Letters to the editor

Feb. 19, 2009

Help preserve living history

2009 is going to be an exciting year for many reasons, the economic roller coaster will most likely continue, our politicians will no doubt keep us in a heightened state of anticipation and anxiety due to their many actions good and bad, we might get to see the Iraq war wind down all of which will probably give us indigestion at one time or another but last but not least there is a bright spot for us and our community. We might get to see the Big Arm rural schoolhouse that was built in 1913 be renovated to where it can be used again to serve the public. This is all due to the (Polson) school district’s willingness to lease the school house to the Big Arm Association. Our thanks to the school district trustees for their support and vote of confidence, without their help we would not be able to even attempt to save the school building which is now officially listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

This Big Arm schoolhouse was one of the first to teach both Native American and homesteader’s children together. It is the Big Arm Association’s intention to restore the one room school house so it can provide the following; living history days for the county’s children, be a site for after school programs, be a senior citizen center, polling place, a site for adult education, be a museum of local history, a community hall while the school’s surroundings will be a community park. 

In order for the above to happen there are a few hurdles we need to over come. An architect needs to be hired who will assess the integrity of the structure including the foundation and give us an itemized list of what needs to be done to make the school a safe place to hold the functions just listed. This architect’s game plan is needed to pursue numerous grants that are available. Private funds will need to be raised so construction materials can be purchased which include siding, roofing materials, dry wall materials, plumbing and electrical supplies to name a few. We believe most of the restoration work will be done by volunteers.

As you probably guessed, we are now in a fund raising mode and estimate the Big Arm’s school house restoration will cost up to $100,000, some of which can be secured through grants. The Big Arm Association fund raising committee, which consists of Lee Engbretson at 520-991-2714, Dave Waterman at 626-483-1298 and Paul Maurer at 849-5131, realize this is not the best time to be trying to raise money but have no choice if we want to restore the school.  If anyone in the community or business would like to help with providing materials, volunteer or make a financial contribution for the restoration please call any of us. 

The Big Arm Association thanks everyone for the support given to us in the past. If we continue to work together on the old school house what a heritage we will be able to leave for future generations to witness and use. If anyone would like a tour of the site, please contact me or Alison Meslin at 849-6628.

Thank you.

 Paul Maurer, Big Arm

Thanks from Arlee library

The Jocko Valley Library of Arlee would like to thank everyone in and around the Arlee Community for their most generous support of the Library at the Fifth Annual Arlee CDC’s Chocolate Lover’s Festival held on Feb. 12. This event benefits the library and afterschool programs for the Arlee area.  The Festival was a HUGE success and everyone in attendance had a wonderful time.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!  Please know that your support will help the library purchase books and materials for this year’s Summer Reading Program.  Arlee is a wonderful community and I am proud to be a part of it not only as a resident, but also as the library Director.

 Kim Folden, Jocko Valley Library Director

Coats for Kids thanks

The Ladies’ Auxiliary VFW 5652 Coat Drive held in January at the VFW Hall in Ronan turned out to be a great success. It was our first project since our auxiliary formed in November 2008. The coat drive ran for about two weeks.

We gave out about 30 coats and numerous caps, ear warmers and neck warmers for adults and children.

We would like to thank everyone who donated coats, caps, etc. We plan on holding another coat drive this fall.

Marge Fay, Ronan

Generosity deserves a thanks

I would just like to let our community know of the generosity shown to us from Eureka, Montana. On Feb. 13, the Eureka Lady Lions hosted the Polson Lady Pirates for a varsity basketball game. Although personally I was unable to attend, my daughter, Staci Benson, a varsity player for Polson and my husband, Brad Benson, did attend.

The Eureka Lady Lions took it upon themselves to set up a donation table to benefit myself and another local lady fighting the battle of breast cancer. When my family called to tell me I was speechless, a community more than 100 miles away supporting and caring for us here in Polson. I cannot believe the community complied I will never forget it.

Please help us in thanking the girls and the community next time you travel through.

Debbie Benson and family, Polson

Prices was a treasure

I was remembering Prices as I drove by the demolition site this week next door to 1st Interstate Bank. Prices Drive-In Restaurant opened around 1950 and was the nicest restaurant in Polson. It didn’t serve liquor so my mother tried to keep it in business. We lived across from the old Methodist Church so had just a block to walk down there for lunch or dinner, and we ate there a lot.

Bernard and Marjorie Price moved to Polson and built the building with full length glass windows and a knotty pine interior, a working fireplace, an oval counter, a full soda fountain and rustic wooden booths and tables. The restaurant underwent two remodels before I left home in 1960.

The restaurant was a drive-in as well as a sit-down restaurant. We parked the car at the curb, turned on the lights and then a waitress would come out and take our order and deliver it. The drive-in didn’t last long, but the restaurant continued.

The Prices ran the restaurant for several winters and then opted to close up in the winter months and go south. One of those trips produced a stuffed sailfish that hung on the wall above the fireplace, which was a thing of wonder to those of us who had never seen the ocean.

They provided employment for a lot of waitresses, cooks and dishwashers and for some ladies who otherwise couldn’t find work but could handle change and hand out menus. It was an upscale job for waitresses attired in a starched dress uniform, not slacks, an apron, a perky waitress hat, hose and sturdy white shoes. Jeanne Schwartz was one who worked there for many years and enjoyed greeting and waiting on tourists who came in summer after summer.

Bernard was the cook and Marjorie supervised and filled in. They served deep-fried chicken in a basket with french fries - chicken in the rough. Bernard came out of the kitchen one day and told us to sample his “fish and chips” served in a basket. First time we’d ever had them. They were the best. The soda fountain slowed the waitresses down making the milkshakes, sundaes, ice cream sodas, cherry cokes and root beer floats. Take-out was packed in recycled hamburger bun boxes enclosed in a brown paper bag. This was how my mother provided a hot lunch for me when she couldn’t be home. It would be warm in the oven when I arrived for lunch to find her gone.  

Bernard and Marjorie lived in the little house on the property until their hard work produced a home on the lake and a Pontiac Bonneville - maybe too hard, because the marriage failed. Marjorie left and Bernard kept working at the restaurant, closing in the winters, until he sold it and retired.

My   dad died sitting at one of their tables in 1995. He was drinking cocoa, collapsed and 911 couldn’t revive him.

Sharon Fulton, Polson