The Way We Were

­­­­April 8, 1920

C.W. Hawksworth, Superintendent of Schools under the U.S. Bureau of Education arrived in Wrangell last Friday night. Mr. Hawksworth has been on the Murre making a tour of the government schools in this districk. Thursday night the Murre went on the rocks at Hell’s Gate in Rocky Pass. The little gas boat Alaska picked up Mr. Hawksworth and brought him to Wrangell. The Auklet immediately went to the assistance of her sister boat and brought her to Wrangell last Sunday. She is now on the gridiron and while extensive repairs are needed she soon will be as good as new. Mr. Hawksworth left for Juneau on the Jefierson yesterday morning.

April 6, 1945

Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Neilson announced this week that they have purchased Lee’s Lunch, next to the Sentinel office and started operating the restaurant last Sunday under their own management. The Neilsons are well known in Wrangell and have two daughters, Marion and Doris who are assisting them in the business. Lee’s Lunch was established and operated by Mrs. Lee Chisholm, widow of Warren Chisholm who lost his life in a boat accident two years ago.

April 9, 1970

George C. Bonin, better known as Frenchy the Barber, has decided at age 69 to end his migratory life by settling down in Wrangell. He first came to Alaska in 1932 when he left his native Nova Scotia, Canada for Anchorage. Since then he has roamed Alaska and has lived in just about every Alaskan city. Frenchy said he wanted originally to come to Alaska to see the country. Describing himself as a “great guy for traveling,” he claimed that when he gets tired of a town he packs up and leaves. About 18 years ago he was naturalized as an American citizen at Anchorage. In 1964 he was there when the disastrous earthquake rocked the city, and he lost everything when thieves ransacked his shop. Frenchy’s first real contact with Southeastern Alaska came in the mid-1950’s; he opened shops in Juneau and Sitka. Now he plans to stay in one place. He says he likes the people in Wrangell, and that he “comes to a small city (Wrangell) to start a new life.” According to Frenchy, he has been searching for the “old Alaska where everybody trusts each other, and Wrangell is

one big happy family. Besides,“ added Frenchy, “Wrangell is a peaceful town, and at my age I need peace and rest.” Frenchy is Wrangell’s second barber.

April 6, 1995

With the possibility that Wrangell Career Transition Center may close June 15, 1995, it is important that dislocated mill workers considering training sign up to take the General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB) before that date. There will continue to be vocational counselors scheduled into Wrangell through at least the end of May. There will be at least one or two testing stations scheduled for six people at each session.

Dislocated workers wanting to obtain approval for training are required to take the GATB test and to meet with a vocational counselor before their application will be reviewed. Those who have taken the GATB test and would like to meet with the vocational counselor to discuss career goals and training are also encouraged to contact the transition center for an appointment with the counselor.

 

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