commission over the serious damage a colony of beavers is causing in his young apple orchard.

Miss Elvira Southard and Miss Opal Harris have accepted positions at Porter’s Confectionary

Most of our famers seem to be preparing to sack their grain again this season judging from the wagon loads of sacks that hve been moving to the ranches from this city this week. With sacks selling around 30 cents each this year they run itno real money fast.

Miss Emily Meinberg who has been teaching in the Tacoma schools arrived home last week to spend the summer vacation with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Meinberg.

One Hundred Twenty Five Years Ago

June 30, 1893

The Driving Park was dedicated on Thursday evening. The first test of speed was between Mayor Morrow’s and Hon. W. G. Preston’s trotters: mile heats best two in three. Mr. Preston carried off the prize. After this was a running race in which Milan Smith’s buckskin pony was the winner.

Born near this city June 17 to N. L. Balch and wife a son.

Rev. W. G. M. Hays informs us that Waitsburg Academy has recently received $700 for the Dormitory fund. Most of it came from an unexpected source.