Time Capsule: From the weekly archives

Flathead Courier, Sept. 13, 1923

School opens with large enrollment

With an enrollment which shows a substantial increase over that of last year, the Polson schools started the year’s work Monday morning with a splendid corps of teachers and the prospects of a satisfactory year’s work.

In the high school is practically the same as on the opening of school last year, with 117 in attendance, but Superintendent Williams expects the enrollment to reach approximately 140 within two or three weeks. In the Lincoln building, the opening enrollwment last year was 268, while this year it has already reached 295.

Spaberg Mill shuts down

The Spaberg Lumber company shut down their sawmill at Turtle lake last Saturday night, having cleaned up the supply of logs on hand at this time. The planning mille here in Polson will continue operations. The yard is full of lumber hauled in from the mill.

Plant wild rice in vicinity

The chief U.S. game warden, the U.S. game warden for Montana and Wyoming,, the state fish and game commission chairman, and the deputy state game warden were in Polson Suynday to investigate the wild rice which was planted in this vicinity.

The officials were delighted at the success of the undertaking. The experiment has proved that the rice can be grown successfully here and the officials were convinced of the practicability of the undertaking.

Ronan Pioneer, Sept. 26, 1963

Toelke horses, mules supply Glacier Park

A supply operation into the mountains of Glacier Park started last week using Herb Toelke’s mules and horses of the Glacier Park Horse concession.

The $126,379 contract includes water and sewer systems and comfort stations at Glacier National Park’s Sperry and Granite Park Chalets, which are accessible only by trails.

The Gray Company of Great Falls has the contract for the construction. Toelke is in charge of the freighting.

Charlo women see monster in Flathead Lake

For years now people who have seen it,swear there is a monster in Flathead Lake. Those who haven't seen it still wonder.

Mrs. Wade Vincent and Mrs. Richard Burbank of Charlo have seen it and swear it was there!

Sunday, Sept. 8, after a dip in the Flathead, they were lolling on the dock of the Vincent cabin on Skidoo Bay when what appeared to be a large 10- or 12-foot log came floating along. As it passed the dock at a distance of less than 100 yards, it seemed to dip and glide.

Mrs. Vincent said she caught her breath and then called Mr. Vincent and Mr. Burbank. She apparently called too loudly, and the creature went under water in a sudden move. The men arrived from the cabin immediately but could see only the wake – and refused to believe the women’s story of a moving monster.

For a solid week Mrs. Vincent and Mrs. Burbank kept their experience to themselves for fear others would disbelieve them as had their husbands.

Then came the story that two school teachers had seen the monster that very same day. Now they are sure of themselves and are laughing at their skeptical husbands.

Mission Valley News, Sept. 14,1983

Steps taken to avoid collapse of school

Alarmed over the possibility of the elementary building falling in on their children, 35 people turned out for a St. Ignatius School board meeting last Wednesday to talk about recourses with the trustees.

After discussing safety contingencies in the structure, the Board made several decisions. The most immediate is abandoning the second floor classrooms. The most long-reaching will be the closing of the entire building after this school year.

The condition of the building was dramatically brought to view during the summer when Custodian Roy Martin fell through the floor of the basement. Although Martin wasn’t injured, the staff which used the building daily was less than pleased.