The entire Havre community extends a Happy 100 Years Young birthday to Bernice Marie Ragnvald Hoveland Hardy, who was born in Havre on September 23, 1917. A dinner was given in her honor by her loving family, and we salute Mrs. Hardy on her very special day. I am humbled she loves to read this column and hope they bring fond memories to her and her family.
War news and its effects continued to dominate the front page of The Havre Plaindealer in its September 22, 1917 issue. New laws were passed to protect homesteaders going off to war, and the International Printer’s Union was one of the first trade unions to buy Liberty bonds to the tune of $1,215,000.00. The second wave of soldiers from Hill County was getting ready to leave according to this article:
“HILL COUNTY BOYS START TOMORROW
“For Draft Army Cantonment at American Lake
“Hill county’s second contingent for the draft army that is the make the world safe for democracy, comprising 165 stalwart sons of this commonwealth, will leave tomorrow morning for the training camp at American Lake, Wash. The men will report at the court house this afternoon and from that hour will be under the charge of the local draft board.
“Preparations for giving the boys a fitting farewell are now practically complete. This evening at the Havre hotel the women of the Catholic Altar society will serve dinner for the boys, and after a dance will be given at Lyceum hall for the soldier boys and their wives and sweethearts.
“Arrangements are being made for a few short talks immediately following the dinner hour today. Just who the speakers are has not yet been determined
“Until train time Sunday morning they boys will be given a rousting reception by all the people of the city, and at 10:30 they will receive fond farewells from those left behind.”
Two events were being planned for the Red Cross:
“MOOSE WILL GIVE RED CROSS DANCE
“The Havre Lodge of Moose numerically one of the strongest fraternal societies in Havre, decoded at a regular meeting held on last Tuesday evening to give a dance for the benefit of the Red Cross society. The dance will take place at Lyceum hall on the evening of Thursday, Sept. 27. A committee composed of John Clark, Talbert Erickson, J. M. Kay, Donald McLeod and T. J. Troy is now busy arranging details for the affair, and it is the committee’s intention that the event will be one of the best of its kind ever given in Havre.”
This article was from the Society column:
“Supper for Red Cross.
“At Grain Belt school house on the evening of Sept. 27th, the ladies of that community will serve a chicken supper, cooked in the inimitable manner for which they are justly famed, and for which a nominal charge will be made. The proceeds from the supper will be forwarded to headquarters as the donation of the Grain Belt women to the laudable work of the Red Cross society. Supper will be served between the hours of 6 and 9 p.m., and following this there will be given an appropriate musical program. It is probable that a large number from Havre will be in attendance.”
A couple of weeks ago I mentioned the Grain Belt community and its school and my map of Hill County indicated there was a school in the area. I took a quick trip up north and found it, a sentinel on the prairie that had sadly seen better days but was still standing.
A very large list of new American citizens was printed in the Plaindealer. There were so many, it took two days in District Court to get everyone sworn in. Most came from Great Britain, followed by Norway, Sweden, Russia, Denmark, and Mr. Manuel Couto Garcia of Spain who was living in Box Elder.
It was reported in the “Of Local Interest” social pages that the horse stolen from Rittenhouse Stringfellow was found:
Grain Belt School north of Havre.
“The saddle horse recently stolen from Ritt Stringfellow in Havre was recovered last Saturday at Chinook, where the animal had been taken up and advertised as an estray. The horse was minus the valuable saddle and bridle he was wearing when taken. As yet there is no trace of the culprit who stole the animal.”
