Celebrating 62 years of news and photographs

Not a month goes by that I don't hear the name of Mel Ruder.

Mel is somewhat of a legend in Columbia Falls and the surrounding area. His name comes to mind again since the Hungry Horse News goes into its 63rd year of publication with this issue. At age 31, Mel started the newspaper in 1946, with his first issue off the press on Aug. 8. Early issues were printed at the Whitefish Pilot. The press run was 2,000 and the newspaper was free to readers.

A story in the Hungry Horse News' Golden Anniversary Issue, published in August of 1996, said Mel's plan was to sell the newspaper after five years and return to teaching. But, with local news in his blood, Mel's five-year plan turned into a 32-year career — with his wife, Ruth (whom he married in 1950), at his side. His publication succeeded after four others in Columbia Falls had failed.

The story in the Golden Anniversary Issue said that Mel met with Whitefish Pilot publisher G.M. Moss and told him he wanted to be a country editor. Moss responded by saying that Mel should start a newspaper in Columbia Falls, so he did. Mayor Chris Raaen, who was also a liquor vendor, erected a partition in the state liquor store — renting Mel the half where Randy's Barber Shop is today on Nucleus Avenue. The rent was $25 a month.

CHOOSING A NAME for his newspaper was easy for Mel, who knew the Hungry Horse Dam was coming. "The name Hungry Horse was western and would tie the area together," Mel said in 1996. So the Hungry Horse News was born. The name was already on a mountain, creek, lake and town.

Who was the first subscriber to the News? Mattie Volker, a resident of the Montana Veterans' Home.

In December 1947, the News moved into its permanent home on Nucleus Avenue, at the intersection with U.S. Highway 2. The 20- by 50-foot log building was custom fitted with elk and deer antler door handles. Mel lived upstairs. To this day, it is still the office of the Hungry Horse News.

A photo in the 50th anniversary issue showed society editor Gladys Shay sitting on a bale of hay, proofreading a story. Gladys, who recently celebrated her 80th birthday, is still connected to what we sometimes call The Horse. She has been a columnist for many years. George Ostrom is also a long-time Hungry Horse News columnist. In fact, he has won national awards for his newspaper column.

Back in 1947, the News was not like other weekly papers. The difference was photographs, Mel's bread-and-butter. Other weeklies didn't use photos, but Mel did — with at least four in every issue. He won a first-place national press award in 1951 for use of photos. Mel worked day and night building the News. It was reported in the Golden Anniversary Issue that he didn't take a vacation for the first eight years.

Mel covered it all and won numerous awards and honors. News coverage of the Blackfeet earned him a membership in the tribe in July 1965, and his sponsor was John Tatsey. Mel's Blackfeet name was Spotted Calf.

Glacier National Park was a favorite for Mel. His stunning photos of wildlife and scenery in the Park are still talked about today.

MEL EVEN WON a Pulitzer Prize in journalism in 1965 for his reporting on the devastating flood of 1964. During the flood, Mel turned his weekly paper into a daily, printing as many as 12,550 copies a day, compared with a normal circulation of 3,900. He went out on the floodwaters in a boat, and when the road was washed out he drove his car down the railroad tracks to photograph flood scenes. He worked day and night for nearly a week, feeding news steadily to The Associated Press and radio stations in the area.

There was still time in Mel's day for other service to the community. He was a Bank of Columbia Falls director for 29 years and also served as a school board trustee.

Mel and Ruth formed the Ruder Educational Fund in the 1960s with most of the funds going to Columbia Falls schools. Other endowments benefit Flathead Valley Community College as well as other colleges and libraries. Ruder Elementary School was named for Mel and Ruth.

In 1978 the Ruders sold the Hungry Horse News to 23-year-old Brian Kennedy, and Mel retired. He died on Nov. 23, 2000 at the age of 85. Ruth died four years earlier.

He carried on the tradition of the newspaper for more than two decades before selling his interest to Lee Enterprises early in 1999. Our current owner, the Hagadone Corporation, took over in 2002.

Thanks to editors and publishers like Mel and Brian, the Horse has delivered the news to the area for 62 years. We'll continue to do our best in following in their footsteps.

Joe Sova is managing editor of the Hungry Horse News.