25 YEARS AGO

April 29, 1997

Geri Dickmeier was named the 1997 Secretary of the Year at the Hermiston Chamber of Commerces’ Annual Secretary’s Day Social.

Dickmeier’s boss, Steve Eldrige of Umatilla Electric Cooperative, nominated her for the award and submitted a glowing letter of praise for her contributions in the workplace.

“To be nominated by a boss is a great compliment,” Dickmeier said.

As part of her award, Dickmeier received a limousine ride from Luxury In Motion, a $100 gift certificate from Roemark’s, a gift from N.W. Jewelers, dinner at Fontaines’, lunch at Chappy’s, a night’s stay at the Oxford Suits and a dozen red roses from Cascade Natural Gas.

Other awards for the secretaries included “Most Pictures at their Desk, won by Lori Armstrong of McDonald’s with 39 pictures; “Longest-Working Secretary,” won by Willie Harmon and “Longest Time Working at the Same Job,” won by Barbara Bresnahan of Cascade Natural Gas.

50 YEARS AGO

April 27, 1972

April 29, 1972, marked a special day for the Swayze and Bounds families, who founded the first banks in the Hermiston area.

This banking legacy began in 1906 with F.B. Swayze, who traveled from Oklahoma in search of economic opportunity. Upon arriving, Swayze realized the need for a bank and opened the First Bank of Hermiston later that year. In 1908, it was renamed the First National Bank and moved to the corner of First and Main, where it remained until 1950. After F.B. Swayze died, his son, Frank Swayze Jr., sold the bank to the U.S. National Bank of Oregon in 1953.

Around the same time, the Inland Empire Bank in Umatilla was thriving under the management of Roger Bounds. In 1959, the Bounds opened the Hermiston branch of the Inland Empire Bank and his wife became the manager and chairman of the board of directors after her husband’s death in 1961.

In 1972, she celebrated the grand opening of the third branch of the Inland Empire Bank, in Boardman, as a 66-year continuation of banking tradition.

75 YEARS AGO

May 1, 1947

School activities and events back in 1947 were busy.

A May Day program, presented by the elementary school on May 2, included the annual Activities Banquet. Following the banquet, a formal dance took place in the high school gym with a ceremony of the crowning of the prom queen.

On May 3, the elementary district track team held a meet. Sponsored by the Hermiston Rotary Club, participants from Echo, Stanfield, Hermiston, Ordinance, Columbia, Umatilla, Irrigon and Boardman engaged in this competition of strength and speed.

The baccalaureate ceremony occupied the evening of May 18. Then the next couple of days will render students fairly busy, with final examinations and tests taking place on May 19 and 20.

90 YEARS AGO

April 28, 1932

William Holford made his Lincoln High School, of Portland, proud when he was declared the state winner of a national essay contest.

Conducted by the National Student Forum, this competition of historic analysis and writing skills asked students to write an essay answering the question, “What is the Bearing of the Paris Peace Pact on the Question of Disarmament?”

By winning the state prize, Holford was then eligible to compete in the state contest. The reward for winning this contest was a trip to Europe. Ray Steubing of Jefferson High School won this trip two years prior.