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Time Capsule: From the archives of local weeklies

BERL TISKUS | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 11 months, 2 weeks 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. Contact her at [email protected] or 406-883-4343. | February 12, 2025 11:00 PM

The Flathead Courier, Published on the Shores of Beautiful Flathead, America's Finest Lake, Feb. 16, 1950

Montana picnic in Mesa, Arizona

A record number of 1,040 were registered at the seventh annual Montana Picnic on Feb. 5 in Rendezvous Park in Mesa, Ariz.

The county most highly represented was Fergus with a registered attendance of 102; Gallatin was runner-up with 84. Mrs. A.R. Mitton of Kalispell was awarded the door prize with others for such things as being the shortest woman present or the fattest man.

Officers of the association for 1950 were Harold M. Olson, formerly of Glasgow; Harry Reef, vice-president, formerly of Bozeman; Lucille Sigler, secretary, Bozeman; Mrs. C.E. Hill, corresponding secretary, Kalispell; and Mrs. George Harris, treasurer, Polson.

Among the registrars were Mr. and Mrs. Scott Fries, Mr. and Mrs. F. Brown, and Miss Juanita Yob, Polson; and Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Hill and Mr. and Mrs. B. M. Wohlwind, Kalispell.


Vinge trial set for February 21

Judge Besancon asked arraignment be continued a week for the purpose of gathering more material in the cases of Harold W. Vinge and Alvin J. Vinge, suspects in the burglary of Boettcher Hardware.

The court fixed the same bail as had been set in Justice Court for $6,000 for each man. Both of the defendants refused the services of a court-appointed lawyer. Trial is set for 10 a.m. Feb. 21.


Business training offered students at high school

Students graduating from Polson High School with business training are qualified for general secretarial work, said Neil Devlin, typing and shorthand teacher, in an interview recently.

The school teaches mainly courses in typing, shorthand and accounting, but some students obtain a little training in adding machine work and mimeographing.

Because of the many students taking typing it’s impossible to teach transcription since the machines are in almost constant use. There are four beginners classes and two advanced classes or about 110 students in all.


License sales slow

Car and driver’s license sales have not picked up as they might have been expected to with the clearing of some of the snow, and Feb. 15 so close at hand.

Sales so far are in the 800s for trucks, 1,600s for cars, and more than 3,600 for driver’s licenses.

ARTICLES BY BERL TISKUS

Upgrades continue at Ronan Community Center
January 21, 2026 11 p.m.

Upgrades continue at Ronan Community Center

The Community Center in Ronan was dedicated in 1969, after untold months of work by the local Jaycees and Jayceens. “It’s been a very long time since it had an upgrade, just because there’s no money,” said Sjaan Vincent, Ronan fairgrounds manager.

City of Ronan welcomes Mark Nelson to council
January 21, 2026 11 p.m.

City of Ronan welcomes Mark Nelson to council

Ronan City Council’s meeting on Jan. 14 began with a welcome for a new council member and new police officer, plus new office worker Gwen Zolder.

Winterfest draws crowd but no snow
January 14, 2026 11 p.m.

Winterfest draws crowd but no snow

It was about 40 degrees with not a tablespoon of snow on the ground at the Miracle of America Museum in Polson on Jan. 10. Despite the balmy temperature, people gathered for the annual Winterfest, and examined the fleet of vintage snowmobiles on the museum’s front lawn.