Dusting off the Archives
News from Verndale's Past
75 Years Ago, November 13, 1947
•A total of 880 people from the Verndale community visited the mobile x-ray unit in town on its two-day stand here this week for x-ray and chest pictures. On Monday, there were 596 people x-rayed, the second highest number in one day of the unit’s 11 previous stops. Sebeka rates first with 714. On the second day, there were 284.
•Ed Orr reported that he has sold the Jim Baker farm, located nine miles northeast of Verndale, to Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Anderson of Epping, North Dakota. Mr. Baker plans on having an auction in the near future and is going to move west.
•A new piece of equipment for the office of Miss Frances Bacchus, county public health nurse, is a special index file in which she will keep complete records of all cases of tuberculosis in the county as well as case records on diphtheria, measles, polio and other contagious diseases.
40 Years Ago, November 18, 1982
•John Otremba of Verndale proudly displayed the trophy he won last Saturday as Minnesota champion in the super heavyweight division in Minneapolis. After receiving two hard hits, John knocked out his opponent, Mike Hammer of Minneapolis, in the first round. Mike weighed in at 230, and John at 227.
•Four Verndale students who attended the National FFA convention in Kansas City, MO, last week were: Jerry Swanson, Brian Richter, Clarice Horsager and Pam Schmidt. They were among several thousand FFA members in attendance from throughout the U.S. During the five days there, they viewed many sites and installed new officers.
•A new salad bar, built by members of the school custodial staff, was put into service this week during the month-long Super Food Expo. Tuesday, a large variety of jello salads were prepared by the Home Ec class members: Bill Hensley, Brad Hahn, Bill Brinkman, Bob Bimberg, Shelly Notch, Jeannie Anderson, Chuck Goddard, Naomi Webber, Melissa Pierce, Michelle Pierce and Mrs. Derby who oversaw the project.
15 Years Ago, November 28, 2007
•The city of Verndale held a public hearing on November 20 at the Verndale Civic Center. The hearing was to inform the citizens about the city’s plan to improve its sanitary sewer and water mains. The existing lines were installed in 1948 and 1960 and have cracked joints, root problems and more. The estimated assessable amount to property owners was $433,280, and $479,720 to the city for a total of $913,000. Citizens present wondered how they would be able to afford these high assessment costs.
•On Thursday, November 15, the Verndale Public School, Scholastic Books, Verndale 21st Century PEP Club and Verndale Preschool Plus sponsored the November Family Fun night at the Verndale School. The exciting attractions included the Scholastic “Bookfair Blizzard,” Comedian DonB! with his “reaching higher” assembly, and there were crafts in the library.
•Every year millions of people make New Year’s resolutions. And every year millions of people abandon those resolutions. In fact, research indicates that roughly 30 percent of people who make these resolutions abandon them just a month into the new year. There are tricks to making resolutions a reality. Don’t be too vague—be specific, be realistic and responsible, make it something you’ll enjoy, and don’t allow setbacks to change things. It may seem you have plenty of time before the new year gets here but it will be here before you know it!