Celebrating History: Nurses, garbage collection and influenza in the news

By Emily Mayer

Crime and court news were not the only things going on in Havre during the week of Nov. 8, 1919. There were plenty of other things going on as well, including a new telephone alarm system installed at the fire station at City Hall, modeled after one in Seattle; the Havre Commercial Company was giving away free tablets to school children to “Start a Crusade On High Cost of Living,” all one had to do was go to the Commercial with Mom or Dad and get your free tablet (the kind you physically write on with a pencil or a pen, not that mini computer thing); the Havre Abstract Company was sold to rival Hill County Abstract Company; a full-time health officer for Hill County was being suggested by the state board of health because Havre had grown substantially enough to require one; and Mayor McKenzie was advocating for a new garbage collection and disposal system, wherein each household would have a garbage can and the city would collect garbage and deposit the garbage in a dump out of town.

It was common in this time frame for people to simply dump garbage in their backyards, making for an unsightly scene for resident and neighbor alike. Backyards in the older parts of Havre can yield some interesting treasures. In the backyard of one of my homes, it is quite common after a rainstorm to find shards of glass, pottery, mother-of-pearl buttons, pieces of jewelry and the like, as that is where early families dumped their unwanted items.

We celebrated Veterans Day in Havre Monday, and this article is timely for this important commemoration.

HAVRE POST OF THE AMERICAN LEGION NOW HAS A WOMAN MEMBER ENROLLED

“Are you the financial officer of the American Legion? That is, I mean are you the one I see to pay my initiation fees into the Legion.”

This question was addressed to Maurice B. Hill, manager of the farm loan department of the Farmers’ bank, who is also acting as financial officer of the Havre Post of the American legion.

Contrary to what the majority of persons may think, this remark was not made by a husky doughboy, fresh from the service, but instead, was made by a woman, comparatively small in stature, but yet having that satisfied look of one who has offered their all in the cause of democracy.

“I’m Miss Louise C. LaFournaise, a member of the American Nurse’s Corps, and under the constitution of the American Legion, I believe, I am eligible for membership into your order.”

Mr. Hill assured her any over-seas nurse was eligible. So today, Miss LaFournaise is proudly wearing the button of the American Legion, and has the distinction of being the only woman member of the Havre Post of the American Legion.

Speaking of nurses and women, here is a report of the local Havre Women’s Club activities reported in the Plaindealer:

WOMAN’S CLUB HOLDS NOVEMBER MEETING

The general meeting of the Havre Woman’s Club was held at the library club rooms yesterday. Routine business and the consideration of club activities outside of the club program occupied most of the time. It was voted to send at once the quota allotted to the club for the support of the scholarship fund and the members further decided to supplement this by a special gift to be made later in the year.

Mrs. Griggs brought up the matter of a subscription to the Roosevelt memorial fund and after some discussion it was decided to contribute five dollars to the fund.

Mrs. Griggs, as a member of the executive committee of the Red Cross, which is considering the matter of a public health nurse for this county, outlined the work of the public health nurse and asked the club for an expression of its interest in the matter. As no definite plan had been formed by the Red Cross as to financing or conducting the work, the club could do nothing but express sentiment in favor of the beginning the public health service in the county. This was done by a vote.

After the business meeting, Mrs. Frank Carleton introduced the general club study topic for the year, Parliamentary Practice. This had been decided upon by the program committee last spring, the leaders then appointed found themselves unable to serve. The club decided to continue the study by dividing the work of leadership. Mrs. Carleton and Mrs. Bossuot have charge of the December meeting.

Readers will recall that many activities were curtailed due to The Great War and the Spanish flu epidemic of 1918 and earlier in 1919, which included activities of the Havre Women’s Club.

And, of influenza, there was this relieving news also in the Plaindealer:

NO INFLUENZA IN HAVRE SAYS LOCAL PHYSICIAN

Plans Already Being Made To Combat Disease At Its First Appearance

There is practically no influenza in Havre, according to Dr. W. F. Hamilton, city health officer, but in order that a repetition of last year’s epidemic does not occur, local physicians and health officers are making elaborate plans to combat the disease at its first appearance.

Dr. Hamilton believes that this year there are plenty of physicians in Havre to successfully fight the disease. This condition did not exist last year, as many of the doctors were in the Army and the majority of the medical aid during the epidemic was carried on by only a few doctors. Dr. Hamilton did intimate, however, that there might be a shortage of nurses, but said the local organization would be prepared to import sufficient number of trained nurses at the first indication of the plague.

There are several serums now on the market, said Dr. Hamilton, which indeed are good. But in the event of any local epidemic it is probable that we will use only local culture. This plan of using local culture has been found to be more effective and quicker cures are possible under this arrangement.

I will wrap up the Nov. 8, 1919, edition of The Havre Plaindealer next week, this time focusing on the social activities and news in Havre.