From the Dayton Chronicle archives

Ten Years Ago

March 28, 2012

During their annual banquet, Columbia County Fire District No. 3 recognized outstanding members for their service, Ken Fuller, Volunteer of the Year; Wayne and Willie Tate, shared honor of Officer of the Year; Michael Field, EMS Captain, and Samantha (Richter) DeVoir, Captain’s Award. Others not attending but receiving awards are Bill Massey, Jim Neace, Debbie Bruegman. New cadets passing the Academy were Samantha DeVoir, Dan Sinkbeil and Brian Best.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

March 26, 1997

Hospital food services have expanded. The modernization included gaining about 120 square feet or more for a more logical layout with the new walk-in freezer and walk-in refrigerator. A new larger grill, all new appliances, including a large steam table and modern, easy-to-use tray line. Other items included in the $185,000 project are a new cooking range, oven, chilled juice machine, coffee maker, ice machine and food preparation area.

Transplants cause traffic jam. The Game Department introduced the Roi Grande turkeys as an experiment to our county several years ago and they have reproduced in sufficient numbers and are claiming the city streets and alleys as their own.

Fifty Years Ago

March 23, 1972

Dr. William W. Day, Dayton’s senior physician and surgeon, died unexpectedly March 18, at his Main Street office where he had been working. The death of the physician ends a 100-year family practice in the community. Dr. Day, son and grandson of local physicians, born April 1, 1886 to Dr. Charles H. Day and Lora Rees Day, and his grandparents were Dr. W.W. Day and Lucy Pringle Day. After his Army discharge, he returned to Dayton to practice and delivered more than 3,000 babies during his 60-year career and was instrumental in establishing the first hospital.

Donald Pittman, M.D. of Dayton has been appointed Columbia County health officer to succeed Dr. W.W. Day, who passed away last Saturday, March 18. Mrs. Hazel Kendall will maintain the office of Dr. Day as the county health office and will serve as clerk-recorder for Dr. Pittman. Mrs. Kendall had been associated with Doctor Day for nearly 50 years.

Miss Polly Cowen, junior at Dayton High School, was among 400 vocalists of the All-State Choir which performed during the March 15-18 state convention of music teachers in Washington State held at Vancouver. Miss Cowen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Don Cowen, was accompanied to the Vancouver convention by Music Director and Mrs. Glen Mitchell.

Paul Sunderland, who is majoring in agronomy, and son of County Agent and Mrs. Art Sunderland, has been selected as the 1972 recipient of the Max Hinrichs Sr. Scholarship award.

Howard Morgan has been named as 1972 winner of the Whitman County Crop Improvement Association Scholarship, which is awarded annually to a student majoring in agronomy.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

March 20, 1947

Rural Electric Association needs to increase capacity, volume is at three times expected load. The fuss about the McNary Dam at Umatilla, has some skeptical about real urgency. Present surveys show the two Columbia projects, the Bonneville and Coulee dams, cannot begin to supply the demand even when Coulee Dam has its full complement of generators.

The Boy Scouts are putting on a waste paper drive. The Cubs, Air Scouts and Scouts will participate in the collection in Dayton, this is the last paper collection before fall. Rural people can bring their paper to the coal bins just across the street from the City Lumber and Coal Yards.

One Hundred Years Ago

March 18, 1922

Money from the Pietrzycki Estate, willed to District No. 2 for the purpose of establishing a trade school in connection with the public high school, has been accruing for many years. The bequest had not been greatly before the public until recently when the need of a high school building arose, and the time seemed ripe to found the school according to the ideas of Dr. Pietrzycki.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

March 20, 1897

A process was discovered which armor plates of war ships could be so hardened on the face that the best projectiles were shattered on striking them. Recently, according to the Scientific American, was the placing of a cap of soft steel on the point of the projectile, enabling the shot to penetrate the armor plate by preventing the breaking of the point.