Charles M Russell High School - Russellog Yearbook (Great Falls, MT)

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VOWn When the stack fell many memories were brought back on all the times as a child, the stack was so big and on trips worth a milkshake for whoever saw it first. Anaconda Stack will be at the top of the list. Look now at what once stood there, a lonely space just empty air. A remarkable stack that stood so tall, one so stubborn it wouldn ' t fall. It marked this land over mountain peaks; as it fell people couldn ' t speak. For many it was their only trade, but when it fell, what would happen to the lives they had made? Many left with tears in their eyes, when having to say their last goodbyes. We ' ll miss our stack that we couldn ' t save. What will happen now? It will probably be paved. For the past 11 years of my life, I have awakened to the sunrise and the outline of a towering 506-foot stack. Now for the first time I will look over the on Anaconda and see nothing except The legend of our city stands no more. It is now just debris on the earth ' s brown floor. Introduction-:

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Sr ACH It was a devastating day for Great Falls when our stack was pulverized into a 100-foot stump. People who had worked at the Anaconda stack and had built their lives around it, winced as the stack was blown in half, making it look like a wounded dinosaur. Waiting for the dust to clear and reveal the sad ugly truth, slowly the people, including myself, quietly departed. Once I saw the smokestack, I knew that in a few minutes I would be home. What have they done to this most loved stack? Blown it up just because of a crack? On that day that it was to fall, Half of it stayed proud and tall. The crowds cheered at the sight of just half, They said, Ha-ha, what a laugh. At 5 p.m. that very day, The rest of the stack gave way. Well how much money did all of this cost? Just to put to the ground this stack we lost? So, go look out your window and don ' t expect to see That once proud landmark that is famous to me. l-lntroduction THE LOSS OF a person makes us realize that we never really had the chance to fully appreciate them, until they are gone. On Sept. 18 one of our friends was lost. Some people tried to save him from his execution, but the majority thought his penalty was set and it just couldn ' t be changed. The night before his death he stood proud throughout the night, saying his goodbyes to all who stopped to see him. On the final morning the time ticked down until 10:05 when the executioner flipped the switch, and our stack blew up. The stack had been in the Great Falls area for 70 years, which made it hard to give up OUR 506-FOOT FRIEND. GO A smokestack once towered over the skyline of Great Falls, No more. A smokestack that was once looked to as a symbol of home for many, Now it ' s gone. The businessmen and Politicians didn ' t want the bother of a stack, They got rid of it Thousands watched the heroic last stand of a stack, It finally crumbled. Now the horizon of Great Falls is naked and bare. We have lost something special. The main question in my mind was if it was so weak, why did half of it still stand after the first initial charge? The sun is coming over the horizon and your eyes are not quite awake. You begin your morning routine as usual. As your eyes glance at the stars still lingering in the sky, something seems to be missing. But you disregard it, and continue on. During the day emotions seem to be confused more than usual. Then the realization hits you-it ' s gone. The stack has been destroyed, ripped out of your life. That sense of home that you ' ve known so well has been taken away. No more will that big land mark register that idea of home as you come to those last few miles on the road to Great Falls. Slowly the memory will fade; the bitter feelings will disappear, but the gaping hole in the sky will always be there to remind you of the struggle to keep the stack in the sky and in your history and heritage. Great stack, we salute you. You died hard and we won ' t forget you. As the last of the smokestack crumbled, cheers could be heard throughout the crowd, indicating mat the stack wasn ' t just a pile of bricks to everyone and it left some people wondering . . . How far should we go to protect those things that are of value to us? When we look back at all the happenings of the year 1982, the crumbling of the AWESOME Standing solemn and eminent, king of its domain. Never to be challenged by fate, righting an inevitable war of existance; glory and grandeur its only weapons; old age its only fault The sentence of death had been determined; its weapons stripped away; its last nobel stand emotion YET DISTINGUISED.

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CMR unifies to produce a magical ' 83 Homecoming PROUD Rustlers are commonly enthusiastic, outgoing, and always ready to cheer on a fellow Rustler. Charles M. Russell thrives on competition. Where there is competition there is a Rustler. There is one special week during the year when all students, from the 6-foot 200-pound linebacker to the 5-foot 95-pound flute player, become overwhelmingly gentle. This special time is Homecoming week. The Rustler pride is still there but this time it ' s not reflected by shouts or yells of approval, instead polite applause is sufficient. The whole school is unified in its effort to produce a week of excitement. The factor of competition is still lingering, but it ' s more like an expression of pride for our school. Students and faculty alike work all week to prepare for the big event-coronation. When it finally comes, it is truely magical. The entire school and its students are dressed- up. The royalty and honor guard add even more color as they appear in beautiful formals. There is no kick-off to return, ball to tip, or race to run, only a seat to take, sit back, admire, and enjoy the united efforts of a proud group of people known as RUSTLERS. FRESH AS A DAISY — After being crowned Homecoming queen senior Jana Sturdevant sits on the throne with a radiant smile. SING US A MELODY — Singing With You I ' m Born Again at coronation are seniors Frankie Ghee, Scott Gabel, and Lydia Baber. KING FOR A DAY — Feeling the pain ot many long hours decorating the gym tor coronation, Mr. Tom Spencer takes time out for a breather. ANTICIPATION — Awaiting his turn to emcee at Homecoming coronation is Mr. Bob Winters. FIVE PRETTY MAIDENS — Se rving as honor guard for coronation on the drill team are junior Karen Miller, seniors Noreen Williamson, Terri Ferrucci, LaVonne Nelson and junior Darlene Cooper.