100 years ago

A community Christmas tree sponsored by the Helix Commercial club was given Sunday evening Dec. 21 in the Christian church. A cantata “Santa Claus Dream” was very credibly given by Helix school children under the direction of Superintendent Voelker and Mrs. Clifford Kendall. The school orchestra with Miss Harriet Brown at the piano furnished the music for the evenings entertainment.

50 years ago

Ballet students from Pendleton and Walla Walla areas got a special treat Wednesday at Pendleton High School Auditorium.

Angene Feves, a professional dancer with her own company, conducted an afternoon workshop for the dance students of Bonney Jo Carlson, Pendleton, and Patricia Hawkins, Walla Walla.

Nearly 35 girls attended the four-hour session.

Miss Feves, a former resident of Pendleton, was visiting her family for the holidays and volunteered to conduct the workshop.

Miss Feves has danced professionally as a soloist and guest artist in Europe, has made two national tours of the United States under the Civic Music Association, has performed with San Francisco and Los Angeles Opera Ballets and Gene Mainaccio’s American Concert Ballet Company.

25 years ago

Bruce Kinsch is going to begin the new year with a new schedule: the more relaxed, devil-may-care schedule of the retired.

After 19 years of working with Umatilla County Juvenile Services, Kichsch is gladly handing over his job and all those files that have cluttered his desk to Joe Zoske, who has stepped in as the new administrator.

But Kinsch is leaving with regrets.

Not over his career choice, although it wasn’t what he initially intended to do with his life.

Kinsch had planned on becoming an engineer, but once he got into college he found that course of study too dull. Switching fields and schools, Kinsch headed to seminary.

It was there that Kinsch was told by his mentores that he seemed more suited for social work than for priesthood. So Kinsch switched again. And that time he stayed with the program, ultimately obtaining his master’s degree in social work from the University of Washington.

Kinsch claims he was just a late bloomer. But once he began working in King County, Wash., Kinsch said he knew he found the field that was right for him.

So why the regrets?

“My regrets are with juvenile justice and what is happening. I think it is something going on throughout the U.S. The community has basically taken on the attitude of retribution,” Kinsch said.