100 years ago — 1922

The raising of sugar beets to supply the Utah-Idaho Sugar Co. is an experiment which will be tried at Stanfield, in the hopes that the beets, which thrive best in rather heavy irrigated soil and which resist alkali, can be grown successfully. Manager Rosenfeld, manager of the Walla Walla district of the sugar company, and Fred Bennion left today for Stanfield with enough beet seed supplied by Mr. Rosenfeld to plant several small tracts. The first growths will be used for extending the crop. The beets are shipped to the company’s plant in Toppenish and Yakima, Washington, there being no factory in Oregon. The raising of beets in the Walla Walla valley will be extensive this year because of the reduced cost of labor. Last year the high wage commanded by laborers caused a decrease.

50 years ago — 1972

Girls 10-15 who like to play ball won’t feel left out this summer in Pendleton. For the first time, a girls’ softball league will be organized by the city recreation department. John Sheffold, city recreation director, said Pendleton’s Little League organization removed the big stumbling block that faced the girls’ program — a place to play. The girls have been invited to play their games at the Little League park on SE Byers from 1-4 p.m. when Little League teams aren’t using it. The city recreation department will furnish equipment for the games but teams that form will have to furnish their own practice equipment.

25 years ago — 1997

At 10 a.m. Saturday, May 17, Dave Fairley will accept bids from those who want to own the rustic log cabin carefully crafted by students at Weston-McEwen High School in Athena. It measures 16-by-16 feet, and comes equipped with a half loft. It is hewn from fully-scribed lodge pole pine donated by The Masonite Corp. Andy Muncy and Bill Corley of Masonite organized the donation and delivered the logs to the school. Once the logs arrived, the designing began. Students relied on their previous drafting and wood-tech classes for help as they began from scratch. Led by teacher David Lange and parent-volunteer David Lynde, 14 young men created their own structure. In doing so, they utilized the most difficult method of log cabin construction: chinkless, or Swedish Cope. The students learned valuable lessons in teamwork as the project progressed. The cabin is now on display for prospective bidders. Once purchased, the students will break the building down for the owner to transport. The structure is complete with walls, rafters, floor joist and a rustic, Adirondack-style porch. The floor, roof and windows will be the responsibility of the buyer; as will, of course, the location. This cabin is a tribute to the students who dared to try, the teacher who thought they could and the parent who said he’d help.