Voices from the Past

March 18, 1921

Checker Tournament Starts April Fifth

So much interest has been accorded the game of checkers in Broadus and hereabouts that a tournament will be started to determine the champion (as near as possible). The tournament will be held at the Powder River Hotel and will start Tuesday, April 5th. Prospective contestants should make applications to J.H. Morris.

Flour Mill to Suspend Work

The Broadus flour mill will temporarily suspend operations the latter part of this week and the miller, John Leno, will return to his place near Broadus to start farming work. It is said that some $3,000 worth of flour has accumulated at the mill and this must be disposed of before operations resume.

March 15, 1946

Broadus Real Estate Finding Good Market

Three sales of Broadus real estate were reported last week. Clifford Huckins purchased the Gunhilda Petzsch property at the northeast corner of Park Ave. and North St. for $1000. This property is lots 7&8 in block six of the original townsite of Broadus. The property is improved with a cottage. G.W. Taylor purchased the Ed Couch home on the southeast corner of Wilbur Ave. and Morris St. for an unannounced price. This deal includes lots 10, 11 and 12 in block 7. J.P. Miller, Harold J. Miller and John N. Miller have purchased lot 8 in block 2 from Joseph R. Kane and Donna E. Kane for $2000. This property is improved with a store building and was formerly occupied as an office for attorney John G. Adilee.

March 18, 1971

Girls State and Boys State delegates are chosen for 1971

Miss Earline Hensley, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Hensley, has been selected as the 1971 Girls State Delegate from Powder River High School in Broadus. Earline was selected from the junior class on basis of leadership, character, responsibility, attitude, honesty, and ability to get along with others. She is an active member of Rainbow Girls, pep club, A-squad Basketball Cheerleader, and the prom committee of the Class of ’72. She will be attending Girls State June 6-13 in Helena, Montana at Carroll College. Her alternate is Cindy Carter, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Carter. If Earline is unable to attend, Cindy will attend in her place.

Boys State Delegates for 1971 are Chris Mangen, son of Mr. and Mrs. Chris Mangen, and Sid Samuelson, son of Mr. ad Mrs. Voyle Samuelson. They were chosen from the junior class of Powder River High School on the basis of outstanding leadership ability, character, honesty, participation, and responsibility. Boys State will be held at Western Montana College at Dillon from June 6-13. Alternates are David Heidel, son of Mr. and Mrs. Don Heidel, and Mike Shannon, son of Mr. and Mrs. Rinke Baukema. David or Mike will attend in case one of the other delegates is unable to attend. All four boys are active in sports and other school organizations.

March 14, 1996

Megan Mobley repeats as spelling bee champ

Broadus eight grader Megan Mobley repeated as Powder River County Spelling Bee champion, winning her second straight title in competition here Thursday morning. Sixth grader Cody Samuelson finished in the runner-up position, and will serve as an alternate should Megan not be able to attend the State Spelling Bee in Helena later this month.

It is the first time in at least two decades that a student has won back-to-back spelling titles.

Megan is the daughter of John and Dee Mobley, and Cody is the son of Sid and Gaye Samuelson, all of the rural Powder River County community.

In the seventh round of the Bee, Samuelson missed his first word, “spontaneous,” to the vocal groans of a number of supporters in the audience. Mobley went on to spell that word correctly, and then, with careful confidence, spelled “commute” to win her second straight title.

Although the end came swiftly in the final two rounds for the finalist, more students advanced further in the bee than in recent competitions, said organizer Charlotte Miller, Powder River County Superintendent of Schools. That speaks well for the county’s school systems indeed.

Amanda Fortner and Dawson Dunning lasted until the fifth round. Going out in the fourth round of the annual even were Kevin Bird, Justin Madsen, Jody Gay, Buddi Clements, David Scoles and Bethany Dice.

Fifty-seven county students in grades five through eight competed in this year’s bee. Schools represented were Broadus Elementary, Biddle, Billup, South Stacey and Horkan Creek.

Others competing included: Round Three, Heidi Butts, Pat Emmons, Kaycee Gardner, Ren Gardner, Michael Williams, Mary Trusler, Matt Hagedorn, Jacob Dahl, Cris Landa, Ryan Klein, Jesse Dahl, Jennifer Hawkinson and Lyndsey Merchant; Round Two, Ben Brewer, Ryan Powell, Shanna Huckins, Brittany Dice, Emily Perleberg, Jill Rumph, Chance Capp, Krista Minow, Cassandra Mills, Rebecca Dahl, Andrew Portwine, Amber Smith, Chelsey Billing, Stacy Mader, Mike Olson, Nancy Turnbough, Eric Klein, Kaycee Phillips, and Rori Rogge, and Round One, Alex Rumph, Emily Scoles, Lanissa Fortner, Samantha Swift, Rachel Andrews, Trent Tope, Michael Wiltse, Terra Wilson, Carrie Wetherelt, Evan Rumph, Matt Scott, Lee Randall, Mike Olson, Katie Daily, Jennifer Isaacs and Tonya Preston.

Concerning the early-outs, it was often a case of “luck of the draw.” First round words varied in their difficulty from hawk to prematurely and exaltation.

Judges for the Bee were Anita Wetherelt, Eleanor Crane and Gladys Linville. Pronouncer was Hal Hawley. All are veteran volunteers.