This week 59 years ago: Polson honors 50-year alumni, rural enrollment increases, Polson debates lighting district

The Flathead Courier, September 1, 1967

Polson High homecoming game is Friday; to honor 50-year alumni

The Polson Pirates go from one tough opponent to another in Western Division Class B play this year. After losing the final minutes of the game with the defending champs, the Pirates now play host to the rough, tough Eureka Lions in a homecoming night tilt at Polson this Friday. Kickoff time is 8 p.m.

The Lions, led by their highly touted "Mr. Inside" and "Mr. Outside" running backs, have run rampant in their last two games and are undefeated for the season. 

"Mr. Outside" is Max Salisbury, who piled up 226 out of 308 yards gained rushing against Corvallis two weeks ago. "Mr. Inside" is Larry Banks, who rolled up 51 yards. Last week Salisbury piled up 202 yards in 15 carries to lead Eureka to a 27-7 win over Stevensville. Quarterback Greg Osler contributes to both running and passing attacks.

Hope is that the Pirates will not let down after their maximum effort against Loyola last week. The Pirates have a 1-1 win-loss record and are still in the running for the league crown. If they can get over Eureka, they've got a good chance to win as local sideline quarterbacks figure Eureka can beat Loyola this year.

Coach Darry Dupuis gives this tentative starting lineup for the Polson-Eureka fray: Steve Nelson, Larry Busch, ends; Mason Richwine, Jim Stinger, tackles; Mitch McCarley, Royce Bird, guards; Pat Hambly, center; Clifton Olmstead, quarterback; Clayton Olmstead, fullback; Tom Vert, left half; Roy Sturm, right half.

Homecoming events planned by the Polson High School Alumni Association include a coffee-cookie mixer following the game. It will be held at the hot lunch room. Alumni members, all high school faculty members, school board members and their spouses are invited.

Special guests will include members of the golden anniversary classes of 1917-1918, high school faculty with 15 or more years of tenure, new principal Mervin Lindsay, the athletic coaches, football team captains and the homecoming queen and her attendants.

Rural school enrollment shows increase of six

Rural Schools of Lake County have a countywide increase of six pupils, with enrollment at 180 this year compared to 174 in 1966, County Superintendent Clyde F. Carpenter reports.

At one time there were 35 rural schools in Lake County.

Several of these were Joint Districts with Flathead, Sanders and Missoula counties. Now, all but eight have been closed, annexed or consolidated into other districts. Of these remaining eight districts, four are located on the West Shore of Flathead Lake within 15 miles of each other, Carpenter said.

Elmo is an all-Indian, two-room, two-teacher school with an enrollment of 29 pupils taught by Mrs. Vera Spangler and William Keefe of Elmo.

Proctor is a one-room school with 16 pupils in grades one through eight, taught by Merle Murray of Dayton.

Dayton and Rollins have combined their two schools, giving each teacher two grades. Rollins has grades one through four with 23 pupils taught by Mrs. Rita Grant of Elmo and Mrs. Mary Rowton of Hot Springs.

Dayton has grades five through eight with 21 pupils taught by Mrs. Ione Harris of Elmo and Mrs. Lois Meuli of Dayton. The pupils are bussed to their respective classes. The trustees of these two districts worked out this combination in an effort to provide better educational programs for their pupils, Carpenter said. This combining of schools is not new and has been very successful in Flathead County, where several such combines have occurred in the past few years, he explained.

Valley View is a two-room, eight-grade school with 26 pupils, taught by Mrs. Sarah Sturm

Lighting Debate Expected

Another spirited city council meeting appears to be on tap for next Monday night as the council is scheduled to consider the final forms of resolutions intended to create two special improvement lighting districts.

Former councilman Clint White advised the council at the last session that if it adopted the resolution of intent to create the commercial lighting district, which includes bridge lighting, he would seek an injunction to stop both the business district and citywide lighting districts.

White told the Courier Monday that his attorney, Marshall Murray of Kalispell, states that it would be illegal for the city to light the bridge, which is outside city limits. White indicated that he might not continue his opposition to the citywide district …