Dusting off the Archives
News from Verndale's Past
75 Years Ago, March 11, 1948
• The Verndale Independent’s captured runners-up at the Jaycee tournament held at Wadena this last weekend. Verndale won games from Parkers Prairie, and Bertha, but lost to a flashy Long Prairie five in the finals. The locals were hard-pressed to win the opening round from a powerful Parkers Prairie. Parkers had a halftime lead of 29-27. The Parkers team out-scored Verndale in the final period 16-11 but it was Verndale coasting, winning 58-52.
• Pfc. Hollis Dague, son of Mr. and Mrs. Milford Dague, arrived home on February 27 after 13 months of duty in Japan. Hollis, who has been in the service for 16 months, received his honorable discharge on February 25.
• Reverend A.J. H. Frinke gave us the news Wednesday morning of this week that he has accepted a call to Depew, New York, a suburb of Buffalo, and will leave the Redeemer Lutheran Church and the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Bartlett Township after preaching his last sermon here on April 11. It was with regret that we announced Reverend and Mrs. Frinke leaving the Verndale community. They have been very active in social and church work and gained many friends here. We wish them the best of luck in their new location.
• A collection will be taken up in the next few days for the money to help pay for the cost of a trip to the state basketball tournament next week for the Verndale basketball boys. Anyone that has not been contacted can leave their donation with Art Attleson, Ruth Beaver or Mrs. A.F. Schuft.
40 Years Ago, March 17, 1983
• The junior and senior girls who have entered the “Miss Verndale” contest include: Pam Schmidt, Danelle Colby, Cathy Colby, Mary Line, Sherrie Thurston, Shelly Notch, Brenda Butler, Jennie Anderson, Tammy Krell, Carmen Hosek, Angie Peterson and Michelle Richter. They began attending training sessions this week on how to gain confidence in themselves, wear their hair, makeup, as well as practicing for the pageant scheduled for Friday, June 9, at which time one of them will be named to represent Verndale at all area events.
• Parents turned out in large numbers for the first grade music contest held last week in observance of Music In Our Schools Week. Each first grader was asked to present a musical number of their own choosing. Superintendent Jim Schereck and Food Service Director Larry Sworski judged the entries. Lisa Richter, who played “You Are My Sunshine” on the organ, was rated the first place winner. Other winners were Zephra Pluth singing “This Old Man” and Sally Anderson singing “Up On The Housetop”. The students in both first grade groups drew numbers for their order on the program. There were 20 entries ranging from organ, piano, vocal numbers as well as a Mexican dance.
• Two Verndale girls basketball players have been named to the All-Conference Team and one was recognized as honorable mention. They are Robin Adams, 5’7” senior forward and Margaret Runyan, 5’4” senior guard. Mary Line, 5’8” junior forward was given honorable mention. Robin was the third leading scorer in the conference with 284 points. She also ranked high in other stats: second in steals with 84, third in field goals, 43.2%, seventh in assists—44, 50.8.5 from the free throw line and had a 7.3% rebound average. Margaret, a playmaker and defensive specialist, was key to Verndale’s offense. She was tops in the conference with 85 steals. Her 66 assists were third best in the conference. Margaret shot 52.8% from the foul line and had a 6.6 rebound average and shot 36.6 from the field.
• Bertha-Hewitt Superintendent Earl Mathison pointed out that Bertha-Hewitt-Verndale is presently under contract in sharing an art teacher, wrestling and track, which have all proved successful. He also gave a report on the problems and success of communicasting in which they share teachers with Eagle Bend and Clarissa over low-powered television. Both he and Superintendent Shereck of Verndale spoke on the possibilities of sharing programs during the 1983-84 school year as well as in the future.
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