50 YEARS AGO • AUGUST 22, 1968

ANOTHER LAND MARK TORN DOWN AT HERON

Another Heron landmark is gone with the razing of the former Dan DeLong building in town. Built in 1905 or 1906 by McGowan of Plains it housed a local paper “The Heron Examiner.” This was during the time a portion of Missoula County was being withdrawn to form Sanders County, and Thompson Falls and Plains were contenders for the county seat. When Thompson Falls was chosen the paper ceased to exist. McGowan started the Heron Examiner to extol his propaganda as to why Plains should be chosen as the county seat. He wanted the support of the people on the west end of the newly formed Sanders County.

Later this building housed a doctor and also was used for a “local courthouse” for justice of the peace matters. In the late ‘30s the late Willy Sellmer used the building when he was in the huckleberry business. From time to time the building was used as a residence. With the passing of years and being vacant for some time it got to be quite an eyesore.

SCHOOL BELLS TO RING TUESDAY FOR SANDERS COUNTY STUDENTS

Classes resume throughout Sanders County next week with Thompson Falls students answering the school bell Tuesday, according to Supt. Everett W. Long.

Long said all remaining vacancies in the faculty were filled last week with the hiring of Mrs. Mildred McLeod to teach first grade and Mrs. Shirley Schwark to instruct the fifth grade. The former fills the vacancy left by Mrs. Glenn Twedt and the latter the vacancy created when Lincoln Todd was assigned the shop and drivers training classes formerly taught by Steve Previs, who retired.

This year the two sixth grades taught by Mrs. N.W. Berge and Mrs. Iva Perry will be housed in the dormitory along with the remedial reading class taught by Mrs. Hazel Hoyt.

Mrs. Schwark taught at Plains last year.

Other new teachers in the system this year are Jim Anderson, who will succeed Mrs. David Lawyer in high school English and also coach basketball; Mrs. Jimme Wilson, who will teach junior and senior high English classes formerly taught by Mrs. Richard Wollaston.

Mrs. Gerald Green has been employed full-time to teach high school chorus and in the seventh and eighth grades.

John Stone will assume the duties of band director.

Coach Wayne Ward will handle the physical education classes formerly taught by Previs.

Anderson comes to Thompson Falls from Columbus where he coached basketball and taught English.

The faculty and staff for the school year:

Elementary – first grade teachers. Mrs. Cordelia Donnaly, Mrs. John Stone, Mrs. MacLeod; second grade, Mrs. June Oliver, Mrs. Ernest Hunton; third, Mrs. Richard Thiegs; fourth, Mrs. Vivian Brown; fifth, Mrs. Lillian Beamish, Mrs. Schwark; sixth, Mrs. Berge, Mrs. Perry; seventh and eighth junior high, Mrs. Don Daniels, Mrs. Green, Bruce Hartford, John Stone; principal, Wayne Tompkins.

High school – Principal, English and orientations, Earl Tracy Jr .; English and basketball coach, Anderson; social science, football coach and track, Ward; mathematics, Gene Jones; natural science and assistant football and track coach, Donald Parker; commercial, N.W. Berge; junior and senior high English, Mrs. Wilson; shop and driver training, Todd; librarian, Mrs. A.H. Cheney; home economics, Mrs. William Davis; secretary, Mrs. Forrest Dobson; cook, Mrs. Russell Wright; assistant cook, Mrs. Al Burghard; custodians, C.R. Iff, Edgar Lagge, Mrs. Leora Kendall.