Dusting off the Archives
News from Verndale's Past
75 Years Ago, May 8, 1947
•Fire following an explosion wiped out three business buildings in Staples Sunday morning causing damage estimated in excess of $100,000. Fire Chief J.D. Hand said the blaze started in the basement of the Patsey Bros., Hardware Store and spread rapidly to the Olympia Cafe and the Skaife Drug Store, wiping out all three buildings. Staples firemen were aided by Northern Pacific crews but fought for 12 hours before bringing the fire under control.
•The Current Events Quiz county contest was held in the courtroom Saturday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. Township Contests had been held previously and the various winners participated on Saturday. The contestants were all well prepared and the final results were very close. Jayson Graba of District 21-3, Mrs. Florence Delany, teacher won the contest and the $15 award given by the Wadena Pioneer Journal. Jayson will represent Wadena County at the State Fair Contest next Fall.
•Wadena County 4-H clubs will hold a play and song contest this month. The first contest will be held in Verndale, on May 15 at the high school auditorium. Clubs participating in this contest will be: Peppy Peppers 4-H, Central 4-H, Sr. Verndale Goal Diggers 4-H and the Aldrich 4-H clubs.
40 Years Ago, May 13, 1982
•Three Norway Pine trees were transplanted in McNair Park last Saturday afternoon. They came from Bently Conn’s grove, and through the courtesy of BNB Enterprises, who donated the labor and use of the tree planting equipment they had rented from Al Winkels, were able to move and transplant the 12-15 foot trees along with a large quantity of dirt.
•Annual Staff Member Marcia Hines presented the first 1982 Pirate Clipper to Byron Hartung in whose name it was dedicated, at an assembly of high school students in the auditorium last Friday afternoon. It reads as follows: “We, the annual staff 1982, would like to present this annual to a man whose humor and wit have instilled special effectiveness in his coaching and teaching. For without him, those social classes, English classes, basketball, and baseball games would not have been quite as ‘interesting’. In this small way, we express our gratitude for a job well done...”
•First, third and fifth places for entries in the Wadena art show last week were three Verndale art students. Marcia Hines, black and white photography; Theresa Harvey, and Matt Lebvre with their pencil drawings.
15 Years Ago, May 9, 2007
•On May 3, Janet Nelson spoke at the Verndale Historical Society meeting. Nelson is the niece of Verndale’s own General Leslie J. McNair. Nelson spoke about her family history, and how the three-star general was born in Verndale and ran a business in town. General Leslie J. McNair has put Verndale on the map by serving as Commanding General of the Army Ground Forces from March 9, 1942, to July 12, 1944, in World War II.
• The State FCCLA Convention was held at the Sheraton Hotel in Bloomington on April 19-21. Brittani Groshong, Jessica Grossinger and Kristen Lollar earned a gold with 97 out of 100 points possible. Palani Sheldon and Brittani Cottrell earned a gold with 93 out of 100 points. Kassy Sheldon and Emman Kreuger earned a bronze.
•The College of St. Catherine is pleased to announce Maria Moenkedick as the recipient of the 2007 Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Student Writing. This award is given to one first-year student at the college each year and recognizes student achievement demonstrated in a submitted essay. Moenkedick will be honored at the college’s annual awards ceremony in May and also received $500 toward next semester’s tuition.