From the Files

100 Years Ago

Ritzville-Journal Times

March 8, 1923

Band will play at picnic

J.W. Lucas of the Singer Music Store announces that he has closed a contract with the Pioneer Picnic whereby the Odd Fellows band of Ritzville will furnish the music both for the day programs and for the dances at night at the annual Crab Creek picnic. The Pioneer Association has hired the Whitehead orchestra for several years, and this aggregation was active in the competition this year, but the local Odd Fellows received the contract.

Ritzville Glee Club

makes first appearance

The Ritzville Glee Club entertained a full house at the school gymnasium Thursday evening when they made their first appearance in Lind. The club was composed of 19 male voices, a four piece orchestra, a classic dancer and the director, Miss Hallin, besides other friends to help with the costuming and other back stage work.

The latter part of the program was a minstrel feature in which local residents were made the butt of harmless jokes and greatly tickled the crowd's funny bone.

75 Years Ago

Ritzville-Journal Times

March 4, 1948

Name navy vet scoutmaster

of Ritzville troop

W. Lee Pierce, 26-year-old navy veteran, has been appointed Scoutmaster in Ritzville it was announced this week. Pierce has had six years of scouting experience, including two as assistant scoutmaster in his home town of Des Moines, Iowa. He is a veteran of five years in the navy medical corps and saw wartime service in the Pacific theater. The new troop leader had never heard of Ritzville until he met Helen Plager of this city when she was a WAVE in Seattle. They were married in October 1946.

School buys chairs

for 15 cents apiece

The chairs cost 15 cents each and the tables 62 cents apiece. That's the bargain H.A. Trimble, Ritzville school superintendent, procured by driving to Mead aluminum plant last Thursday and buying from the War Assets Administration at a 95-per-cent discount. The 47 tables and 64 chairs will be used to help equip the lunchroom in the new elementary school.

50 Years Ago

Ritzville-Journal Times

March 8, 1973

HEW assigns Dr. Oler to Ritzville

Dr. Ralph Oler will be assigned to Ritzville July 1 under a federal program for doctors to serve here a two-year period in lieu of military service. This news was phoned in by a Ritzville doctor-committee member, Milt Sackmann, Tuesday from Sen. Warren Magnuson's office in Washington, D.C. Harley Dirks, Sen. Magnuson's administrative assistant, phoned back only two office days after the Ritzville committee's inquiry as to the disposition of the matter.

Dr. Oler will establish his practice in the facilities prepared for a second physician at the Dr. John Ritter clinic building. Under an agreement with the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, if receipts of the new doctor's practice fail to meet expenses including the salary of a medical officer in the armed services, the federal government will make up the difference.

25 Years Ago

Ritzville-Journal Times

March 5, 1998

Lyons to challenge

Nethercutt for seat

Odessa Democrat Brad Lyons has announced his candidacy for Washington State's Fifth Congressional District. Lyons will seek to unseat Rep. George Nethercutt for that position. In announcing his candidacy, Lyons outlined what he felt to be major campaign issues. He asserted that, "Social Security solvency, appropriate health care oversight, livable family wages, and a balanced budget are some of the most important issues of the day." He continued, saying "George Nethercutt and I may agree on what the issues are, but we differ fundamentally in our approaches."

Lyons is a 44-year-old farmer and businessman from Odessa. He and his wife, Arlene, have two sons, Keegan, who is currently serving with the Air Force in Korea and, William, who is a student at Odessa.

- The Journal