Caught in the spirit, Thanksgiving day, tax time, food rations, Christmas mail

100 years ago

The Odessa Record

November 23, 1918

Caught in the spirit of occasion. Colored porter meant that eagle should shine in celebration of American victory.

It happened after the news that the allied forces were chasing the army of the crown prince. There was great rejoicing on the steps off the custom-house building. Everybody was shaking the hand of everybody else. The man who had never before been known to lose his dignity pulling the hair of the office boy and whooping it up generally.

All of which was at first rather incomprehensible to the colored porter of the building. He didn’t know just what it was all about, but it looked good to him, nevertheless. Finally, he seemed to, “get” it: With the agility of a cat he climbed one of the pedestals at the front of the building. On the top is a bronze globe, with a spread eagle over it. Hanging precariously on the ledge, the negro pulled a grimy cloth out of one pocket and a can of paste out of another. Then with: a vim and vigor that had never before characterized any of his actions he began polishing away at the eagle’s head. While he polished he talked.

“Oh, lady, lady, we’re goin’ a make you shine! Oh, lady, that shine’ll take the eyes out dem Germans! Oh, lady, that head o’ your’n is goin’ a lie some bright!

And the other celebrants stopped to cheer him.—New York Times.

Christmas Mailing In Full Swing. Unless. There is a heavy increase in mailings of gifts immediately, many persons are going to be disappointed on Christmas, the postal department warned today.

Indications are that Christmas shopping is in full swing and some of the wiser shoppers are mailing gifts now, marking them “Do Not Open Until Christmas.” The volume is very small and this will have to be increased if mailers want the assurance that their packages will be delivered before Christmas.

Christmas cards should be mailed as early as possible and for assured delivery should go first class. Cards to military personnel overseas must go first class mail.

Cannot be said in any way, Uncle Sam stints his fighting men. More than a billion pounds of meat a year and an equal amount of pure wheat flour are required for the American army bill of fare. That imposing total will increase rapidly as the United States enlarges its fighting forces in France and the divisions in training on this side of the Atlantic. Uncle Sam does not stint the quality or quantity of food for his husky fighting men. There is a bountiful supply of every essential food stuff on a carefully balanced menu that provides more calories than the rations of any other army in the world. Twenty seven standard articles figure in the list from which mess sergeants select material for the daily meals. They are beef, bacon, flour, baking powder, beans, rice, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, prunes, jams, apples, peaches, coffee, tea, sugar, milk, vinegar, pickles, salt, pepper, cinnamon, lard and lard substitute, butter and oleomargarine, sirup and flavoring extracts. Even with this elaborate selection, and withstanding the mounting cost of food, the government finds it possible to give the boys in khaki all they can eat for the modest sum of 41 and a fraction cents a day. The soldiers get many articles of food, however, that are not included in the “standard” list. Supply sergeants are instructed to vary the diet by purchasing eggs, chickens, green vegetables and fresh fruits. This plan is followed in France as well as In the United States. Under favorable circumstances poultry and fresh vegetables and fruit are served in the front line trenches. Uncle Sam believes that Napoleon was right when he said that “an army fights on its belly.” Thomas F. Logan in Leslie’s.

75 years ago

The Odessa Record

December 2, 1943

Income tax time for many earners. While the majority of liable taxpayers filed declarations of estimated income and victory tax September 15, certain individuals are required to file original or amended declarations on or before December 15 to comply with the provisions of the Current Tax Payment Act of 1943, according to Clark Squire, collector of internal revenue.

The Collector suggested that while only a limited percentage of taxpayers must make a return at this time, all should determine whether they are affected.

Generally speaking, he said, the filing of a declaration on or before December 15 will be required of the following:

Farmers who have sufficient income to require filing and have postponed filing under the special provisions of law which permit farmers to wait as late as December 15.

Persons who filed in September but underestimated their tax by more than 20 per cent and who should, therefore, file “amended declarations” to avoid penalties.

Persons who did not file in September because their estimated income at that time was insufficient to require filing, but now come within required classes.

Ration roundup (stamps now valid).

Processed Foods.

Book 4 - Green stamps A, B, C valid November 1 through December 20.

Meats, Fats, Oil and Cheese.

Book 3 - Brown stamps G-H valid now through December 4.

Brown stamp J valid November 7 through December 4.

Brown stamp K valid November 4 through December 4.

Sugar.

Book 4 - Stamp 29 marked “sugar” valid November 1 through January 15 for 5 pounds.

Shoes.

Book I - Stamp 18 valid indefinitely.

Book 3 - Airplane stamp 1, valid November 1 indefinitely.

Gasoline.

A cards—No. 8 coupons good for 3 gallons through November 21. No. 9 valid November 22 through January 21, 1944.

B and C cards may be renewed within, but not before 15 days from date shown on book cover.

Fuel Oil.

Period 1 coupons, class 4, 5, and 6, valid now to January 3, 1944.

Period 2 coupons, valid November 30 through February 7, 1944.

Nerves explode. The nerve does not simply transmit an impulse of excitement as wire transmits electricity. In fact, the nerve itself is like a fuse loaded with gunpowder. Each active step of the nerve is like burning up of the fuse. The nerve action is like a series of burnings and explosions of the nerve chemicals.

Amazing is the property of the nerve to rebuild itself. After each explosion the nerve cells remain inactive about 1/500 of a second, then revive themselves, ready for another explosion.

In the human brain there are some 10 to 14 billion cells; they too, appear to act like the nerve fibers. They explode and refill themselves, then explode again. Human intelligence is a product of such processes.

Ship repair unit has civil service. An appeal for men and women from this area to help repair the navy’s war-damaged fighting ships at the Puget Sound Navy yard has been issued by the navy recruiting station in Spokane.

No previous experience is necessary, the office announced, declaring that many unskilled workers may earn as much as $218 a month to start.

Workers will be given a civil service rating and will enjoy all the benefits of regular governmental employees. Couples and families will be entitled to live in the low cost homes and apartments which have been erected by the government close to their jobs. Dormitory rooms are available for single men and women for as little as $5 a week.

Employment is open to all citizens not now gainfully employed in an essential activity, or on farms. Those qualified are boys of 16, men over 38 years of age, men of draft age who are physically unfit for the armed forces, and women from 18 to 45.

Those interested may obtain full details from the navy recruiting station located on the fifth floor of the Welch building, Howard and Main Streets, Spokane.

Spokane hunter spends night in Sprague hills. M. Dahlan, Spokane, spent a chilly night Sunday in the rocks south of Sprague. He and two companions were hunting at the numerous potholes near the bombing range. When darkness came, Dahlan decided he was lost after spending some time trying to locate his companions. He stopped in the shelter of a bluff and built a fire from sage brush and tree wood nearby by, In the morning he walked about three miles east until he came to the Lamont-Sprague highway and caught a ride into Sprague.

Several men from Spokane spent the greater part of Sunday night and Monday morning searching the area, and were out looking for Mr. Dahlan, when he arrived in town about 10 o’clock—Sprague Advocate.

Thanksgiving day was quiet here. Thanksgiving day was quiet in Odessa, with stores closing for the day. The union service at the Pilgrim Congregational church drew a large audience, and following the service many family groups shared a Thanksgiving dinner.

Restaurants reported a steady trade throughout the afternoon and that they had little trouble in disposing of their supply of turkey.

Weather was foggy during the evening but despite the fog and cold weather a record crowed turned out for the annual Grange ball that evening.

50 years ago

The Odessa Record

November 28, 1968

Audio visual aides are put in to good use here. Anyone visiting the Library Resource room in the basement of the high school might see some of these activities using the audio-visual equipment purchased with money supplied from the federal grant under Title II.

The day begins with the pledge of allegiance to the flag, followed by the singing of ‘America,” the words of which are projected on a screen at the front of the room by an overhead projector. The transparency was hand drawn with illustrations (a skill recently taught in the Audio Visual course from Cheney to a group of Odessa teachers, aides & interested community residents). The words were clearly visible in the well-lighted room.

Next junior high and high school students intently watch a film strip and listened with headsets to a record entitled “Squanto and the First Thanksgiving” using the Dukane film strip and sound projector. Students were filling in the answers on their study sheets as they watched. There were two other activity groups as they did this, but because of the headsets there were no distractions to any of the groups.

When the film-strip was over and the machine had barely cooled, it was in use again with another class. A film strip was being used to increase visual memory and form perception for a sixth-grade group.

After this a record was played to accompany a group of coordination exercises for a second grade group on the same machine.

Later that day a young student plugged in her headset and listened to a record in order to help her with auditory discrimination. After listening she repeated the words and sounds she had heard for her instructor.

Back to the overhead projector. The junior high and high school students are studying the continents and oceans.

The blank forms are projected on a screen at the front of the room and they take turns in pointing them out and naming them.

While the group is doing this, another student is at the listening center at the back of the room working with the tape recorder. He records first, then listens, then records again. He, too, wears a headset so there is no distraction to others in the room.

Happy hostesses to make clothes for Vietnam. The Happy Hostesses 4-H club held its regular meeting on November 21 in the Home Ec. room. The group decided its first project was going to be making of clothes for Vietnam.

The members decided to have a Christmas party and gift exchange at its next meeting: Popcorn balls will be made for refreshment.

Marlene Scheller brought Rice Krispy treats and grape drink for refreshments. Mrs. Walter Scheller and son. Phillip, were guests, Debra Finkbeiner, reporter, states.

OES chapters host worthy Grand Matron. Bright Hope Chapter 73 Order of Eastern Star of Harrington and Odessa 233 hosted the official visit Chapter of Worthy Grand Matron Mrs. Louise Nickles at Harrington on Nov. 18.

Preceding the official visitation, a no host dinner was served at the Catholic church. During the dinner a group of girls from the Harrington Rainbow assembly sang, "Wagon Wheels" as an addendum honoring Mrs. Nickles. This was very appropriate as her emblem for the year is the wagon wheel.

Decorations for the meeting that followed were in red and white, the colors of which were depicted by the red rose and the peace rose which also carried out the watch-words, Love and Peace. The theme of the Worthy Grand Matron s year is “Progress.

Bright Hope Chapter was in charge of the opening and closing ceremonies of the combined meeting. Introduced from the East were Mrs. Nickles, WGM and Mr. Leonard Schultz, worthy grand patron. Other Grand officers and representatives were also introduced.

Following the introductions, the initiatory work was exemplified by Odessa chapter.

Appropriate inspirational addresses were given by Mrs. Nickles, Mr. Schultz; Mrs. Grace Johnson and Mr. Walter Starrey, past worthy grand matron and patron.

A gift of a miniature covered wagon containing a monetary treasure from the two host chapters was presented by

Mrs. Lydia Scrupps, worthy matron of

Odessa, to the Worthy Grand Matron.

The beautiful scale model of the covered wagon was constructed by Mr. A. C. Patton of Harrington. Following the meeting delicious refreshments of petit fors, coffee, punch, mints and nuts were served to the assembled guests.

The next meeting of Odessa chapter will be December 1 7. It will feature the annual Christmas party and gift exchange. Gifts are not to exceed $1.00 in value.

Plans Are Set for December 7th Holiday Bazaar. Plans were completed by the Memorial Hospital Auxiliary for the annual Holiday Bazaar which will be held on December 7th from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. Seventeen members of the organization were present November 20th to handle Bazaar and other business. It was announced that an added attraction this year would be a beautiful bride doll dressed and donated by Mrs. John Neuman. Tickets on the doll will be sold at the Bazaar. Organizations joining in the project this year will be the Homemakers club, the Girl Scouts, and the Pallette Art club, each having a booth.

In the past many friends of the Auxiliary have donated articles to be sold. The group is extending an invitation to all again this year who wish to help in any way. This support by the public is warmly appreciated, the president states.

It is recommended that all baked goods be packaged, and that cookies be wrapped in lots of one dozen to make for easier handling and selling. Each member is asked to bring a coffee cake.

Committees named by Pres. Freda Braun are as follows for the Bazaar: Coffee Bar: Gertrude Weber. Tina Deife and Katherine Derr. Baked Food: Hilda Pflueger, Emma Quast, Esther Reihs and Helen Schimke. Candy: Jeanne Napier. Fancy Work and

Novelties: Ella Scheller and Rae Walter. White Elephant: Pauline Rodeck. Cashier: Gladys Amende. Doll Booth: Emma Neuman.

An election of officers for the Auxiliary was also conducted at the November meeting with the following results: Helen Cudgel, president; Rae Walter, vice president: Gladys Amende, treasurer; Helen Schimke, recording secretary; Hilda Pflueger, cores- ponding secretary; Gertrude Weber and Freda Braun, board members.

It was reported that their is a need in the Beauty Salon for two volunteer operators.

Hostesses for the meeting were Dorothy Gies and Katherine Derr. Hostesses for the next meeting will be Amelia Schorzman and Pauline Rodeck.

Wilson Creek gets better phone service. A project in progress at Pacific Northwest Bell’s switching center at Wilson Creek will increase the number of long distance calling routes to Coulee City and Spokane, according to R. E. Hill. P NB manager. Some $64,000 worth of call-routing equipment will be installed at the three locations.

When the project is completed, long distance calls between the communities will be carried on underground cables. The use of buried cable eliminates the serious maintenance problems caused by severe winters and high winds in the area.

Calls carried along the route will be transmitted by a system that allows up to 12 conversations to be carried on a single pair of wires. Each call is transmitted at a different frequency until it the appropriate telephone switching center. There it is restored to normal telephone frequency and is routed to its destination.

25 years ago

The Odessa Record

November 25, 1993

Duane Pitts confers with educators in October visit to Russia, Hungary. Russian teachers applaud the fact they now have a voice in choosing curriculum in schools there, Duane Pitts found during his recent visit to that country in which he participated in a series of reading conferences sponsored by the People to People program.

Duane Pitts and his wife Jonnie were in Russia and Hungary from October 5 to October 22. People to People is an international organization bringing people of different cultures together. There were 70 in group from Spokane making the trip with the Pittses.

During the itinerary, Pitts visited a teachers’ training college and a suburban elementary school in Budapest and a teachers’ university and institute, private schools an elementary school, an English language school, a school for gifted and the Research Institute of the Russian Language in Moscow.

Pitts met with many educators in both Hungary and Russia. A few of the teachers had some command of the English language, but, translators were available and were helpful in facilitating communication.

Prior to 1989 in Russia, then the Soviet Union, the state re-quired every school to teach identical subjects on the same day, Pitts said. A few of the older teachers, he found are resistant to change, but most welcome the new flexibility and are eager to adopt new teaching methods.

Russians face many of the same issues in their country as do Americans, Pitts said. Among these are a high divorce rate, alcohol and drug abuse, low incomes and ethnic frictions.

He cited some of the problems educators have in Russia. An example was that of a group of 4th- and 5th graders seen on a porch on school property, smoking. The Russian educators reaction to this is that it is the parents’ problem.

There was ongoing debate about when schools should begin teaching foreign language in grade school, junior high or high school. Pitts heard second graders speak beautiful German. English and French as well as German are taught in some schools, known as “English schools, German schools” or “French schools.”

Pitts said Hungarian teachers readily declared there were reading problems in their schools. Russian teachers, on the other hand, would not say there were problems, stating rather that the Russian language lends itself to easy reading. Pitts found different perspectives among the teachers of both nations.

In Russia the average income of a teacher is $130 a month. One U.S. dollar equals 1,300 Russian rubles. Eighty to 90 percent of a Russian teacher’s education is spent for food. Most people cannot afford heat or running water in their homes. Often these services aren’t available due to faulty equipment or lack of maintenance. Two or three families frequently live in one apartment, consisting of a kitchen, living-bedroom combination and a bathroom.

Pitts said there is much unemployment and found there is no unemployment compensation. The elderly and retirees live on small pensions which have not been adjusted to reflect the effects of inflation, which is at about 500 percent. It is obvious, he said, their lives are very hard. About 90 percent of Russians live below the poverty line.

Pitts recalls coming out of a conference to find people selling personal household possessions and simple crafts on the steps of the meeting hall.

“I am not a futurist,” a professor at the Institute of Russian Language told Pitts, who had asked him about his hope for the future. “Hopes are the last thing a man parts with,” he added. Older citizens are reserved and cautions, but the younger generation has a different outlook toward the future, seeming to me more optimistic. Pitts found that there is no desire to go back to the way things were before October 3 and 4. Many feel Boris Yeltsin was forced to take military action because the rebellion had to be squelched. There is still fear of civil war, particularly among the middle-aged and older population.

Pitts said he sometimes had fears while in Russia. The group he traveled with did not know from day to day when they could go to Moscow, but the clearance came.

While leaving a restaurant on the day the curfew was lifted in Moscow, the travelers met civilians with submachine guns who were in a huddle. The travelers could not understand what was being said and were fearful, and so they quickly boarded their bus.

Pitts described other events that day. At St. Basil’s Cathedral in Red Square, where vendors were displaying their wares, the shops suddenly closed. The vendors were actually shaking as they packed up and left the area. Soldiers with machine guns were headed for the Kremlin, a short distance away. The travelers walked to their bus to find about 40 police as well as soldiers waiting in the tourist bus staging area. The tour group had no idea what was happening. Pitts said they still don’t know. The next day, the vendors were back, all appeared to be normal.

In Moscow, they drove past a body in a pool of blood on the sidewalk. Nothing was ever learned of this incident. In St. Petersburg, police were seen beating an individual at the airport as soldiers looked on.

Conditions are better in Budapest, Pitts said. Although inflation is about 25 percent, people are upbeat and optimistic. A husband and wife will both have jobs to improve their standard of living, not just to live. When the wife leaves work, she takes care of the house and children while her husband goes to a second job. Some men have a third job, too.

The travelers took gifts of school supplies to the schools they visited, and much appreciation was shown, Pitts said. A teacher in St. Petersburg requested ABC books in English for pupils in grades 1 and 2.

Pitts said he was especially impressed by a teacher from Croatia, who paid her own way to attend one of the conferences. She requested that two books be sent for Christmas, one for a young pupil and the other for an older pupil. She asked that the books be of topics dealing with peace and/or tolerance. The books will go into a memorial library being built in commemoration of the 123 libraries, schools and towns destroyed in Croatia. It is planned that students throughout Croatia will have access to these books, all of which will emphasize tolerance to others and the need for peace.

Books on these topics in any language are acceptable. Persons interested in contributing gift books may contact Pitts.

A slide presentation on the People to People tour in which the Pittses participated is planned at Heritage United Church of Christ. The date will be announced.

Common call for winter help from AAA “Car won’t start.” Car owners who called AAA last year for emergency road service had lots of company, the Inland Automobile Association (AAA) reports.

Last year, AAA answered more than 21 million calls from stranded motorists. The majority of those calls came during the winter months and about half were for cars that would not start.

“Avoiding all automotive ills is nearly impossible,” said Tom Devine, Manager of Emergency Road Service. “However, motorists who have their cars inspected by a certified technician can help avoid a call for help this winter.”

AAA’s 138 local calls in the United States and Canada report 48 percent of emergency road service calls were for “can’t start” problems, such as battery or electrical failure. Mechanical failure serious enough to require towing was the second largest category of calls from stranded motorists, totaling 29 percent emergency road service calls.

Flat tires accounted for nine percent of all breakdowns while eight percent of the calls were from motorists locked out of their cars, and 1.5 percent from AAA members who were out of gas. The remaining 4.5 percent involved a variety of problems, including transmission troubles.

More than 75 percent of emergency road service calls came from metropolitan areas and were handled by the central dispatch centers.

County employees coordinating care project for the needy. County employees will again be working with the Davenport Study club and other local agencies, churches and organizations to coordinate Christmas for needy families in Lincoln county.

Forms are available for families to fill out at Lincoln County Health Department, Lincoln county sheriff’s Office, Lincoln County Assessor’s Office, Lincoln County Counseling Center, Lincoln County Drug and Alcohol Center, the DSHS Office. Family Resource Center and the Davenport Care and Share in Davenport and any elementary school office in the county. They should be completed and returned no later than Monday, December 13.