News you can use

Celebrating History: Answering the call

By Emily Mayer

The June 2, 1917, issue of The Havre Plaindealer reminded those thinking they were going to avoid their duty to participate in the war that they were going to be met with prosecution through Federal Court. Women were starting to take men’s places in the field, work shops and offices — they would also answer the call a generation later in World War II. Women could “do their bit” at home by economizing in the kitchen. “Liberal premiums” were being offered for sheep at the Montana State Fair due to the demand for wool for the war effort-uniforms, socks, overcoats, blankets and “other parts of army equipment.” And Uncle Sam was encouraging an increase in the planting of sugar beets.

In local war news, the Plaindealer ranted in its editorial column against patriotism being commercialized and on the front page proudly announced this news:

HAVRE BOYS ARE ANSWERING THE CALL

Number Have Offered Their Services to Uncle Sam

Havre is furnishing its full quota of young men who are willing and anxious to fight for the principles of democracy upon which this republic is founded, notwithstanding the draft is not yet in effect. About twenty young men have already gone from this city to enter the service of their Uncle Sam in whatever line they may be best fitted, and this number was augmented this week by the following who enlisted at the recruiting office conducted by Postmaster Pepin. All the boys listed below were sent to Spokane and from that point will be assigned to posts best adapted: Joe Wild, Walter Martin, Roy Barnes, Rogers, Robert Lincken, Will Hubbard, Jr., and Tom Smithers.

All the boys are well known in the city, and they depart with the best wishes of the entire populace of Havre.

School news announced the largest class ever graduating from Havre High School-14. With the increase in the student body came this news:

CALLING FOR BIDS ON HIGH SCHOOL ADDITION

Structure Will Bee Rushed During the Coming Summer

In another column will be found a call for bids on the addition to the Havre High School building. The bids will be opened on the evening of June 11th, and the successful bidder will be expected to rush the work to completion.

The new addition to the high school will provide a number of additional rooms, and these will, it is believed, relieve the congested condition under which the school authorities have been forced to work during the past year.

When the new structure is completed, Havre can boast one of the finest high school buildings to be found in the state.

Mr. C. W. Long, local observer for the Weather Bureau, submitted his monthly weather report and announced that May 1917 was the driest in 37 years. Reading the social page passages in newspapers earlier in 1917 show a concern due to the lack of precipitation in the area and they were right to be worried. It would be the infancy of a long period of drought and this, along with the end of World War I and severely depressed grain and livestock prices, would be the beginning of a long depression well before the 1929 stock market crash. By the time the stock market crash came around up in this part of the country we simply got more of the same.

In the Society column, weddings were announced for Mr. G. S. Taylor to Miss Laura Genevieve in Northfield, Minnesota, who were to set up home in Butte; Mr. Axel Fitch Peterson to Miss Rose Hughes, who'd reside in King, Montana; Mr. W. E. Reynolds to school teacher Miss Agnes Sampson of Box Elder; and Mr. H. A. Miller and Mrs. Alice Clark to live on Fourth Street in Havre. Three socials were also announced:

Hold Novel Social.

A very unique social was held in the basement of the Methodist church on Saturday afternoon at which fifty scholars of the primary department were guests. The afternoon was spent in games and other amusements, at the close of which ice cream cones were served in conjunction with other light refreshments.

Young Married Women Guests.

Mrs. C. B. Koepke was hostess to the younger married women of the city at a delightful party on Tuesday evening in the Koepke apartments in the Yeon building. More than twenty guests were present to enjoy novel and interesting forms of amusement planned by the hostess, who is one of Havre’s most popular young matrons. The evening was concluded with the serving of dainty refreshments.

Mrs. Erler Entertains.

Mrs. R. G. Erler was hostess to a number of friends at her home in south Havre, Wednesday evening. A large number of friends were present and spent a most enjoyable evening at cards and Kensington, and at the close of the evening enjoyed a delicious luncheon prepared by the hostess.

 

Reader Comments(0)