100 years ago

At the Rotary luncheon today Walla Walla Rotarians told the story of the great historical pageant to be held in that city early in June and made the suggestion that Pendleton provide a troop of civil war cavalry to represent Colonel Wright’s Indian fighters in the great finale of the play. The request was taken under consideration and H. E. Inlow, vice president in charge of meeting in the absence of President Phelps, named S. R. Thompson, Chauncey Bishop and J. H. Estes as a committee to report next Tuesday.

P. J. Burrell, director of the pageant and Dr. S. B. L. Penrose, president of Whitman college, pageant author, talked graphically of the great affair planned. There will be over 2000 people in that cast all told and if carried out as planned will be one of the greatest events of the sort ever produced in the west.

Other Walla Wallans with the party today included Pal Clark, president of the Walla Walla cub, Fire Chief Metz and Jake Kauffman.

50 years ago

The 1973 edition of the Kiwanis Kapers is about music — namely the repertoire the Pendleton High School swing choir will take across the ocean this summer on a European tour.

And if Tuesday night’s performance in Pendleton’s Vert Auditorium is but an indication of what is to come, Europe is in for a treat.

In all truthfulness, the production of J. L. Hopkins “In A Sense, Abroad” is an excellent concert tied to the simplest and corniest of plots. It makes a delightful blend of many local talents for the annual benefit show.

25 years ago

Tami Whalen doesn’t claim to have the gift of miracle, but she did help resurrect a lifeless toddler.

Whalen was working the desk at Pendleton’s Super 8 Motel last October when a frantic guest, Susie Garber, carried her 18-month-old daughter into the lobby.

Garber had called for an ambulance only moments before from her room, when her toddler, who had been running a high fever, began having convulsions.

Following Garber into the lobby were her mother, Cherl Smith, her sister, Sally Campbell, and three other small children.

They were only moments, said Whalen, a mother herself, when Garber began to scream, “Oh my God, she’s quit breathing!”

Without a pause, Whalen leaped from her station and grabbed the baby. Laying her on the floor, Whalen pinched her nose and began to administer mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

As soon as the baby began to cry, Whalen stopped and handed the baby back to Garber. Within minutes, the ambulance arrived and EMT’s began to work with the child. Meanwhile, Whalen turned her attention toward comforting the other frightened children. She took them in search of candy.