View From The Bridge

VIEW from the BRIDGE
By Muncie
1/6/16

LIBRARY FRIENDS
For all of you who have been missing The Friends of the Library there will be a start-up meeting on Wednesday, the 13th, at 12:00 at the Chouteau County Library. It has been a while since the members no longer gathered together to discuss the virtues of a good book. Friends of the Library was always my favorite organization for information on a good book, visiting with other friends and getting out and about. See you there.

OTHER VIEWS
I have thoroughly enjoyed other articles in the River Press. The FBHS Standout about Eli Toon was the kind of reading I like to see. I knew that it was in the works and really look forward to more of FBHS activities. For instance, who knew about the Christmas concert? Who knew there was a raffle to raise money for the Washington D.C. trip? What happened to the Gold Card? These activities may have been on the Community Calendar but it doesn’t hurt to have it in two places. We parents and grandparents would like to know.

The Ronning Report from the VFW Post 4047 was also very informative and gave inside information on what their organization is up to. The only addition I would like is if whoever writes the article would sign their name. In fact, I would like every article in the River Press to be identified by the writer. (That way the writer can take the blame for mistakes. Just joking!)

I would like to suggest that information like a ceremony of retired Flags, be put in a column.  Since it is only done once or twice a year it would be helpful to know when so the Flags would not be on a dusty shelf or stored with cleaning rags.

Thanks for what the VFW does for the community. I do not mean to be critical, just helpful.

The Extension Corner by Tyler Lane is always of interest even though I am not nor have I ever been associated with farming. I love to listen to friends conversations who are farmers.  Tyler taught me a lot about when to do this or that in my flower garden. I cut out and save those articles in my Gardening File.

The Sheriff’s Report tells you “Everything You Wanted to Know” about who in town got a ticket. (I just hope that my name is never on that list.)
Coach Skip Ross did a terrific job with reporting the Football Games. I enjoyed it because I really do not know much about football rules and my vision is not that good. When I read Skip’s articles I learned a lot

I must have driven son Randy and daughter Jennifer crazy at the Carroll games with “What happened.” I was sitting further from the field. At least in Fort Benton I am closer.

More on this subject next week.

BASKETBALL
At the Football and Basketball games we cheer and clap for the Team and the Cheerleaders.  How about cheering and clapping for the Band? They do a terrific job. We stand for the school song so let’s stand for “Sweet Caroline” and sing along. It is something new for Fort Benton but it has been going on for years at professional and college games. Let’s get on the Band Wagon.

CHRISTMAS GIFTS
One of the most interesting gifts I received for Christmas was a reprint of a cookbook. It was a reprint in 2014 by the Fort Benton United Methodist Women’s organization. The original was sometime in the 1940’s.

It was so interesting to go through the book and see the business ads. I, of course, was not here in the 40”s but I heard so many stories about them from my Sweetheart Wally.

The Missouri River Lumber was on the first page and they are still in business today. That is a span of 75 years or more. The Pioneer Insurance Agency and Neal J. Archer were listed after the MEATS section of the book. I remember that Wally took over the Rural Main Route from Neal Archer. (There are many memories of the Archer family in the archives at the Joel Overholser Research Center. I will delve into that history if any of you would be interested.  Let me know.)

In the BREAD section the sponsors were the Chouteau House, the Chouteau County Bank, and R.V. Bowker. The stories about these businesses are endless and especially about the Chouteau House that is now being brought back to its original state.

The VEGETABLE sponsors were the Capitol Theatre run by Fred Arnst, Central Service Station, Old Fort Inn, and the Gamble Hardware Store. (The Capitol Theatre was located in the McGraw building that is now being renovated.) (I have no idea where the Old Fort Inn was located. Perhaps you know? I could check the files at the Research Center but it would be more interesting to hear it from you.) The Gamble Hardware Store must hold many memories for some of you from the old days.

A more recent story is the time Wally and I went rock hunting on the Yellowstone River. We did not take any equipment along and lo and behold, there was a Gamble Hardware Store in Big Timber. That would have been in the late 1990’s.)

PASTRIES was next and had five sponsors. They were People’s Co-Op Market, Palmer Hardware, Pioneer Mercantile, Safeway Grocery, and Surety Abstract Company. I know nothing about these businesses but I know that you will.

CAKES probably took up the most pages and the most sponsors. J.W. Jenkinson Plumbing and Heating is the one I know a bit about. The Jenkinson family owned the house that I live in now for about 40 or 50 years. The little yellow house next door was Mr. Jenkinson’s workshop. It was later converted into a home.

The first year that I lived here a young girl came to the front door. She said that she had lived in the house and could she come in. She went upstairs and was there for a long while.  She said that she sat on the closed in front porch and just recalled her living in the house. She never returned so I never saw her again. I do not remember her name.)
The other sponsors were Café Modern, LaBarre Garage, Zoller Chevrolet, Ragland Grocery (I know that Madeline will enjoy this memory,) and Clark Hilton Hardware.

DESSERTS sweet sponsors were Jackson’s Price Rite, Emma’s Beauty Shop, Loundaglin’s Radio Shop, Moses Drug Store, W. G. Woodward Clothing Company, and Lippert’s Meat Market.

COOKIES were the compliments of the County Officers. Sheriff Oscar Marty, Clerk of Courts Oscar Roudebush, County Attorney J. W. Lynch, and County Treasurer Howard Morrow. (I wonder if that was Kenny Morrow’s father.)

SALADS, JELLIES and PRESERVES, PICKLES and RELISHES, CANDIES, and HELPFUL HINTS followed with great recipes but no sponsors.

It was a trip back in time to read through this recipe book. There are also names that I recognize but you will have to get the book in order to see for yourselves. As far as the recipes, I want to try every one of them except I do not cook any longer. However, I do bake a little and I want to do all the cakes, cookies, and desserts.

My favorite laugh in the book was the phrase, “Take it off the fire!” Another was when you were directed to beat eggs (by hand) until very yellow. (How many times did you seniors do that? I could never get mine as yellow as I thought the recipe called for. I also had stronger arms in the old days.)

OBSERVATIONS
The reason that politicians try so hard to get re-elected is that they would “hate” to have to make a living under the laws they have just passed.

GOD BLESS AMERICA, MONTANA, FORT BENTON, OUR TROOPS, OUR POLICE FORCES, WEAR RED ON FRIDAYS, AND PUT A GREEN BULB IN YOUR FRONT PORCH FIXTURE