Everyone in Havre must have been stuffed with turkey this week 100 years ago because local news was scant in the December 1, 1917 issue of The Havre Plaindealer.
One longstanding tradition was reported on the front page. It is tradition that the first Sunday of December is the Lodge of Sorrow for Elks Lodges across the United States to honor fellow Elks members who have passed away during the year. This year will be of no exception as Havre Elks BPOE #1201 will be holding its Lodge of Sorrow this Sunday. The program from 100 years ago is as follows:
“LODGE OF SORROW AT ORPHEUM SUNDAY
“Elks Hold Annual Memorial Services at 3 p.m.
“The annual Memorial Exercises of the Havre Lodge of Elks will be held Sunday at the Orpheum at 3 p.m. The principal speaker will be Past Exalted Ruler E. H. Cooney of Great Falls.
“The committee on program announce the following order of exercises:
“Overture: Sacred, Halverson’s orchestra.
“Opening Ceremonies: Exalted Ruler and officers.
“Male Quartette: “Still, Still With Thee.” F. W. McCarthy, Guy Funk, H. C. Tregoning, and Roy Glover.
“Solo: “The Lord is My Light”, Mrs. E. J. Delahoyde.
“Address: Past Exalted Ruler E. H. Cooney, Great Falls Lodge.
“Closing Ceremonies: Exalted Ruler and officers.
“Selection: Halverson’s orchestra.
“Benediction: Brother Leo Totten, Kalispell Lodge B. P. O. E.”
One of the great things about being a member of a multi-generational Havre family with a love and appreciation for local history are what I call the “little circles of history”, where things find their way of coming around somehow. Frank W. McCarthy had been the first manager of the Havre Electric Company, which was purchased in 1912 by the Montana Power Company, who in turn built its offices and shop at 321 Second Street in 1915 and is now the current location of the Havre Elks.
Another annual tradition for many churches in Havre are bazaars. St. Jude will be holding its annual bazaar this weekend. One hundred years ago was this announcement in the “Of Local Interest” social pages:
“The Ladies of the Catholic church will hold their annual bazaar and supper at Lyceum hall on Thursday, Dec. 6, afternoon and evening.”
Also reported in the same section were:
“Mrs. J. C. Mabee and daughter Edith spent Thanksgiving in Great Falls with Mrs. Mabee’s sister, Mrs. J. G. Noren.
“Wilbur McKinnon expects to leave tomorrow for Camp Lewis, where he will enter the service.
“Mr. and Mrs. T. J. Troy and family moved back to Havre this week, after having spent the summer on their homestead.
“Mrs. G. A. Hulfish is expected to reach Havre today from Rochester, where she recently accompanied Miss Langley, who is a patient in the Mayo hospital.”
There wasn’t even a whole lot in the Society column, but here are a couple of interesting entries:
“Mr. and Mrs. E. T. Richards and children of Chinook were guests on Thanksgiving day in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Sam Williams. They made the trip by auto, returning to Chinook in the late evening.
“Mrs. Chas. Warren was honor guest at a dinner party given Monday evening of this week by her sister, Mrs. N. C. Abbott. Mrs. Warren, who has been a guest in the Abbott home for the past two months, is leaving soon for California to spend the winter. Invited guests at the dinner included Mesdames Christianson, Tregoning, Holland Jr., Jestrab Ross, Case, Howe, Brown, Clack, Hammond, Webber, Haglund, Casman, Wilkie, Wright, Rhoades”
Montana Power building, now home to Havre Elks BPOE 1201.
