Celebrating History: Local social news

by Emily Mayer

The Hill County Democrat microfilm ended last week in 1921 and didn’t start up again until 1922. The Havre Plaindealer apparently went out of business in May of 1921, which leaves the Havre Daily Promoter’s microfilm to use. Most of the Promoter’s pages were dedicated to national, state and world news, with local news interspersed throughout its pages, and of course lots of advertisements.

The Oct. 14, 1921, edition announced a new park had been created in the area.

SOCIAL DANCE OPENS HIGHWAY PARK TONIGHT

The Roosevelt Highway park will be formally opened this evening with a social dance to which an invitation is extended to the people of Havre.

The old Spaulding ranch near the junction, one of the pretty picnic places of the country, is the site of the park. The new proprietors, Messrs. More and Peak, have had the place arranged so as to make it an ideal recreation place, where families may go for an outing, where lodges, unions, clubs and societies may hold picnics and parties.

Excellent music has been secured for tonight and there will be a lunch served at midnight. The proprietors anticipate that a large number of their friends from Havre will participate in the opening and enjoy the hospitality of the park.

This is the first formal opening of the place under the new management and a cordial invitation has been extended to the public to participate.

The Roosevelt Highway is U.S. Highway 2 today.

And, right under this announcement was this intriguing little gem:

Home made popcorn balls and candies will be served at the Burlesque Style Show tonight.

Some organizations were planning events for the upcoming Halloween holiday. The following was printed in the October 15, 1921 issue:

Elks to Select Officers

Plan Hallowe’en Dance

A meeting of the B.P.O. Elks will be held at the Elks’ club next Tuesday, when two new officers will be elected to fill the vacancies of esteemed leading knight, held by Frank E. Carleton and esteemed loyal knight, held by M. O. Wood who have left the city.

Plans will be discussed for a big dance at the Elks’ club the evening of Hallowe’en October 31.

Frank Carleton had been appointed District Judge a few years earlier. His wife, Margaret, and Episcopalian Minister Leonard Christler were engaged in a scandalous affair. Tired of dealing with the salacious and almost assuredly non-stop gossip, Frank left for California along with Margaret’s daughter from a previous marriage.

There will be more news about this not-so-well-kept Havre secret in future edition.

Speaking of the Episcopal church, this news was also published in the same edition:

Guild to Observe Fiftieth Anniversary

Members of St. Mark’s Episcopal church club will observe the 50th anniversary of Women’s work in the church through parish organizations by attending the service of Holy Communion at 9 o’clock Sunday morning and again the service of Morning Prayer at 11 o’clock.

All of the Episcopal churches in the United States, through the women’s organizations, will on Sunday keep this anniversary by attending special services and making special offerings for the advancement of women’s work.

With Frank Carleton gone from Havre, this left his office space vacant. It didn’t take long for it to be occupied by a new tenant.

Dr. Templeton Moves to Masonic Temple

Dr. W. F. Templeton has moved his office to the Masonic Temple suite 211 and 212, the rooms recently vacated by Judge Carleton.

The office rooms are fast filling up and Superintendent Artanan is doing every thing possible to make the service in the temple the best in Northern Montana.

The Oct. 16, 192, edition carried news that not everyone would find comforting.

W. C. T. U. MEETING WEDNESDAY

There will be a special meeting of the W. C. T. U. Wednesday, October 19 in the social rooms of the Methodist church, for the purpose of discussing plans for permanent headquarters for the union.