In February, the Herald installed a new Miehle press. Miehles were the best available and used by weekly and many small daily papers. The circulation had increased to over 2,900 including the 300 free papers for the service men. The new press was faster and would enable the printing of larger paper going up to eight columns, which would save in man-hours.
Frank P. Leiper announced he would not seek re-election; he served as judge of the Seventh Judicial District for 21 years.
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The Yellowstone River broke up and flood waters caused both roads to the Big Open to be closed.
The Modern Lady Shop, of which Mrs. R.E. Gustafson was the proprietor, moved from the Richland National Bank annex to the former Valley Meat Market building in April.
Guy McCurdy and Reuben Valdez, in charge of the WFA labor program for the valley, announced that the CCC Camp at Ridgelawn would be used to house the 400 Mexican nationals and others brought to the valley for fieldwork.
May brings the fifth war loan bonds with the quota for the county set at $559,000. The drive would start June 12 and end July 8.
Miss Gerry Neihenke graduated from the University of Washington with a B.A. degree from the College of Economics and Business with a major in foreign trade. Carl L. Brattin announced his candidacy for the Seventh Judicial District of Montana.
With the resignation of Mrs. Henry Miller, the Mona post office was closed. The post office was established 32 years earlier and located on the William Holt ranch, then the O.H. Parson's home and finally to the Miller store on the Henry Miller ranch.
In May, 54 boys and girls organized the first Sidney High School Tennis Club.
Sidney Lodge No. 856 of the Loyal Order of Moose was instituted with a charter membership of 66 at the Legion Hall June 25, 1944. Officers installed were J.H. Clark, past governor; J.B. Dawe, governor; R.A. Kaneski, junior governor; W.H. Yaeger, prelate; R.L. Beaudett, secretary; Duncan Narum, treasurer; Orville Stagg, sergeant at arms; Wm. A. Ford, inner guard; Paul Delilla, outer guard; trustees Lewis J. Lee, Orville DeShaw and Lynn Severance.
Richard Nollmeyer, Savage, was named to the University of Kansas honor roll in July. Miss Alice Prevost, Ft. Wright record office clerk, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Prevost, Sidney, was chosen queen of Spokane pin-up girls at the first anniversary of the Spokane air service command's show, "Take-Off," at the Fox Theatre. She was selected by service men at Baxter and Fort Wright hospitals.
A rodeo at the fairgrounds had a large attendance of over 4,000 for both days in August. A western parade was held, and the Fairview high school band provided the music. Mrs. Kenneth Gardner, Fairview, was named the best lady rider and received a $25 war bond.
The housing shortage in Sidney was becoming a serious problem in the summer of '44, especially with the school year to start.
In September, Mrs. Richard Hass heard from her son Rodney. She received a card dated June 4 that was written from a German prison camp, where he had been for a year.
The Sidney Youth Center opened on Oct. 16 in the east wing of the NYA building.
The sugar beet harvest field labor shortage was eased to the extent of 299 when German prisoners of war arrived from Florence, Ariz. They began helping with the harvest after getting settled in the CCC Camp which was converted into a labor camp. Curiosity seekers were asked to stay away from the PW Camp.
Fire destroyed the fine high school gymnasium building at Lambert on Nov. 21. The gym was a WPA project in 1940 and cost approximately $18,000. The building would not be replaced until after the war due to building restrictions.
The Richland County Fair was held in 1945 after two successive years of suspension on account of the war.
Trinity Lutheran Church became debt-free in December 1944. The church was organized on Feb. 4, 1928. That same year the old Hardy school was purchased, moved to Sidney and converted into a chapel. Seven years later, in 1935, the chapel being inadequate, lots were purchased and the present church was built. The next year the parsonage was erected. With hard work the congregation was debt-free in less than ten years.
Footnote: Information provided by the MonDak Heritage Center's archives. Previous years can be found on the Herald Web site www.sidneyherald.com/herald_facts
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