Compiled by the Deschutes County Historical Society from the archived copies of The Bulletin at the Deschutes Historical Museum

100 years ago

For the week ending

May 30, 1920

Big majority recorded for park bond in Bend

By more than a two to one vote in all city precincts, the $21,000 park bond issue was carried in Bend in the primary election Friday, it was announced last night after a canvass of the votes by the members of the city council showed 806 votes for and 296 against. The council will proceed at once with steps necessary for the issuance of the bonds and for turning them over to the Bend Company in exchange for the park property on the east side of the Deschutes.

Bend High alumni throw party for graduating class

Members of the class of 1920 of the Bend high school were guests last night at a surprise dance given by the alumni at the Emblem club, following the conferring of diplomas at the gymnasium. Several members of the faculty and a few specially invited guests also enjoyed the hospitality of the former high school students, more than 75 in all attending. Wilson George’s jazz orchestra furnished the music during the evening, and colored toy balloons carried by the dancers produced a kaleidoscopic effect most unique. Toward the end of the evening refreshments were served the brick cream showing the colors of the last graduating class. After two more orchestra numbers, the final waltz was played.

Women fights to regain pet cat

Angered at the action of her neighbor, Mrs. Agnes M. Davis in taking into custody a cat which Mrs. Davis claimed had been killing chickens, Mrs. J.D. Whitehead, of Jefferson Place, seized Mrs. Davis by the hair, pulling her over the fence separating the two yards, and badly mauling her, Mrs. Davis alleged in a complaint charging assault which came to light yesterday in police court. Mrs. Whitehead also retrieved the cat, the complaining witness said.

Mrs. Whitehead pleaded guilty to the charge, and paid a fine of $10.

Boys start to clean up the city

Under the direction of Fire Chief Tom Carlon, a real clean-up week started in Bend today when in response to a request made at the city schools, boys armed with rakes and shovels, gathered at the fire house this morning and shortly afterward began a determined attack on rubbish wherever found. At 2 o’clock this afternoon the boys were guests of Manager Whittington of the Liberty theater at a special matinee.

So far, the Bend fire department, which is vitally interested in city clean-up work, stands first in the contest being held by the cities represented in the Pacific Coast Fire Chiefs’ association. The contest runs to July 1, having started on March 1, and so far Bend has had only one chimney fire and two false alarms. Every other city competing has had one or more real fires. The winning fire department will receive a $250 prize offered by the Pacific Coast Fire Prevention league and in addition a silver cup offered by Thomas Ince, film play producer.

75 years ago

For the week ending

May 30, 1945

Potato quarantine is still effective, officer stresses

In order to protect the high quality of Central Oregon’s far-famed Deschutes netted gem potatoes, a rigid quarantine is being continued in Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson counties, with persons importing potatoes from any other area, for any purpose whatever, facing prosecution, Ben Davidson, federal-state shipping point inspector with headquarters in Redmond, pointed out today.

“We have a $2,000,000 potato industry in Central Oregon, and every means must be enforced to maintain the high standards which have been established,” said Davidson, who is also a representative of the Oregon state department of agriculture, division of plant industry and market enforcement.

The quarantine was established several years ago to prevent the introduction from infected areas of bacterial ring rot, which has never been present on Deschutes Potatoes.

Street whitened by case of milk

The “Milky Way” isn’t confined only to the heavens. This was proven this morning when a Bend Dairy truck, in the process of making a turn at the intersection of Bond street and Minnesota avenue, cast off a case of milk, completely whitening the intersection of the streets. The crash and shattering of glass bottles attracted many spectators, who thought there had been a collision. Brooms and other equipment borrowed from the nearby fire station cleared the thoroughfare of the broken glass.

Poppies are worn as tribute to fallen soldiers

Mrs. Anne Forbes, Bend chairman of the American Legion auxiliary Poppy sales, announces that on Friday and Saturday, May 25-26, the public will be asked to wear their memorial flower, paying tribute to those who gave their lives in America’s service during the world wars.

The poppy comes from the fields of France and Belgium where the churning tide of war obliterated all touches of beauty except its brave red blossoms. It was nature’s tribute to the heroic dead and here in America it is the tribute of patriots to those who made patriotism’s highest sacrifice.

These paper poppies are flowers that have even greater significance than any nature could produce. They have been grown in Oregon hospitals and workrooms where war’s suffering is still going on. They have bloomed under the hands of men disabled from war — the comrades of those in whose honor they will be worn.

9,348 Deschutes voters register

Compilation of voter regulations following the closing of the clerk’s books before the special election shows a total of 9,348 who, theoretically could go to the polls in Deschutes county when the special election is held June 22. Actually, a small turnout is expected. This, with the fact that only two measures are on the ballot — the post war construction appropriation and the cigaret tax — recently led the county court to announce that no double boards will be used at any of the precincts.

Democrats continue to lead in the registration, Mrs. Helen M. Daley, county clerk, made known after the registration count, with 5,417, while republicans number 3,812. Smaller classifications were 70 independents, seven socialists, one Prohibitionist. Forty-one came under the designation, “miscellaneous”.

50 years ago

For the week ending

May 30, 1970

Madras High students differ in opinions of dress code

Madras High School vice principal Charles Skeans reports that teachers have had “no major problems with dress” since a dress code was instituted eight months ago.

Last fall a panel of teachers, administrators, parents, school board members and students agreed upon a dress code governing attire and personal appearance for Madras high students. Skeans says only occasionally does he have to lightly needle a boy with, “Where are your socks:” Basically, the code states that girls must wear dresses or culottes — no pants. Dress length is whatever is modest and becoming to a young lady — with no underwear showing. Hair should be out of the eyes. “And hopefully out of the mouth”, Skeans adds.

Boys’ clothes should be neat and clean. And socks should be on the feet — not in the locker. Hair should be trimmed around the ears, out of the eyes and off the collar. Sideburns are allowed to the bottom of the ear lobe.

Students comments implied that boys could not wear shorts. Eleven Madras High students, selected at random, expressed varying opinions about the present code. Seven — four girls and three boys — clearly stated that girls should be allowed to wear long pants (not Levi’s or jeans), especially during cold weather. One sophomore, Dick Soules, said “They’re more modest than some skirts!”

A sophomore girl Lisa Kaber, thought certain days should be set aside for girls to wear pants and boys to wear cut-offs. A little variety would be fun, she said, and good for everyone. Three girls thought boys should have more freedom in dress: Hair long. Pants short. Shirt out. Socks off.

“What you wear is what you think of yourself,” said junior Kathy Grant. “Students should be able to wear anything that’s moral and decent,” said a senior boy, Paul Sumner. Two articulate students expressed opposite views.

“How one dresses is what one thinks of himself,” senior Ron Bunch said. “The responsibility should belong at home. The dress code is just a bureaucratic effort to see that no one rocks the boat — and it’s totally wrong. The major task of the school is to educate, not to teach us how to dress. The rebel thinks, ‘schools are against me because they won’t let me do what I want.’ This is a time of searching,” this young man continued.

“But,” he added, “the school is a showplace where kids are on display and they shouldn’t portray a picture of being radical. I tried my hair long,” he continued, “I didn’t like it.”

“If we were more lax,” junior Jan Tiller said, “we might get too far out. Kids who might come in beads, head bands, dirty clothes, and bare feet could be distracting. I feel that discipline now in the way I dress is going to help me when I get out in the world. I like it the way it is.” Three basic opinions seemed to emerge from what was said — or unsaid: Boys, stay the way you are: Neat, clean and not too much hair on your head or your face: Girls, shake the mothballs out of your long pants, but don’t throw away your minis!

25 years ago

For the week ending

May 30, 1995

Newberry drilling begins

It’s taken years for talk of geothermal development on the flanks of Newberry Crater to transform into action on the ground. This year, words give way to drill rigs.

CE Exploration, a subsidiary of California Energy CO., has begun drilling small-diameter test wells at Newberry.

These aren’t massive production wells, which Cal Energy hopes will tap superheated water thousands of feet below the dormant volcano to generate electricity.

The wells being drilled now are small probes aimed at gathering information about temperature and geo-science. Data gathered from these small wells will give Cal Energy some idea about what it will run into when it begins drilling large test production wells said Dave McClain of CE Exploration.

Geothermal power, touted as a renewable resource, seeks to tap hot water percolating about 3,000 to 6,000 feet below the flanks of Newberry. This water is pumped to the surface to generate steam, which spins turbines to generate electricity. After that, the water is pumped back into the ground.

Over the years, so many companies have brought forward plans for geothermal development at Newberry that the whole exercise seemed like a Wild West show.

Then, in 1991, the Bonneville Power Administration took a step toward actually encouraging development at Newberry when it gave the green light to a power sales contract involving Cal Energy and the Eugene Water & Electric Board.

The contract says the BPA will buy a portion of the power from Cal Energy’s 30- megawatt geothermal plant at above market prices if necessary. A 30-megawatt plant would generate enough power for about 15,000 homes.

That contract may soon take effect. If production wells reveal what geologists have always theorized, Cal Energy hopes to develop its plant in the next two years.

LaPine evacuees allowed to return to their homes

Residents of more than 150 homes that had been threatened by a forest fire have been allowed to return to their houses.

The fire burned approximately 50 acres of lodgepole pine on state and private land before crews were able to bring it under control, said state fire marshal spokeswoman Colleen Olson.

The blaze was traced to a campfire built by four teen-angers in the woods behind a mobile home, said Deschutes County sheriff’s Lt. Greg Brown. Strong winds apparently rekindled the fire.

If an investigation confirms the cause, the property owner could be held liable for firefighting costs, Brown said.

At the fire’s height, about 100 firefighters from Klamath, Deschutes, Jefferson and Crook countries were called in after Gov. John Kitzhaber invoked the Conflagration Act.