Dusting off the Archives
News from Verndale's Past
75 Years Ago, August 21, 1947
•Supt. C.R. Peterson, who has been at the helm of the Verndale school system for 10 years or since 1937, Tuesday night of this week handed in his resignation at the special meeting of the Verndale Board of Education. It was not until within the past week that Mr. Peterson was offered the present position, and after a quick trip to Chicago for further investigation, he returned Tuesday of this week with his mind definitely made up. The position was with the W. N. Welch Manufacturing Company of Chicago and he will be a sales representative.
•Ben L. Larson has been appointed county commissioner of the Fourth District Wadena County, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of C. J. Petersen. The board of appointment consisting of the chairman of Leaf River, Rockwood, North Germany and Wing River appointed Mr. Larson on August 18 and certified the appointment to Carter Stedman, county auditor.
•Mrs. Jim Benson of Verndale wishes us to announce that the annual former South Dakotan’s Picnic will be held at Pine River on Sunday, August 24. Free coffee will be served but everyone is required to bring their own sugar and cream, lunch and dishes.
40 Years Ago, August 26, 1982
•There are three new teachers in Verndale this year. Warren Kahler grew up on a farm in southern Minnesota near Truman. He will be teaching agriculture, in Wadena in the mornings, Verndale in the afternoons and will serve as FFA advisor. Arden Hyland is from Goodridge. He will fill the junior high mathematics vacancy left by Ron Randall. Marilyn Steinke is a learning disabilities instructor from Sebeka.
•Tina Ringler of Atwater is pictured with Jeanette Pribbenow cranking the paddle which converted cream to butter. After it was thickened it was turned into a huge wooden bowl to be worked. Jeanette is shown adding salt as she mixes the butter to the required consistency. It was served on sweet rolls made by Jeanette and baked in the wood cookstove.
• Returning lettermen on Verndale’s volleyball team are, Robin Adams, Margaret Runyan, Nancy Coats, Sheri Denny and Carmen Hosek. Others on this year’s volleyball squad: are Clarice Horsager, Jenny Anderson, Mary Line, Pam Schmidt, Virginia Renczykowski, Michelle Stinar, JoNeen Rousslang, LeAnn Hallett, Holly Hackett and Peg Hokanson. Coach Rob Weberg concluded that he feels this Verndale team should be right up there in the thick of things.
15 Years Ago, August 11, 2007
•Verndale volleyball coach Kelly Youngbauer is excited to start this year’s volleyball season. With five returning seniors and several new faces to the varsity line up Youngbauer says the girl’s strengths are definitely their quick feet, good court sense, scrappiness and passing skills. The returning seniors are: Jackie Finck, Becca Hess, Cathy Kempe and Jackie Kern.
• Mike Mahlen and his crew of coaches: Tim Seaton, Jeff Moore, Matt Jones and Jordan Hinkle officially started the season last Monday with the start of football practice. Mahlen enters his 39th season with the Pirates with a 294-92-3 record.
• Steve Lorentz and Louis Wegscheid used their Bobcats to lift Verndale’s now non-existent merry-go-round out of the city park. They picked up branches from a tree that was removed and knocked down the old swing set. The Lions were scheduled to begin setting up the new playground equipment on Tuesday, August 21.