20/35 Year Look Back

In celebration of 35 years of the Seeley Swan Pathfinder, each week we will run parts of articles that appeared in the issue 35 years ago and 20 years ago. The entire issue will be uploaded to our website seeleylake.com for you to enjoy. We hope you will enjoy the journey with us as we follow our community through the past 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder.

35 years ago: Nov. 26, 1986 issue

Library may open to community

Seeley Lake residents may have an opportunity to use the high school library on a regular basis, if there is enough interest.

Loretta Cooper, librarian at Seeley-Swan High School, has recently discussed the idea with state official. Seeley Lake is considered a community without a public library, even though the bookmobile serves the area, and the Swan Valley Community Library in Condon is open to all area residents.

Use of the high school library by local residents would not interfere with present bookmobile services, Cooper pointed out

Anybody interested in pursuing the idea of opening the high school library to public use is encouraged to share their feelings with high school trustees and Kim Haines, Principal at Seeley-Swan. Susan Holmes, Condon is the trustee elected to the Missoula County High School board from this district.

In related matters, Cooper has recently visited other libraries in Montana and Washington in an effort to understand key elements in the operation of successful library programs.

To read the full article and more from the Nov. 26, 1986 issue visit https://www.seeleylake.com/home/customer_files/article_documents/1986-11-26.pdf

35 years ago: Nov. 26, 1986 issue

More survey data

Seeley Lake water District (Note: Only property owners in the District surveyed in August as a separate element of the community attitude survey.)

Two hundred and fifty-seven property owners in the Seeley Lake Water District were surveyed in August. Of those, 79% responded that their property was connected to the community water system. Seventy percent said they were satisfied that the community water systems delivers water that is safe for human consumption. A lower percentage, 58%, indicated they were generally satisfied with water pressure at their property. (4.3% responded that they were not connected; 17.1 % refused the question.)

Regarding water sources, 43.6% of respondents said the District should continue to rely upon Seeley Lake as the primary supply of household water. 24.5% indicated the District should change to a deep-well system. 14% had no opinion, and 17.9% refused the question.

51.4% of respondents said they would not be willing to pay an additional $10 per month for household water. On the following question, 42.2% said they would be willing to pay $5.00; 49% said they would not.

35.4% of people surveyed said they thought individual septic tanks had an adverse effect on "our lake" (Seeley Lake). 30.4% indicated that individual septic systems had no adverse affect on Seeley Lake. 34% either didn't know or refused the question.

60.3% of the respondents agreed that the community should start planning now for development of a community sewer system.

To read the full article and more from the Nov. 26, 1986 issue visit https://www.seeleylake.com/home/customer_files/article_documents/1986-11-26.pdf

20 years ago: Nov. 29, 2001 issue

New grand piano on loan to SSHS for a year

by Donna Love

Seeley-Swan High School has received a new six-foot grand piano on loan from the Kawai Corporation in conjunction with a program that placed quality instruments in schools.

Bob Green, the new part-time Music Instructor at the high school and Swan Valley grade school, presented the piano to the public for the first time at the November Parent Advisory Meeting.

Green explained that the Instrument Loan Program had its start at the University level, but soon the high school will be benefiting from it too.

To read the full article and more from the Nov. 29, 2001 issue visit https://www.seeleylake.com/home/customer_files/article_documents/2001-11-29.pdf