From our files

Belston wins liar’s contest in 1972

100 Years Ago, 1922

The Cowley Progress

No record on file

75 Years Ago, Feb. 20, 1947

The Lovell Chronicle

The “World Day of Prayer” will be observed in the Methodist church Friday evening, Feb. 21, at 7:30. The Baptist church people will participate in the service, and all others are welcome.

50 Years Ago, Feb. 17, 1972

The Lovell Chronicle

George Washington would turn over in his grave if he knew about the goings on at the Byron Bar. There it was, just a few days from his birthday, and the Byron Bar was having a liar’s contest. First prize went to Bob Belston, “Mother was riding a gray mare that was about to foal, and she was almost due to have me. Right in the middle of an Indian raid Mother had me, and at the same time the mare had her colt. Mother jumped on the mare, and I jumped on the colt, and we rode off lickety split.” Second place, Lyle Wolf, was with this: “When I first moved to Byron they told me I couldn’t raise watermelons; the ground was too fertile. I tried it anyway. The vines grew so fast they wore out the melons dragging them around.” Toots Kallem took third prize by writing, “Well, folks, come to find out these little ugly animals were called Naughas and their hide was worth lots of money.”

25 Years Ago, Feb. 20, 1997

The Lovell Chronicle

The Lovell Recreation District sponsored a Valentine contest last week at the Lovell elementary and preschools.

Pic: Lovell fifth grade Valentine box contest winners were (front row, l-r) Christy Walker, Bridget Ferbrache, Kirra Baxendale, (back) Tanner Emmett, Chrisandra Smith, Kerri Rogers and Joel Wardell. Not pictured is Jake Schmidt.

10 Years Ago, Feb. 16, 2012

The Lovell Chronicle

The U.S. Labor Department relaxed its proposed child farm labor rules, saying that it would exempt children under the age of 16 from child farm labor rules in cases where a parent is either part owner, member of a partnership or an officer with substantial ownership interest in the farm. 

Children who are not exempt under the family rule would not be allowed to perform many work activities on farms like driving tractors, working with large animals, herding on horseback and even rounding up chickens for slaughter under the current proposal.

Although the recently expanded exemptions help family farms, they don’t do much for educational  programs like the FFA and 4-H, where children who may not necessarily come from a farm or ranch family are afforded the opportunity to have a true “hands-on” agricultural learning experience through supervised projects like raising beef for market or learning to operate farm equipment.