The Museum at Central School Northwest Montana Historical Society 124 Second Ave. East, Kalispell, MT 59901 contact us John White Lecture Series The series, which began in 2002, serves as a way for the Museum to follow its goal of "Bringing Life to History and History to Our Lives" with four talks relating to local history by distinguished presenters, occurring on the second and fourth Sundays of January and February, all at 2:30 pm. The topics for 2004 and 2005 are available to see examples of what has been covered so far. 10th Annual John White Series (2012) January 15, 2:30 PM:  Local historian Darris Flanagan offers a detailed look at the significant trails and mountain passes used by the Kutenai Indians of NW Montana and Southeastern British Columbia as they traveled from their homeland to the life sustaining buffalo country to the east of the Rockies. The presentation will follow the life cycle of the Kutenai explaining how and why they used these trails, and will describe the many purposes of the trails beyond access for hunting. January 29, 2:30 PM:  Kate Kendall, a USGS research ecologist, has been studying Grizzly and black bears in the Northwest since 1997. Her innovative non-invasive bear rub techniques (“Facts from Furballs”) have allowed Kate to develop DNA profiles that reveal bear population density, distribution, and genetic health. Her work involves detection of individual bears at un-baited, naturally-occurring bear rubs (trees, posts, and poles that bears rub on) to examine population trends, including changes in abundance, survival rate, regional density, and genetic structure. February 12, 2:30 PM:  E.B. Eiselein, anthropologist and FVCC professor, of Canadian Anishinabe descent and a direct descendent of Sir Alexander MacKenzie, the North West Company fur trader who was the first European to cross North America, will explore the history of the fur trade, including the intense rivalry between the Hudson’s Bay Company and the North West Company which led to the establishment of the Howse House, the first fur trading post in the Flathead. February 26, 2:30 PM:  Bill Weikel, professional engineer & surveyor, has made a second career studying and making presentations on early surveying methods and techniques in Montana. His program will emphasize surveying in Montana by illustrating the equipment and methods used by Lewis and Clark, David Thompson, John Mullan, GLO surveyors, and early Kalispell surveyors. He utilizes selected items from his equipment collection, including items from the 1700's until the mid 1900's. Save Money by Buying All Four Tickets Special Lower Recession Prices Tickets for Northwest Montana Historical Society members are $20 for the series of four, or $6 for any single event. General Public tickets are $30 for the series of four, or $9 for any single event (was $35 for series and $10 single event last year). Call 756-8381 for more information. Don’t miss out!      John White was perhaps the most central figure in the long history of Central School. The son of a Texas slave, he graduated from Flathead High School in 1922. For thirty years he was custodian and bell-ringer at Central School.      He knew every student, and they all knew and respected him. Clarence Kraft remembers: ...we knew him as Mr. White. If any of us made it into the building as he was ready to ring the tardy bell, he would always delay ringing it until we were safely in our classrooms. He was truly our good friend.      We dedicate our lecture series to him. Updated: 23 Jan 2011 The Museum at Central School