114 years ago
The South Dakota State Board of Agriculture was excited to announce that for the first time in history, a Glenn Curtiss airplane would perform several demonstrations during the 1911 State Fair. A five-mile race between the airplane and an automobile took place on opening day. The pilot was a nineteen-year-old who received his pilots license after three intense days of test flights. Up until 1926, pilots were not required to have an official license to fly.
Other exciting events at the 1911 fair included a Boy Scout encampment, a day dedicated to people of German descent, and the dedication of the Beadle County building. On a serious note, Captain Dryer, an animal trainer with the Parker traveling attractions, was seriously mauled by a leopard. The animal had lunged at his throat, but landed on his arm instead, inflicting serious lacerations. Just as the first leopard was taken away, a second one lunged toward the trainer but was scared off by other staff before it attacked. Dryer was laid up for three weeks following the incident.
102 years ago
In 1923, the State Game and Fish Commission adopted a resolution to establish a uniform opening day for the hunting season of male Chinese ring-necked pheasants across all counties. Before this resolution, each county had its own start date for pheasant hunting. Hunters took advantage of the staggered start dates by hunting in a different county each day. This practice upset local residents who were waiting to hunt on opening day in their county.
Mrs. Gascoigne and Clyde Pierce were involved in an unusual hunting accident. Mrs. Gascoigne was driving a car with Mrs. Pierce sitting in the front passenger seat. In the back seat were Clyde and her husband, John Gascoigne. John shot at a pheasant from inside the car when the gun barrel unexpectedly exploded. Part of the steel struck Clyde in the temple, while another piece struck Mrs. Gascoignes hand, severing the tip of her finger before exiting through the windshield. The injured individuals were rushed to Sprague Hospital for treatment and were subsequently released.
72 years ago
The Huron College Pow Wow Days took place on October 11, 1953. Patty Snow was crowned as the princess, while Carold Heier was named chief warrior.
The parade featured 46 units marching through downtown Huron. The nursing students float, sponsored by St. Johns Hospital, was selected as the best overall float. Prizes of $2.00 were awarded to grade school children who had the best decorated bicycle and the best Indian costume. Other highlights of the parade included the Bummobile and the South Dakota State Universitys Hobo Band. The Scalpers football team contributed to the success of Pow Wow Days by defeating their rivals, Dakota Wesleyan University, with a score of 33-13.
The same year, Hurons school board determined that the growing school population necessitated the construction of a new school. Administrators pointed to the fact that a sixth-grade classroom had 37 students, a third-grade classroom had reached a total of 35 students, and the district was expecting the enrollment of 300 new kindergartners for the following year.
Local voters were tasked with deciding whether to approve a $200,000 bond issue to finance the new school. Local Parent-Teacher Associations offered to transport people to the polls if they needed transportation. The voting results showed that 82 percent of voters were in favor of the construction of a new elementary school. The proposed school, located in southwest Huron, was designed by architect Harold Spitznagel of Sioux Falls and would be named Washington School.
Historical Happenings was written by Jennifer Littlefield, Reference Librarian at the Huron Public Library. The information was taken from past editions of the Huron Daily Plainsman. For more information about Hurons history, visit the library or search the librarys digital archive.
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