Tuesday, August 04, 2026
73.0°F

Polson Class of 1974 gathers for reunion

BERL TISKUS | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year, 11 months AGO
by BERL TISKUS
Reporter Berl Tiskus joined the Lake County Leader team in early March 2023, and covers Ronan City Council, schools, ag and business. Berl grew up on a ranch in Wyoming and earned a degree in English education from MSU-Billings and a degree in elementary education from the University of Montana. Since moving to Polson three decades ago, she’s worked as a substitute teacher, a reporter for the Valley Journal and a secretary for Lake County Extension. | August 15, 2024 12:00 AM

Polson High School's Class of 1974 celebrated their 50-year anniversary of graduating from high school last weekend. The Polson school board presented 101 students with diplomas in 1974, according to class members. For this reunion, 40 people attended, according to Una Rose Graham who spearheaded the reunion. 

The class of 1974 was the first class to graduate in the "new" high school, which still serves as the high school, according to Lauren Johnson and Graham. The students moved in and got to spend the second half of their senior year at the new school. 

For this reunion, the group met at Riverside Recreation's Tiki Bar on Friday evening for visiting and libations. Then on Saturday night, everyone brought potluck dishes to the Lake County Fairgrounds in Polson for a casual dinner. Copies of Polson High School annuals, The Salishian (the school's newspaper), and other memorabilia was spread out on tables so attendees could chuckle or groan over high school photos and antics. 

On a more sober note, Amy Nelson Knudsen compiled an In Memoriam board with photos of the 30 classmates who had passed away. 

Sunday morning the plan was to meet at the Sports Page for breakfast and then go their different directions home. They left with new memories of old friends, thinking about their younger selves. 

On a beautiful summer night, the 1974 grads moved from group to group, catching up with each other's lives and enjoying the moment. 

ARTICLES BY BERL TISKUS

July 30, 2026 midnight

Ronan City Council moves forward on police business, extends preliminary approval for subdivision

Ronan’s City Council dealt with lots of civic business at the July 22 meeting.

Tribal detectives and Polson police give overview of drug use in Lake County
July 23, 2026 midnight

Tribal detectives and Polson police give overview of drug use in Lake County

Polson Police Chief George Simpson and Tribal Police Chief Couture partnered with two Tribal Police Drug Investigators, Will Mesteth and Vern Fisher, to provide an overview of drug trends in the community.

Standing Arrow Celebration brings dancers, drummers and visitors to Skookum Lane
July 23, 2026 midnight

Standing Arrow Celebration brings dancers, drummers and visitors to Skookum Lane

The first grand entry of the 46th annual Standing Arrow Celebration was at 7 p.m. on July 18. The weather was sweltering, especially for dancers in full regalia. The powwow grounds had a new large tent for dancers to stand in as they waited to enter the dance arbor. Tarps attached to the arbor walls on the west side shielded spectators from the setting sun.