100 years ago

Feb. 13, 1919 — Minimum pay $75 a month

Through the efforts of “the lady from Wasco,” the minimum pay of teachers in Oregon has been set at $75 per month. This is only fair and reasonable although in some sparsely settled, poor districts it may result in a slightly increased taxation. Against the bill it was urged that these country districts would curtail the term from eight or nine months to six.

75 years ago

Feb. 17, 1944 — Vandals Scatter Salvage Paper

Paper collected for the salvage drive was scattered, bundles were untied and the storage quarters were turned into a shambles by vandals who entered the Cline building recently, says Maurice F. Roberts, Redmond salvage chairman.

The paper had been taken there, tied in 50-pound bundles, to be stored until shipment is made. After five hours work, the building was put in order again and the paper re-tied.

50 years ago

Feb. 19, 1969 — Cold potatoes cause delay for Simplot

Simplot, the large Idaho processing firm which bought potatoes in the Madras area about two weeks ago, has hauled some 40 cars to Caldwell, but is understood to have run into some trouble in processing the stock for frozen French fries.

Information received in Central Oregon is that the potatoes were too cold and fried too dark as a result of a higher percentage of sugar content than is desirable. Simplot is said to be warming up its storage facilities so that the potatoes can be heated to convert the sugar back to starch. If fries cook too dark, they tend to become bitter. Trucking the potatoes to Idaho is expected to be resumed soon, however.

25 years ago

Feb. 16, 1994 — School board approves closure of Hill School

If all goes as planned, the doors of Jessie Hill School will close on students forever the last day of this school year.

Redmond School Board on Monday voted unanimously to close the school, provided that new classrooms at Lynch and John Tuck schools will be ready for students to move into this fall.

New classroom space at the two elementary schools will be needed for the 1994-95 year to serve growing districtwide enrollment and to absorb students displaced by the closure of Hill School.

Superintendent Elton Gregory explained the need for the closure.

“Our funding is going to be drastically reduced at a time when our enrollment is growing,” he said.

The district will save money by moving some Hill personnel to other schools and using operating funds from the school elsewhere.

Closing Hill School after this year will allow the district to “gear up” for the ’95-96 opening of the district’s new school facilities, Gregory said.

No one at the meeting spoke in opposition to the closure.

The district, city and county are negotiating a trade for the Hill School site. The county want to move the Redmond branch library to the school building. The city hopes to build a new city hall on the school property.