Celebrating History: Bank lawsuit, Havre schools and the fair in the news

By Emily Mayer

Local news in the papers this week 100 years ago was a mixed bag. Local resident Edward Burke was none too happy about not being able to cash in some accounts held in the Security State bank. This article was printed in the September 23, 1924, Havre Daily Promoter.

BURKE BRINGS SUIT AGAINST SECURITY STATE BANK

Edward F. Burke, through his attorneys Jos. P. Donnelly and Louis P. Donovan, yesterday started suit in the district court against the Security State Bank for the money he had on deposit at the time the bank was closed last January.

Burke was one of the depositors who refused to sign the plan of reorganization and refused to be bound by it.

There are three causes of action cited I the complaint, two of them being based on certificates of deposit and the other being based on the checking account of the plaintiff.

The certificates were for $3,747.38, dated May 4, 1923, and payable in either 6 or 12 months; for $1,155, dated September 18, 1923, and payable in 6 or 12 months from date and bearing interest at 4 ½ or 5 percent.

The complaint alleges that on or about the 12th day of September, 1924, the plaintiff presented the certificate to the defendant corporation and demanded payment thereof and the defendant corporation refused to pay the same or any part thereof.

The checking account for which judgment is asked was for $685.23. The total sum for such judgment is asked with interest at the rate of 8 percent from January 22, 1924, the day the bank failed to open, is $5,587.61.

The students at Havre Junior High and Havre High School may have felt some joy with the following news printed in the same issue, but I’m sure those hopes were dashed as soon as they read the other part of the news in the following article:

CHANGE IS MADE IN HIGH SCHOOL SCHEDULES

School will start for High school and Junior High school pupils at 8 o’clock and 8:30 instead of the 7:30 and 8 o’clock hours which have been in vogue this fall. The change was made possible by moving the assembly period which has been held at 10:30 in the morning to 2 o’clock in the afternoon.

The lunch hours will be the same as formerly with students going to the noon hour meal at the following time: 11 o’clock to 12:30; 11:30 to 12:45 and 11:45 to 1:15.

The students will be obliged to stay in school a half hour longer each afternoon and will be dismissed at the following hours: 3:15, 4:00 and 4:45.

At least the football team won. They beat Fort Benton 32-0.

More good news regarding the Havre schools was printed in the September 24, 1924 Daily Promoter.

HAVRE SCHOOLS SHOW INCREASE IN PUPILS

A comparison of the total enrollment for the year 1923 and the year 1924 was given last evening at the regular meeting of the school board.

It was found that 93 more children were enrolled in the city schools this fall than last year at this time. A total of 1053 pupils were in the school last year and 1146 names are on the registration books this year.

The board authorized Superintendent Sherwood to engage another teacher in the high school.

The Bible school study classes for high school which were given last year by a number of the churches in the city were approved by the board and it expressed a desire to have more students enter this work this fall.

A high school credit is given to those who successfully complete the Bible course. It is expected that several more of the churches will offer the course this year.

Bible study classes in public schools would be unheard of today, especially classes being taught by churches with the approval of public school boards, due to the U. S. Supreme Court decisions on Engel v. Vitale (1962), and Abington School District v. Schempp (1963), which would later be combined with the more famous Murray v. Curlett (1962) case, removing such from public schools. Private and parochial schools were not included in the rulings.

Even better news was the upcoming revival of the Hill County Fair. This show of support was found in the same edition of the Daily Promoter.

FAIR STICKERS FOR EVERY CAR WINDSHIELD

With hundreds of stickers for automobiles and thousands of slips advertising the fair ready to do their part in publicity service and with the premium list being mailed out to farmers and prospective exhibitors the publicity campaign for the county fair is well under way.

Today it is expected the work of labeling all of the cars of Havre with stickers will be started. Two young men have been secured by the fair management to make the rounds and put up the stickers. Every auto and car owner in the city is expected to lend his assistance to promoting the fair to the extent of allowing a sticker to remain on his car until the fair.

Reports from the country are that exhibits being prepared for the fair are even better than had been expected and every indication points to a most successful exhibition.

The stickers for cars read:

HILL COUNTY FAIR

HAVRE

OCTOBER 9, 10, 11

$2,000 prize money. Meet me there.