A weekly look back compiled by the Clark County Historical Museum from The Columbian archives available at columbian.newspapers.com or at the museum.
- 100 years ago
On Jan. 29, 1924, enrollment in Vancouver’s high school at the opening of the second semester was 785 and will “probably be augmented … when some who failed to go to roll room will be counted.” Enrollment during the previous semester clocked in at 723.
- 75 years ago
On Feb. 3, 1949, Amboy’s “world champion clam eater” Chuck Bray defended his seafood-scarfing prowess in anticipation of a Feb. 22 meet. At a May 9 Long Beach meet, Bray “gulped down 261/2 (razor clams), the sea’s hardiest citizens” in 10 minutes. Prior to that contest, he had never entered an eating competition before. His only qualification was his love of food, especially seafood. The bivalve enthusiast was hoping to defend his title against Seattle’s Dick Watson, who won the “first annual international Pacific free style amateur clam eating contest” held the previous January.
- 50 years ago
On Jan. 29, 1974, voters approved a $6.7 million school bond for the Evergreen School District. The bond had already been defeated twice, but a teachers’ strike helped bring attention to the measure. Some of the money would be used to construct and equip “four elementary schools and a junior high school,” as well as remodeling most of the district’s schools.
