On March 24, 1957, the Obituary front page featured a story on President Eisenhower and Prime Minister Macmillan concluding what they described as “generally satisfactory” talks on the Middle East and other major global issues.
Following their discussions, the two leaders deliberated on how much of their decisions they could share publicly.
They planned to release a joint statement on Sunday morning outlining their agreements. However, some matters—particularly military strategy—were expected to remain confidential. Ahead of the official announcement, there were signs that the Eisenhower-Macmillan negotiations at the Mid-Ocean Club had helped mend strained U.S.-British relations. Tensions had risen after Britain’s military intervention in Egypt the previous November.
Inside we found a story that we are featuring below about a local couple, Mr. and Mrs. William E. Pond, who were talented musicians and had contributed their skills to various musical groups in Grand Forks. The couple had been involved with the Grand Forks Symphony, municipal band, and the University of North Dakota, with a combined service of 24 years.
Additionally, the text briefly mentions a rare spring harvest event related to the widening and lengthening of the runway at the Grand Forks Air Force Base, scheduled to start on May 1.
PUBLISHED ON MARCH 24, 1957
Local Couple Aid Musical Groups
Two of Grand Forks’ outstanding young musicians—it was music, in fact, that led to their first acquaintance—are Mr. and Mrs. William E. Pond, 2618 6th Ave. N.
Their talents have been capably loaned to the Grand Forks Symphony, municipal band, University of North Dakota, and many small ensembles in the city, and their combined service to the symphony totals 24 years.
Pond played with the symphony three years while he was in high school, then was away from Grand Forks for five years, four of them in the Navy. He’s played with the group since his return 10 years ago, including his undergraduate days at the University.
His wife, the former Joyce Lester, has been a symphony member for 11 years, starting in her junior year in high school, and she has been giving private flute lessons since her high school days.
Both the Ponds began their training under Leo Haesle, Grand Forks public school instrumental music director, and give him much credit for their interest and proficiency in music. Bill met Dr. Frank Simon, head of the brass department at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, met Pond at a summer camp, and Dr. Simon arranged a scholarship for study at the conservatory.
He studied there for a year after he was out of high school until he entered the Navy. He’s now continuing his studies at Vandercook College of Music in Chicago during the summer.
After graduation from UND, Pond started teaching area school or municipal bands, chiefly at Hamilton, Bowesmont, Pembina, Crystal, Neche, Crookston A.C., Sacred Heart High School in East Grand Forks, Manvel, Gilby, Fordville, and St. Thomas, N.D. In 1955, he turned his entire time to music and became an instrumental instructor for local schools. He also works with a brass ensemble at the United Lutheran Church, where his family are members, and, with his wife, takes part in small dinner music groups.
Mrs. Pond, over the years, has had students in various ensemble groups and now is working with a quartet of high school students and a junior high school duet.
The Ponds—she with the flute and he with the trumpet—will be heard in the symphony’s final concert of the season on April 7, with Edward Lincoln, a Canadian pianist, as soloist.
AIR BASE RUNWAY WORK DUE APRIL 15
Equipment for widening and lengthening the runway at the Grand Forks Air Force Base is expected to be moved here about April 15 by the Western Contracting Corp. of Sioux City, Iowa.
The corporation was awarded the contract for enlarging the runway, widening the taxiways, and putting in a number of aprons on a low bid of $11,697,161. Work is scheduled to start May 1.
Bids for hydrant fueling system will be opened April 11 at 2:30 p.m. An addendum to the proposal has been arranged for March 26, which will include a transfer pumphouse 29 by 19 feet of concrete blocks, a 30,000-barrel bulk storage tank, above ground; a 50,000 underground A fuel tank, a 100-gallon underground collecting tank, unloading couplings and relocation of existing couplings, and dikes, fences, piping, subdrains, and crushed rock surfacing.
The original bids were for operating pumps, hydrants for outside piping, road grading, and sewer lines.
Routine work was reported going on at the base, which is the completion of work started.
Our newsroom occasionally reports stories under a byline of “staff.” Often, the “staff” byline is used when rewriting basic news briefs that originate from official sources, such as a city press release about a road closure, and which require little or no reporting. At times, this byline is used when a news story includes numerous authors or when the story is formed by aggregating previously reported news from various sources. If outside sources are used, it is noted within the story.