EDITOR’S NOTE: Superiorland Yesterdays is prepared by the reference desk staff at Peter White Public Library.

30 years ago

NEGAUNEE — The Negaunee school board on Tuesday adopted a nearly $9 million budget for the 1994-1995 school year. The budget will require using $25,000 in savings, said Superintendent Don Mourand. The district will begin the school year with only $102,000 in savings because of $91,000 in insurance payments in July and August that previously were paid by the state, Mourand said. The only time the fund balance ahs dropped this low in the past 17 years was 1986, when the district had $134,000 in savings, he said. The board also set Aug. 29 as the opening day of school. Three teachers were hired at the meeting to replace retirees

90 years ago

CALUMET — The heroism of a 22-year-old Calumet woman, Jane Elliot, tonight was responsible for saving the lives of Harold Bastian, 26, and Edward Warth, 35, after their companion on a fishing trip, Nick Gresnick, 24, lost his life. The three had been fishing on the north side of Lake Negora, in Keweenaw County, when a heavy wind came up and they started for their camp on the south shore. A heavy puff of wind capsized the boat about 500 feet from the north shore. Gresnick, a strong swimmer, started for shore, but swam about 200 feet when he sank. His companions clung to the boat. Louis Sesmanski, 24, and Bert Strucel, 17, saw Bastian and Warth clinging to their upturned rowboat and attempted to launch a boat on the south shore to go to their rescue, but the craft was swamped. They then appealed to Elliot, who owns a boat with an outboard motor. Unable to start the motor, she slid the oars into the locks and rowed a half mile against the heavy wind to the overturned boat and, with the aid of Sesmanski and Strucel, pulled Warth and Bastian into the boat. The rescued men had been in the water about an hour and were about exhausted. Had help not come in a few minutes, both would have been unable to hold onto the boat much longer, they said. They were given first aid treatment. Eagle Harbor coast guards had not recovered Gresnick’s body after several hours’ search.