Memories for May 17, 2017

100 years ago

May 10, 1917

The fire department found it necessary to restrain local enthusiasm for smoke-eating by passing a regulation that non-members could not ride on the brand new truck. It was also announced severely that members would be restrained from playing with the new machine's gadgets when it was in the first house in between blazes.

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The mill of the Beaver Creek Mining Company about five miles from Zortman burned to the ground, entailing a $100,000 loss with but $30,000 covered by insurance. Most of the loss fell upon Charles Whitcomb as principal owner.

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There was a jail delivery reported when one Walter Curtis sawed his way out of the local hoosegow and went on his way rejoicing. About all the local bulls had to cheer over their insistence that nobody on the outside had helped him!

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Local personal news of any account was rather slim. Silas Gamble has been down from Coburn to visit friend R.M. Trafton and had bought a piece of land from the Malta man. That was about all. The state had sent a man to seine fish out of Bowdoin Lake, a process that seems to have been going on at fairly steady intervals ever since. The first draw netted 200 fish of about two pounds each. The Object was to replace them with game fish, apparently.

75 years ago

May 14, 1942

City water may be okayed by next week

Malta's city water may be officially approved for drinking purposes early next week, according to Mayor Hans Mebust and Dr. G.W. Setzer, city health officer. When approval is given handbills announcing the fact will be printed and distributed to every home in Malta, Mebust said.

School students complete quota of model planes

The senior high school's model airplane builders have completed a quota of twelve ships wanted by the United States Navy for instruction purposes. The local program is part of a nationwide campaign to produce 50,000 for the use of our armed forces in teaching airplane personnel to spot enemy and friendly ships at a distance by their silhouettes.

The Malta school program has been under the direction of Jack Murray of the faculty. Government furnishes plans and the builders furnish their own materials. Hardwood is used and the models are painted black. The builders receive recognition from the navy depending upon the number of models accepted from each builder. The navy is exacting in its acceptance standards and large numbers or models are rejected for imperfections in manufacture.

The following high school students have built planes thus far: Boon Ochitani, E. Henderson, V. Togerson, B. Nelson, Q. Sandefur, R. Kittleson and R. Durocher.

50 years ago

61 eighth-graders get certificates May 26

Sixty-one students will receive eighth-grade certificates of promotion at Class Day exercises May 26 at 2 p.m. in the high school auditorium. Mrs. Elmer Hendrickson, junior high principal, will present the certificates.

This is the first time in a number of years the county-wide graduation exercises will not be held. Malta is one of the last school to have continued eighth-grade graduation. Since the trend of education is such that finishing the eighth-grade is a minor step to all students of today, Malta school officials decided to go along with the rest of the schools in discontinuing the formal graduation exercises.

HED: Largest class from MHS to graduate

The largest graduating class in the history of Malta School will receive diplomas at the commencement exercises May 29 at 8 p.m. at the high school gymnasium. Max Amberson of Helena, State Director of Vocational Education, will speak to the 80 graduating seniors.

Class Night will be May 24. Mike Lang, senior president, will be master of ceremonies. Darlene Emond, daughter Mr. and Mrs. Harmil Emond, will give the valedictory address and Michael Hitch, son of Dr. and Mrs. James Hitch, will give the salutatory speech.

25 years ago

May 20, 1992

Malta school gearing up for 100th anniversary

The Malta school system will celebrate a milestone next fall -it's 100th birthday.

It was in the fall of 1892 that Malta's first school, a one-room building, opened its doors to 10 pupils.

The school was located south of the railroad tracks, then moved to a corner saloon building located where the old Penny's building now stands.

In 1900, the district was bonded for $8,000 to construct a two-story building where the junior high is located today.

A new high school building costing $73,000 was started on May 3, 1920 and was situated near the center of the city.

The agri-chemical addition was added to the high school in 1939.

In 1957, a $40,000 Music Box addition was added to the school.

In 1969, a $55,334 vocational addition was built on to the high school.

During nearly 100 years of existence, Malta High School has graduated over 4,000 individuals. Its smallest class consisted of three students in 1915. It's largest was 80 graduates in 1967.

District will build elementary classroom

After failing three times to win voters support for a much larger building and remodeling program, Malta School District trustees have voted to build a single new classroom at the elementary school.

They will fund the classroom construction with existing funds.

According to Supt. Robert Rust, the district will use about $38,000 in Metal Mines Tax proceeds it has accumulated during the past two years for part of the project.

10 years ago

May 23, 2007

Bebee Fiddle Contest winners announced

A total of 21 fiddlers from four states and Canada competed in the 12th Annual Gary Bebee Fiddle Contest in Malta over the weekend.

Another five contestants competed in mandolin, flat-picking and anything goes contests.

Malta's Charlie Rhodes took first place in the Pee Wee division; B.J. Rhodes took second in Novice and third in Flat Picking and Elijah Rhodes took third in Mandolin.