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 74 Years Ago 1931 A LIST of top grade students according to their class was compiled just before Christmas and includes Biology, Jean Blevins; science, Ruth French; chemistry, Harry Williamson; physics, John Nylander; Latin II, Barbara DeCamp; Latin I, Paul Baker; bookkeeping/shorthand, Flossie Pratt; typing, Helen Dedenbough; English I, Mildred Berry; Spanish I, George Laird; vocational civics, Beulah Clark; geometry, Jean Blevins and Harold Kauffman; history, George Laird; civics, Alberta Dunlavey; Algebra I, Mildred Berry; Algebra II, Maxine Dooley. 69 Years Ago 1936 REPORTS HAVE drifted in all week about cars abandoned and mired down between Canby and Klamath Falls. Its about time someone took action to get this large portion of the road paved and thus link Modoc County with Oregon and Klamath Falls during the winter. 49 Years Ago 1956 POLIOMYLITIS VACCINES are being given now in the schools of Modoc County. The demands will determine how the program is to be handled, but wherever possible, the first shots will be given free with the first priority going to children in kindergarten and first and second grades. And boosters in the third grade . Modoc Forestay Service officials called on the services of a helicopter to aid in a close air appraisal of damage to forest service roads in Modoc County during recent storms and floods. When I was growing up in Modoc the county seat, Alturas, had a paved Main Street and that was about the extent of paved streets therein. There were very few concrete sidewalks, except on Main Street, down town, and also around the Court House. We nearly drove Mr. Ivory, the janitor, a little crazy while roller skating on the concrete sidewalk of that august building. We interrupting the business of the various county offices lodged there, and it was his job to route us from our pleasure. Some of my most vivid memories of Modoc were the mud and the slush when spring arrived. The most of us wore galoshes to keep from having our footwear destroyed by the mud and the wet. All secondary roads and streets were plain dirt and gravel and being stuck in the mud was an every day occurrence. To think that we now complain about pot holes in paved streets shows how living has changed in a remarkably short period of time. Ron Morgan