Pioneer Portraits

Ten Years Ago

Mar 10, 2011

[Headline] Baxter to challenge Gobel for Mayor

[Photo caption] Members, parents, siblings, and coaches from 17 eastern Washington youth wrestling teams gathered in Waitsburg for the first tournament of the five-week Little Guys wrestling season. The 10 a.m. flag salute at Kison Court included an Honor Guard. Nearly 500 competitors participated in this first big tournament hosted by Waitsburg.

Senior Bulldog Dain Henderson stood before a crowd of teammates, schoolmates, coaches, and family to read from the page, “I am a Bulldog. I’ve played for Bulldogs of the past and Bulldogs of the future. I have known success, and I have known defeat. I have known sorrow, and I have known joy. I am a Bulldog.”

Twenty-Five Years Ago

March 2, 1995

Waitsburg sixth graders care about the homeless. The class, along with the help of their teacher, Pam Conover, and their parents, are making 75 hygiene packets to be given to the the Waitsburg Ministerial Society, Waitsburg City Hall, and Project Timothy in Dayton.

[Photo caption] Mike Sutterfield of state fisheries stocks Rainbow lake with trout recently to get ready for opening day of fishing on the Tucannon lakes, northeast of Dayton, on March 1. The season ends on July 31.

Rachel Lambert was left off the principal’s list published in the newspaper last week. She earned at least a 3.7 grade point average to make the list in the second quarter of 1995 at Waitsburg Elementary School.

Public school in Touchet, Dixie, Milton-Freewater, Waitsburg and Prescott received computer, printers and miscellaneous supplies from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers who are recycling used equipment that has been stockpiled at the Walla Walla Regional Airport.

Fifty Years Ago

March 5, 1970

[Photo caption Whing-Dingers balladize: “My ol’ egg-suckin’ dawg…”] Singing the theme song of the Waitsburg Whing-Ding Thing is this academic duet of Wayne Henderson and Jim Wood, accompanied by Ed Sickles on bass guitar and Jeff Harper on drums. In addition to the theme song and some accompaniment for other numbers, Jim Wood sang that touching romantic ballad “My Old Egg-Sucking Dog.” There was not a dry eye in the place.

Glen Hofer, former Waitsburg resident who has served as executive vice president of the National Association of Wheat Growers since 1967, has taken a new position as lobbyist for the National Grain Cooperatives in Washington, D.C.

The youngest member of the Prescott Lions Club when it was formed in 1960 was Bob Muzzy. The oldest member was Ernest McCaw, who was 68 when the group was organized. Muzzy was 22. Muzzy is now the President of the Club.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

March 9, 1945

Men at McCaw hospital need scrap pieces of hard or soft wood or old pieces of furniture to use in their rehabilitation program.

At the regular meeting of the city council Wed. evening the councilmen considered the purchase of property for an airplane landing field in Waitsburg since the group feels this will be a necessity in post-war activities.

Mrs. Jack Clodius and Mrs. Gail Talbott were honored at a stork shower and dessert at the home of Mrs. Richard Gosney who was assisted by Mrs. Jack Penner and Mrs. Albert Land Tuesday afternoon.

One Hundred Years Ago

March 12, 1920

Warden Hendry Drum announced Monday that the state had fixed a price of 16 ½ cents each for wheat sacks manufactured at the penitentiary for the 1920 market.

Cleo Denney of Huntsville, who has been visiting in Ray, Idaho, arrived home Tuesday.

The Waitsburg High School basketball girls went to Richland Saturday to play the high school there.

A surprise party was given for Floyd Taylor Friday evening by a number of his friends at his home on Main Street. Those present were Nellie Herrington, Marjorie Spoffard, Margaret Zuger, Nadine Goldson, Ruth Eichelberger, Lawrence Van Slyke, Floyd Taylor, Fred Carver, Vance Brotherton, Delbert Woodworth, and Robert McCord.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

March 15, 1895

Last Sunday afternoon, Mrs. T. P. Hazleton got a thorough ducking in the mill race. She was crossing on a footbridge when she tripped on a wire which has been put across the bridge to secure it in case of high water, and losing her balance, she went overboard into the water which at that particular spot is quite deep.

L. T. Parker has purchased Lou Otten’s truck and team. William Mullinix will take charge of the same as drayman.

Mrs. A. L. Matheny is agent in this city for the celebrated medicated vapor baths—especially good for rheumatism, breaking up colds, etc.