Dusting off the Archives
News from Verndale's Past
75 Years Ago, June 12, 1947
•The Verndale 4-H Goal Diggers senior group won first prize in the final one-act play contest held in the Wadena Memorial Auditorium Tuesday night. Through a process of elimination, the Verndale Club, the Leaf River Builders and Junior Citizens were the three winners in the county to compete in the final contest, which the Verndale group won.
•Pfc. Wilbur H. Desrocher, son of Mr. William J. Desrocher of Verndale, has served with Hq. Co. 3rd Bn. 351st Inf. Regt. of the famous 88th “Blue Devil” Division since Dec. 25, 1946. This Co. is part of the newly organized Trust “Blue Devil” Brigade of 5000 American troops who are stationed in the free territory of Trieste. Pfc. Desrocher, a man of many talents, has served with the Ammunition and Pioneer Platoon; as a cook in Hq. Co. Kitchen, a member of the Accident Squad with the MP’s here in Trieste and is now driving for the Motor Pool.
•Wm. J. Desrocher is putting up a building 8x30 ft. in between the Desrocher restaurant and the Davis Market. Alfred Grewe and Dave Spice are doing the work.
40 Years Ago, June 17, 1982
•It took two motions by the District 818 School Board Monday evening before the resignation submitted by Ron Randall, junior high math teacher, was accepted by a split vote. Because Randall had signed his teaching contract for the 1982-83 school year, and the lateness in the season for filling the position with qualified instruction, the board considered its option of denying the resignation request.
•Mary Line and Tammy Krell were two members of the Bertha-Hewitt-Verndale track team which placed fifth overall at the State Track Meet held last weekend at Bloomington, out of first place by six points, with 24. Mary, a sophomore, was one of two girls in the meet to place in four events. She placed sixth in the 100m dash, third in the 400 meter dash, third in the 200 meter dash and sixth in the long jump. Tammy placed third in the 100 meter hurdles. She set a new school record in the prelims on Friday.
•Verndale’s Royalty Denice Dalen, Miss Verndale, and her attendants, Carmen Hosek and Angie Peterson rode the city float which advertised Strawhat and Sunbonnet Days which will be held August 7 and 8. The old mill depicts that which was once important to the growth of this community serving people from a wide area, as far as Hubbard Plains who came to Verndale to have their wheat ground and stock up on groceries and supplies.
15 Years Ago, June 13, 2007
•Mike Lovelace’s crew started construction on the new press box for the Verndale Football Field on Friday, June 8. The Friday Night Lights group will accept help from anyone who would like to volunteer their time on Friday and Saturday mornings, starting at 8 a.m.
•At its June 5 meeting, Wadena County Board of Commissioners Chair Bill Stearns accepted, with regret, the resignation of maintenance supervisor Rudy Iglesias, effective September 4. Iglesias has served the county for more than 20 years, working for Social Services and in the Courthouse.
•On Friday, June 8, a crowd gathered to celebrate the dedication of the N90/2500 wind turbine that stands very tall just north of Hewitt. With Senator Dan Skogen as emcee of the event and the Bertha-Hewitt High School Marching Band as the musical entertainment. The event's star was the wind turbine itself and its positive outlook on how we produce energy.