75 years ago

Aug. 30, 1941

A friendly hand wave to the crew of train No. 694 every day, rain or shine, brought dividends yesterday to little Carlene Ann Newman. four-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Newman.

The Newmans live on the old Aberdeen-Montesano highway just past the Grays Harbor Country Club. Everyday for the past two years when Carlene hears the Northern Pacific train approaching, she leaves whatever she is doing and runs to the edge of the property and exchanges salutes with the trainmen. Friday morning as the child took her usual post, the train came by, slowed down and one of the men tossed a large box onto the property. Inside was nestled a large sleeping doll with real eyelashes and movable eyes. It was dressed in a beautiful blue dress and hat and was appropriately perfumed.

On the cover was written: “To our little sweetheart from the train crew of 694.” signed by C.L. Mann, R.V. Wilkins, B.P. Hallow and E.H Young.

Aug. 31, 1941

Sunday, no newspaper published

50 years ago

Aug. 30, 1966

The days of lower elementary classrooms as the exclusive domain of women, now appear numbered.

For instance, in Washington state, officials of the Department of Education guess that somewhere between five and 10 percent of first grade teachers are men.

“We feel there should be more balance so that the beginning school years don’t represent a matriarchy for children or a continuation of the mother’s influence of early childhood,” said Wendell Allen, assistant state superintendent of schools.

Among the reasons more men are finally being attracted to teaching the pigtail set these days is the now widespread policy of a single salary scale for secondary and elementary teachers, Allen said. “It gives men in lower grades as much prestige as those in the upper grades and gives them a chance to support a family.”

Aug. 31, 1966

• Capt. John Schneider, described by his co-workers at the Hoquiam Police Department as a well-respected, liked and competent officer, and by strangers as the policeman with a cigar, closed out a 31-year law enforcement career at a recent retirement ceremony.

As a tribute to his service, members of city, county and state law enforcement agencies sponsored a dinner at which the retiring policeman was given an engraved wrist watch, a $100 bill and a cake decorated with a Hoquiam officer’s badge and the dates he started and ended his job.

• Two and a half-year-old Vern Pettis Jr. narrowly escaped serious injury yesterday afternoon when he fell down an abandoned 40-foot dry well on the William Wells property which is located off the Satsop River Bridge toward the Schafer State Park.

The youngster was playing in the Wells’ family backyard when a board covering the well broke and sent him tumbling into the deep hole. His father lowered a rope into the well and rescued the lad. After been treated by Dr. Paul Mickens for a cut on his head, he was released to his father.

25 years ago

Aug. 30, 1991

Rep. Bob Basich and Sen. Sid Snyder have called for a public forum to air concerns over the stinking of Weyerhaeuser Co. settling ponds that have plagued South Aberdeen for months.

“We just want to get a little input to make sure what the real problem is,” Basich, D-Aberdeen, said this morning. He said he also wants the question of possible health risks explored.

“The company has just begun a process of communicating with the community so we can give it an understanding of what’s behind the odor and what we’re doing to fix it,” said Weyerhaeuser spokesman Eric Irwin.

Aug. 31, 1991

Four Aberdeen High School football players were injured Friday night when the truck they were riding in flipped on its top and jammed nose first into the ground. Michael Doll, a sophomore guard on the team, had an ugly head wound and was being treated at Grays Harbor Community Hospital. The other three players — Justin Walker, a junior fullback, Matthew Maurer, a sophomore defensive end and Jeremy Mefford, a sophomore guard and linebacker — were recovering from the shakes and minor injuries.

The four players had finished football practice and were on their way home to clean up for a pre-season banquet at the high school with their parents and coaches.

Compiled from the archives of The Daily World by Karen Barkstrom