Dusting off the Archives
News from Verndale's Past
75 Years Ago, January 15, 1947
•At a recent faculty meeting, the teachers of the Verndale Public School, upon the suggestion of Superintendent Bluhm, organized a study club to be known as the Verndale Educational Association. Mr. Rolf Wollan of the high school faculty was elected president, and Miss Phyllis Sliter, an elementary teacher, was elected secretary and treasurer. The first subject chosen for study is the “Curriculum of the Verndale School.”
•Earl Seaton’s Pirates staged a second-half come back at Sauk Rapids last Friday evening to edge out a fighting Sauk Rapids squad 31-25. Sauk Rapids put up a tight zone against the locals the first half and held them to five points. They didn’t do much better in this defensive battle, scoring only 9 in the first two periods.
•Chester (Jack) Waibel has sold the River Inn to Leonard L. Lesnaw and Donald A. Wruck, both of Foley. The new owners are taking possession this week. Both are married men. Mrs. Lesnaw will move here now with her husband, but Mrs. Wruck plans to remain in Foley with the children until the close of the school term.
•The Lone Pine Patrol meeting of Troop No. 1 was called to order by Patrol Leader Merlyne Aldrich. The Girl Scout promise and laws were given. Officers elected to serve were the following: Patrol Leader Jerry Jacobs, Assistant Patrol Leader Betty Ann Juergens, Scribe Alice Juergens and Treasurer Betty Rundell.
40 Years Ago, January 20, 1982
•Barbara K. Schwartz was named assistant cashier of First National Bank of Bertha-Verndale at its annual meeting last week. Schwartz is a 1978 graduate of Verndale High School and a 1979 accounting graduate of Wadena Area Vocational Technical Institute. She began working at First National Bank on June 5, 1979. Barb is the daughter of Leonard and Tillie Schwartz of Verndale.
•Picture a classroom full of youngsters writing letters like mad and not grumbling one bit about it, as Shelia Mudek and Stephanie Perius are doing in the picture. That’s what’s happening in Mrs. Schmith’s third-grade classroom because of the Weekly Reader Writing Pals program. The children are writing to pen pals in a third-grade class at Charlotte, North Carolina and they’re finding out that writing assignments can be fun.
•Team members hoisted Coach Steve Techam aloft in recognition for his efforts in producing a winning wrestling team. The B-H-V grapplers won the invitational tourney they hosted last Friday with 172 total points. Other teams competing were Clarissa, Sebeka, Menahga, Upsala, Pequot Lakes, Pine River and Eagle Bend. Steve Aeling is one of the two assistant coaches. The other is Dale Erickson of Bertha-Hewitt.
•The wildlife and horticultural teams advanced to state after placing third in the district contest held Saturday in Brainerd. This is the first year third place teams advanced to state. Rewarded for their efforts were: Brian Dahlvang, Wayne McClure and Rich Murdock of the Wildlife Team; and Pam Schmidt, Jerry Swanson, Sue Harvey and Mary Jo Tiede of the Horticultural Team.