75 years ago
February 1, 1945
Aberdeen residents, who contributed a total of $45,000 to the 1944 Community of War Chest and who may have sons among prisoners of war in Germany will probably be interested to learn how their dollars are bringing comfort and diversion to men in nazi prison camps, William Hatch, president of the Community Chest, said today.
On a visit to Stalag 111-C, representatives of War Prisoners Aid of the Y.M.C.A. reported that despite snow and a terrific wind, 800 war prisoners attended an outdoor boxing match lasting an hour and a half, followed in the evening by a jazz concert by the camp orchestra.
Health conditions, he said, were fine with only a few men in the hospital. Morale was also good, and American prisoners were popular with those of other nationalities.
At Stalag Luft 3, there were Christmas cakes, a splendid turkey dinner, decorations, services, songs, concerts and theatrical performances.
February 2, 1945
Mrs. Thor Berg yesterday received through the Red Cross the first news of her family in Norway since the Germans invaded the country.
The message was from her brother in Oslo and said that all her brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews were in good health and that nothing had changed in the family since the war.
Mrs. Berg in expressing her gratitude and appreciation to the Red Cross organization, said she particularly wished to commend Miss Price, Montesano Red Cross worker, who delivered the message so promptly and in person.
50 years ago
February 1, 1970
While the Harbor elements battered dignitary and commoner alike, the cornerstone of Aberdeen’s Fish Protein Concentrate plant, hailed by Rep. Julia Butler Hansen as “the first and only plant if its type in the world,” was eased into place Saturday afternoon.
Sen. Henry Jackson and Congresswoman Hansen huddled under a wind-whipped canopy as they, assisted by two other dignitaries, officially began construction of the long-awaited FPC plant.
One hundred seventy-five onlookers gathered inside an unheated metal frame warehouse for the groundbreaking oratory for the $2 million experimental plant.
Jackson lauded his absent colleague, Sen. Warren Magnuson, Rep, Hansen and the Port of Grays Harbor. Hans Bielski, president of the port commission, praised the two senators and Mrs. Hansen.
February 2, 1970
Families who are not on public assistance will be able to get a bigger bite for their food stamp dollar, beginning today.
A family of four making $205 monthly formerly paid $68 for $92 worth of stamps. Now it will pay $54 for stamps worth $106.
Don Ellen, director of the Aberdeen office of the State Department of Public Assistance, emphasized that the increases apply only to households not receiving other forms of public assistance.
According to figures compiled by Grace Nix, a case work supervisor, Grays Harbor County is using food stamps to an extent nearly four times the state average.
25 years ago
February 1, 1995
A group of Hoquiam seventh-graders learned a lesson in generosity last fall when they gathered more than $10,000 worth of medical supplies to donate to a leper hospital in Peru.
Now they’re learning a lesson in frustration and red tape.
Betsy Seidel’s students solicited 300 pounds of supplies from bandages to hypodermic needles to wheelchairs, from Grays Harbor businesses. Now, in a classic international snafu, the materials have been stuck in Peruvian customs at Iquitos for more than a month instead of being released to the hospital in San Pablo the students want to help.
“It just makes me sad to think of all the good people who have put time into this and it’s still not in the hands of the nuns at the hospital to help the lepers,” Seidel said.
February 2, 1995
As assistant manager at the Safeway store on Heron street saved an elderly Hoquiam couple from being bilked out of $2,500 Wednesday, according to police.
Patti Kennedy intuition told her something wasn’t quite right when the couple asked to send a “Money Gram” to a salesman who claimed they would receive a $50,000 cash prize in return.
It didn’t take long for Kennedy and telegraph company investigators to learn that the salesman was a scam artist who preys on the elderly.
“If it looks too good to be true, it’s too good to be true,” said Detective Sgt. James Clarkson of the Aberdeen Police Department.
Compiled from the archives of The Daily World by Karen Barkstrom
