Linda Ferguson, a fourth- grade teacher at St. Jude Thaddeus School in Havre, has been honored as the Montana History Teacher of the Year. As part of the 16th annual Montana Statehood Centennial Bell Award ceremony on Tuesday, Ferguson and members of last year's fourth-grade class rang the Montana Statehood Centennial Bell at 10:40 a.m. for one minute, at the exact minute Montana became the 41st state in 1889. The event was sponsored by KRTV, KPAX, KXLF and KTVQ, and the Sons and Daughters of Montana Pioneers, in cooperation with the Office of Public Instruction. Ferguson received a plaque and checks for $1,000 from the TV stations and $250 from the Sons and Daughters of Montana Pioneers. The money will be used to purchase Montana history materials for the school library and provided reimbursement for lunch for the students, parents and teachers attending the ceremony. Speaking on Ferguson's behalf at the ceremony were St. Jude principal Therese Cowdery, parent Debi Rhines, and fourth-graders Nick Rhines, Billy Dolph and Chance Pitkanen. The historic Montana bell has been in the state Capitol since Montana's Centennial. It is rung only on the state's birthday by the Montana History Teacher of the Year and the teacher's students.
Resident advisers have been selected at Montana State University-Bozeman for the 2005-2006 academic year. A total of 72 resident advisers were selected from more than 250 applicants. They include: Jacob Lorang of Havre, a finance major and the son of Ron and Laura Lorang; and Laine Lybeck of Joplin, a biotechnology major. Lybeck's parents are Kip and Delia Lybeck.
Air Force Airman Earl K. Trotter has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. Trotter is the son of John Trotter of Knoxville, Tenn., and grandson of Earl Keith of Chester.
