Friday, January 27, 2006 Looking back is a regular feature of the Modoc County Record, a weekly newspaper published in Alturas, California. The following is transcribed from the December 29, 2005 issue. Looking Back 97 Years Ago 1908 IT IS declared that through trains will be running on the western Pacific track between Salt Lake and San Francisco by July next. 87 Years Ago 1918 IT WAS a warm Christmas day in Alturas. Three inches of snow fell early in the week but had disappeared by the Christmas Day. Alturas streets are now muddy but passable . The Native Daughters Christmas dance netted a handsome $50 net profit . Be at the Christmas Ball on Christmas night given by the Native Daughters and you will have the time o your life. 67 Years Ago 1938 MR. BARKEY and Mr. Hurlbert of Adin took the role of Santa Claus in that community distributing boxes of pitch kindling among the residents . The Smoke shop will hold an opening night on Saturday, December 31st. Barbecued beef sandwiches will be given away free . Mayor O.D. Morgan (my dad) today received his official appointment as a member of the Worlds Fair Advisory Committee for the City of Alturas. 42 Years Ago 1963 WITH ONLY a few hours left to go, its probable that Christmas will be sunny and white in patches only . Forest Supervisor, Bill K. Cooperrider has announced that bids are being circulated for five-year lease arrangements for office space in Alturas . More than 150 Modoc needy children and their parents will find that there is a Santa Claus- of sorts - this Christmas. The little item about pitch kindling in Adin reminded me that in my younger days, we cooked with wood stoves. One of my chores was to have a box of kindling and a full box of stove wood in the kitchen. If my dad got up in the morning and there was no kindling to start the fire, I literally caught hell. He began checking the kindling and wood boxes before retiring for bed. If those boxes were not full, little Ronnie had to get up, go to the basement and chop enough kindling and stove wood to fill the boxes. In those days every kid had a list of chores to accomplish daily. I am probably way out of line mentioning this, but if the kids today had such chores, and if their parents were diligent to see that they were accomplished, The United States, as a whole, would be much better off. This is just an old fashioned opinion that I offer. Ron Morgan