The Way We Were

Nov. 13, 1924

A special meeting of the PTA was called last Thursday evening at the grade school building for the purpose of considering the various phases of building a school gym, and also for the ratification or rejection by the association on measures already proposed by the executive board. The meeting was very well attended and a thorough discussion of the gym plan and the financial side of the plan was entered into. Very little opposition developed and the enthusiasm on the part of the supporters of the gym was unbounded. The president of the PTA was granted the privilege of appointing a committee of five men to act as a central committee for the community in connection with building the gym.

Nov. 11, 1949

Over $8,800 in city sales tax money has been collected so far for the first quarter, City Clerk Robert Wickman reports this week. Practically all the returns are in as of this week. Collection of the sales tax started in July and these are the first returns. Merchants must turn in the sales tax money and returns within one month after the end of each quarter. It is generally agreed that the $8,800 for the July-August-September quarter is much more than can be expected during the winter months. It is pointed out that it was during this quarter that the heavy fish run was on and spending was heavy. Some predict that the year’s total collections will amount to about $22,000. Sales tax funds are earmarked for health and education and cannot be used for any other purpose.

Nov. 13, 1974

Chuck Oliver is new to Alaska this year, but he already knows full well the biggest problems of logging the Tongass National Forest: parts supply and weather. A $100,000 tractor has been down for weeks because a single bearing was lost in transit and another cannot be found. Literally hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of equipment languished on a barge for days waiting for the wind to calm down so it could be unloaded. Before coming to Wrangell this spring, Oliver logged in the Eugene area in Oregon for 20 years, selling at one time or another to virtually every major lumber company in Oregon. Oliver said he expects to continue logging through the winter and finish up operations next fall. Weather and parts supply permitting, of course.

Nov. 11, 1999

The Wrangell Lady Wolves volleyball team swept through the Region V volleyball tournament last weekend in Petersburg, going undefeated in three straight matches. The tournament opened Thursday night with Wrangell facing Mount Edgecumbe. The key to Wrangell’s success in winning the tournament was their commitment to playing as a team and to not give up in the face of adversity. The Lady Wolves’ defense was excellent, with many great digs by Letitia Churchill, Celeste Montoy, Sarah Schmidt and Dani Gross. Setters Nicole Jamieson and Valerie Strasburger did a superb job consistently putting the ball up for hitters to spike. Valerie Strasburger and Sarah Schmidt were outstanding servers with an average of over 90%.