Voices from the Past

September 7, 1923

Bill Ramer Paralyzed by Fall; Crawls Half a Mile

Bill Ramer, residing in the Coalwood country fell from his horse Monday afternoon, sustaining bruises to his back that caused a paralysis to his lower limbs. He was alone at the time and to find aid he adopted the only course, that of crawling almost inch by inch half a mile to the county road. His elbows and chest were badly lacerated and dirt had clotted with blood. Ramer was more than exhausted when he finally arrived at the road and it was not until five hours afterward that he attracted the attention of a passing motorist. Dave Benge happened to see the prostrate man lying alongside the road and investigated. Ramer was taken to the hospital at Miles City for attention.

September 3, 1948

Now It’s Pink Snakes in Powder River County

Two headed calves are no longer a rarity in Powder River County. Now it is “pink snakes” about ten inches long - shades of the pink elephant and purple crocodile days. R.D. McCurdy, County Clerk and Recorder and local Curator, has what he terms a “pink snake” in his office. The reptile, about ten inches long, with a white body and pink markings, including deep pink eyes was found along a county road recently by the Stuver brothers and brought to Mr. McCurdy for classification. The nearest local reptile experts have classified it has been announced as an Albino bull snake or something very much like one. Visitors at the courthouse in Broadus may see the snake in Mr. McCurdy’s office - safely stowed away in a glass jar with a screen on top. “Mac’s” Deputy has taken a temporary vacation.

September 6, 1973

School Enrollment Down

Enrollment figures for the Broadus Elementary and Powder River County High School show a slight decrease at the beginning of school this year from the maximums of the 1972-73 school year.

As of August 31, 1973, total enrollment for the Elementary building (K-6) is 179 and for the High School building (7 through 12) is 327. Grades 1 through 8 total is 230 and grades 9 through 12 is 255.

Named ‘Outstanding Young Women’

Five area young women have been selected as Outstanding Young Women of America for 1973, according to Ms. Pandora Bemis, director for the national awards program. The women are now being considered for further state and national awards.

Nominated by the local Extension Homemakers Club were Wendy Vallejo, Mary Ann Salge, and Jane Ann O’Donnell, all of Broadus, and Sarah McGill of Powderville. Miss Verna Jo Pikkula, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Al Pikkula of Broadus, was nominated by Betty Engle, Outstanding Young Woman for 1972.

The Outstanding Young Women of America program recognizes the achievements and abilities of women between the ages of 21 and 35 and they are honored for their outstanding civic and professional contributions to their communities, states and nation. From the fifty state winners, the national Ten Outstanding Young Women of America for 1973 will be selected. The national winners will be presented at a special awards ceremony to be held this fall in Washington D.C.

September 3, 1998

New Creation Gracing the High School Halls

By Connie Barnhart

A new artistic creation is gracing the halls of Powder River High School. The “Hawk” tile project on the floor in front of the gymnasium is the creation of Dana Brownfield, Dawson Dunning, and many others.

Last spring the Student Council approached Connie Barnhart about redoing the floor design in front of the gymnasium. They offered to pay for the cost of the project. Mrs. Barnhart presented the design problem to her Enrichment class. Two days later Dana and Dawson had created designs for the project and took on the task even though there was little more than four weeks left of the school year. Dana’s design was chosen and the “Dynamic Duo” went right to work on the construction. They soon found out that the project entailed more work than expected. More than 200 pounds of clay was rolled out by hand, cut out, and fired in the school kiln. Every bit of class time was efficiently used and fellow students were recruited whenever possible. Dana stayed after school some nights until 7 p.m. rolling and cutting the pieces to the design.

When the pieces had been glazed, Mrs. Barnhart took the pieces to Miles City where Mark Browning at the Custer County Art Center fired them to the correct temperature. This was very generously done by Mr. Browning free of charge. The tile pieces were returned to Broadus by Mrs. Barnhart. Billy Watters and Levi Delker cleaned out the tile area and removed the old pieces. The new tiles were installed by Mr. Ray, Ren Gardner, Keegan Wilson, Tom Coolahan, Billy Stuver, and Jesse Grant. The tile project is great visual addition to our school and is yet another example of the talent, creativity and cooperative spirit of our young people.

Visitor’s Center Open

Federal, state and local dignitaries and guests were on hand last Thursday morning for the dedication ceremony opening the new Visitor’s Center at the combined Montana State MCS Scales and rest area facility just south of Broadus. The facility, combining the three separate entities, was built at a cost of over one and a half million dollars using federal and state monies in a cooperative effort involving the Montana Department of Transportation and MCS, U.S. Forest Service, Town of Broadus, Powder River County Commissioners and Clerk and Recorder’s Office, and Powder River Commercial Club’s Tourism Committee. The visitor’s center, turned over to the Commercial Club for operation, will be staffed 12 hours a day five days a week, by volunteers, with some Green Thumb program hours added. It will serve as Southeastern Montana’s Gateway Community information center for tourism, the second largest industry in Montana behind agriculture. Present during the ribbon cutting ceremonies were Nancy Espy, Commercial Club Tourism committee member, State Senator Ric Holden, State Representative Marian Hanson, Clerk and Recorder Karen Amende along with other guests and dignitaries, including Commissioner Kyle Butts and Bill Ott, Forest Service.