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The Pure Food and Drugs Act was signed into law in 1906 and was a giant leap forward in the war on quack medical cures. The law was passed largely in response to the uproar caused by Upton Sinclair’s brutal novel about conditions in Chicago meat-packing plants. The law prohibited the interstate sale of adulterated and/or mislabeled food and drugs. This regulatory action gave power to the newly established Bureau of Chemistry enforcement to regulate quack cures masquerading as genuine medical treatments. The agency initially policed medications... Full story
The Big Sandy High School music program held its annual spring recital concert on Tuesday, April 7th at the high school auditorium. The event served as preparation for the upcoming Music Festival, giving students an opportunity to show off the pieces they’ve been practicing for months to the community and practice playing them for an audience. The event featured a variety of vocal and instrumental pieces from students across the the grades. TJ Bond, who teaches music at Big Sandy Schools, described the event: “Our recital had 16 events ran...
The Second Annual Big Sandy School Art Show and fundraiser will be taking place on May 2nd from 12 to 3 PM on May 2nd at the Historical Society Building. The show will feature art work from the art students from the 7th through 12th grades. The show will also feature silent auctions to raise money for the art program. The whole community is invited to check out the work of our community’s younger artists and support their art eduction. Jessie Jaramillo, who teaches art at Big Sandy High S...
Great Falls now has a Bricks and Minifigs shop, specializing in new, used, miscellaneous, and hard to find/out of production Lego sets. The shop is a haven for kids, fun loving adults, and families looking for a good time together. Between the bins of mini-figure parts, where my kids have spent hours putting together mini replicas of themselves, their friends, or just fanciful creations, and the variety of sets or loose pieces that can be purchased by the bag, there is plenty for any Lego lover to enjoy. I’ve visited the shop with my c...
Last week, I came across an advertisement for Chlorine Gas, marketing it as a “new scientific discovery for the prevention and elimination of colds” and further boasting that it is “now obtainable at drug stores.” The Indianapolis Star ad from March 1926 fell into a brief period where the incredibly dangerous gas was marketed as “Resprine” and prescribed by doctors. While chlorine gas will generally kill viruses and bacteria, it also has a habit of killing pretty much every form of life. There are a few bacteria, spores, and parasites t...
The Big Sandy High School FFA partnered up with Youth Groups from the community for a service project. The group assembled more than 500 prepackaged dry meals for the Big Sandy Food Bank to distribute in the coming months. This is the first time the FFA attempted this particular project, though they have done other service projects in years past. Mr Taylor, who teaches Ag at the High School and oversees the Big Sandy FFA program, explained that FFA has been doing service projects for years, but...
The 25-26 winter has been a series of false springs, relatively few hard freezes, and little snowfall. For locals, these sorts of weather trends inevitably lead to discussions and speculations as to how the weather fluctuations will affect the coming growing season, weeds, disease, and insect populations. According to Tyler Lane, the Agriculture and 4-H Agent for the Montana State University Extension Office in Chouteau County, the larger impact of the false springs should be minimal in terms of crops, insects, and diseases. “So as long as t...
Big Sandy Theater Company will be performing two showings of the Musical Adventures of Oliver Twist this weekend. The showings are on Friday at 7 PM and Saturday at 3 PM at the Big Sandy High School auditorium. The show features 35 local actors of all ages and experience levels. It is the second musical put on by the theater company since it started putting on shows in 2018. Dianna Keane, who has been co-directing plays with the theater since the start, describes this weekend’s show: ...
Mark Twin once said that “The worst loneliness is not to be comfortable with yourself.” In my 20 years of working with people as a chaplain and later as a pastor, I have witnessed this phenomenon in so many forms. Most often, I see it in people who can’t be alone with their own thoughts, so they drown out their inner monologue with noise, activity, or chemicals to keep them distracted. I see it in people who say things to and about themselves that they would never say to anyone else in the world. In fact, if they heard someone else treat...
10 years years ago, on March 21, 1944, the United States Army sent a B-17 Flying Fortress loaded with with 250 pound demolition bombs to drop with the mission of saving Miles City, Montana. The rescue operation didn’t involve repelling foreign invaders, despite the fact that the operation took place at the height of World War II. The bomber crew was sent to break up ice jams on the Missouri River, which were backing up the flow of water and causing flooding in the region including Miles City. According to the National Weather Service, M...
This week marks the start of Lent, the 40-day season in the Christian church calendar that runs between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. One of the most visible signs of the start of the Lenten Season is the mark of ashes on the forehead that is received on Ash Wednesday. Though many are familiar with the practice and treat it with reverence, its origins and meanings are less well known. Ritual and practice can be powerful tools in one’s spiritual life, and understanding the meaning behind the practice and its origins are what give it real sign...
Big Sandy Theater Company is rehearsing for their upcoming production of the Musical Adventures of Oliver Twist. The production of Charles Dickens’ work will be showing March 6th and 7th. The choice to perform the melodrama is a departure from the company’s more traditional comedic shows. The large cast of 35 players features a broad range of ages and experience levels, with familiar cast members and new faces. Amanda Hoffman, who has co-directed every Big Sandy Theater Production, explained the rationale behind the choice of an Oliver Twi...
In late December, the Big Sandy Food Bank received a much needed injection of support thanks to the generosity of the community of Big Sandy. The annual Big Sandy Schools’ paper products drive and First Bank of Montana Community Food Drive were a great success. The infusion of goods and capital were particularly well timed given the extra weight the Food Bank was subjected to last year with the freeze on SNAP benefits combined with the typical holiday stress. Terry Grant, who runs the food bank,...
This week, the Montana High School Association awarded Quinn Rodewald the Male Student Athlete of the Week. The honor is given to one male and one female varsity athlete every week throughout the school year. He was nominated following his win at the Cascade wrestling tournament, during which he achieved his outstanding 100th career win. Last week, he won the Cut Bank wrestling tournament. Quinn has placed first or second in every tournament he has competed in so far this year. The award was...
On January 7, 1918, the Northern Montana Bank opened a brand new building in Big Sandy. The new building was erected on the site currently occupied by the Glacier Bank in Big Sandy. There has been a bank on the corner of Main Street in Big Sandy for 108 years last week. The bank itself predated the new building by several years. In 1910, Big Sandy was growing rapidly, aided by land grant programs for homesteaders. In addition, a number of businesses had sprouted up in town. CJ McNamara and...
My oldest loves basketball. He loves playing, watching, reading about, and every other element of the game. I’m trying to be interested and engage with the sport because he is important to me. One facet of the sport that actually fascinates me is the argument about which player is the greatest of all time. I don’t know enough to engage it meaningfully, but I’d argue that Michael Jordan has had the greatest cultural impact. From the game itself to pop culture to how the business of basketball is conducted, he is the “slam dunk” favorite...
The Big Sandy High School is in the early stages of installing a ceramics studio for the art education program. The long planned move is part of a larger facility upgrade for the program, which will eventually include a move to a larger classroom space. The ceramics studio is projected to be finished by the end of the calendar year. The efforts have been paid for by community fundraisers held last year, donations, and adult education funds. The space for the new studio is the back room of the library, which has served as a sort of “catch all” s...
The Big Sandy School's music program showcased the progress of students in their music education with the annual Christmas concerts this week. The High School and Elementary School concerts took place last week on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 6:30. The High School auditorium filled to the brim with parents, teachers, and locals, who gathered to greet the holiday season with songs and watching their kids and grandkids perform in the program. The High School concert opened with the annual...
Big Sandy Schools’ music program has a busy December in the works. The High School and Elementary School Christmas concerts are coming up next week. In addition, the honors band and choir concert took place on the 1st and 2nd at Choteau High School. The Christmas concerts are a highlight of the holiday season for many locals, who look forward to hearing and seeing the young people of our community singing and performing Christmas classics. The festivities kick off with the High School band and choir concert on the 16th at 6:30 PM. TJ Bond, w...
My oldest loves basketball. He loves playing, watching, reading about, and every other element of the game. I’m trying to be interested and engage with the sport because he is important to me. One facet of the sport that actually fascinates me is the argument about which player is the greatest of all time. I don’t know enough to engage it meaningfully, but I’d argue that Michael Jordan has had the greatest cultural impact. From the game itself to pop culture to how the business of basketball is conducted, he is the “slam dunk” favorite...
My little brother is very focused and driven. A few times since we moved to Montana, I have gotten together with my brother and his family for vacations. His family has a vacation nickname for him: “The fun dictator.” I didn’t appreciate the moniker until we began to take vacation with them. As someone who is driven and focused, even when he travels, he strives to fill every minute of every day. It was fun, but it was exhausting. During our joint family camping trip at Yellowstone Park, I hung a hammock up at the campground. I didn’t use it...
On Saturday, November 8th, the recently formed Big Sandy Speech, Debate, and Drama Team joined 8 other schools for a meet at Havre High School. The event drew class B and C schools from the region. This is the second competition Big Sandy has participated in since the formation of the team on September 29th. Three students competed in two events at the event: Humorous Theater and Informational Speech. Connie Reichelt, who stepped up to organize the team, explained: "Our first two meets have...
The printing press was invented in the late 1430s. It is difficult to overstate the world changing impact of the arrival of the movable type press. Before the arrival of the press, books were copied by hand, were quite rare, and cost several years of wages to purchase. The majority of texts were concentrated in monasteries or elite libraries. Within a few short years, the price of books dropped dramatically. By 1500, more than 20 million volumes had been printed across Europe, more than every scribe had managed to copy in the previous 1000 year...
On Halloween night, Main Street in Big Sandy filled with trick-or-treating kids. Locals lined either side of the road handing out candy and other treats in front of decorated cars, displays, and even a short school bus haunted house. The community Halloween tradition has been providing a safe space for locals to celebrate the holiday together for more than 10 years. Trunk-or-treat has something to offer for Halloween celebrators on every side of the evening’s festivities. Parents of young k...
Big Sandy High School students attended a sobering assembly dealing with internet safety on Thursday morning. The school hosted Lacey Griffiths, whose son Gavin Johnson, was the victim of an internet sextortion scam that led to his suicide. Her presentation relayed her son’s story, internet safety guidelines, and encouragement for young people to speak to adults in their lives if they find themselves in situations they see no clear way out of. Her goal is to prevent any other children from being preyed upon or ending their own lives in s...