Harrington news

Summer Reading

In spite of summer vacations, Bridget Rohner has managed to keep the statistics high with the attendance this fourth week at 15 children. The group began with the reading of a story, for which the children were very attentive. The major theme this week was the five senses and the children thoroughly enjoyed the hands-on approach. Each was given a piece of paper to record their answers regarding the bottled aromas that they were sniffing.

Victoria Rice helped the children with the hearing test, where the children watched a video that showed the patterns that the frequencies make. Sound travels to our ears in waves, and they could see what the sound would look like in wave patterns. Emma Aldrich covered a speaker on a CD player with plastic wrap and allowed the children to feel the vibration from the speaker. Then she placed sprinkles on the plastic wrap and they watched with eager eyes as the sprinkles were bouncing with the vibrations. In another experiment, a battery was connected to two wires and when touched together it vibrated the speaker attached at the end so that the children could feel the sound.

The children watched eagerly as they were shown a drawing of the human tongue and they learned that different areas of the tongue has taste buds for different tastes. Only certain areas will taste the sour flavor and similarly the sweet flavor as one would have with S’mores. Delight showed on their faces as they learned that a solar oven was being used to melt the chocolate for the S’mores that they were going to “taste.” In the final analysis, the microwave was needed to complete the melting process. The children didn’t mind, nor did they mind eating their experiment.

Harrington Church

of the Nazarene

The local Harrington Church of the Nazarene has been enjoying the interim minister, Caroline Stables from Post Falls, Idaho, for the past three Sundays. Her husband, George, attends with her, and the congregation has also met one of her four children.She also has eight grandchildren. She and her husband both work at WalMart. She was raised in the Southern Baptist church in Mississippi and has yet to describe her journey to the Pacific Northwest. Her first sermon in Harrington focused on the need for faith. Her second sermon was the story of David and Goliath, “You have to believe!” She welcomes the community to “come to worship.”

Doc Unbewust

George A. Unbewust, son of John and Catherine Unbewust, truly was born into a pioneer homesteading family. His mother was pregnant with him when his oldest sister died in 1892. He was born June 22, 1893 on the original homestead near Harrington with two other sisters, Lizzie D. and Anna Martha, to greet his arrival. He was named after his father’s older brother George. As he grew, he attended the nearby Liberty school as well as the Harrington school. He walked the mile and a half from home to the section school house that stood on a road between the Gooleys and Schwabs. When George was about eight, another sister was born into the family, he remaining the only male to work side by side with his father. His eighth-grade graduation was held in the Opera House and he had the honor of being the salutatorian.

“Next Thursday the High School debating team consisting of Chester Boddy and George Unbewust, accompanied by the coach, will leave for Prosser, Wn., where they meet the high school there in debate. Harrington holds the same side, the negative, and hopes to maintain its record. If they defeat Prosser they will then be pitted against Waitsburg. In the recent debate held here the expenses were over $60 and the receipts were $75. The net proceeds go to the school.” (Harrington Citizen: 2-24-1911)

“Three Graduate. The commencement exercises at the auditorium, Thursday night of last week, were well attended and much enjoyed. The graduates from the Harrington High this year are Chester Boddy, George Unbewust and Lela Turner. Both of the young men are planning to attend college. The program consisted of a selection by the orchestra, invocation by Rev. I. S. Leonard, song ‘O’er the Waters’ by the High School quartette; oration, ‘The Right of Suffrage,’ by George Unbewust; oration, ‘The Popularization of the US Senate’ by Chester Boddy; address by Prof. W. G. Beach of the University of Washington; presentation of diplomas; song, ‘Good Night, Beloved’ by High School quartette and a selection by the orchestra.” (Citizen: 6-02-1911)

“Dr. G. A. Unbewust. George Unbewust of this place, who has been attending the Washington State College at Pullman, has just completed a four-year course, and has received two degrees from that institution. He received the degree of bachelor of science, and the degree of doctor of veterinary medicine. Mr. Unbewust will take up his practice of veterinary medicine in Harrington this summer. It is his intention to have an office in town and give hospital service on the ranch. While in college Mr. Unbewust was a strong student, and a prominent member of his department. For a time he served as assistant instructor in anatomy. Dr. Unbewust’s professional card appears in this week’s issue of The Citizen. His town office is in the H.C. Turner building, where he will be Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturday afternoons. The balance of the time he will be at the Unbewust ranch.” (Citizen: 6-16-1916)

The following year George married Anne Stallard on August 1, 1917 at Vera, Wash. in a home wedding. Anna was born in Waterford, Kentucky December 4, 1890 to Hezekiah and Laura (King) Stallard. She came with her parents to Veradale. George and Anne had three children, Jack (1919), Mary Margaret (1923) and Anna Louise (1931). He continued his veterinarian practice until 1946. The veterinarian practice changed radically over the years that he was in practice, and he saw the transition of farming with horses and mules to the age of tractors. In addition, more and more of the farmers were turning from running large herds of cattle to earning their living from grain crops. Doc managed his career while farming, and maintained an office in Harrington, but spent less and less time as a veterinarian as the years progressed. In 1951, Anne has a severe stroke, and in 1967 they celebrated their 50th anniversary. In 1968, they moved from their farm into town. Anne died in 1976. Doc died in 1982 at age 89.