Dusting off the Archives
News from Verndale's Past
75 Years Ago, July 15, 1948
• It has been said that lost time can never be retrieved, but Ben Edin questioned that aphorism. In 1930, a good friend of his lost a watch in a field on Ben’s farm. While cultivating early in July, Mr. Edin noticed a sparkle in the field, and picked up the silver pocket watch as bright and fresh as ever, with only a broken crystal to show for its long exposure. He wound it, and it’s keeping perfect time. The watch was returned to the rightful owner on his visit here over the Fourth.
• “Sharkey” Payne has a double feature program booked for his Verndale Theater Wednesday and Thursday of this week, the Louis-Wolcott fight pictures and “Keeper of the Bees”; for Friday and Saturday this week, another double feature, the Hoosier Hotshots in “Over the Sante Fe Trail” and “Jewels of Brandenburg”; and for Sunday and Monday, James Stewart, Richard Conte, Helen Walker and Lee Cobb in “Call Northside 777”, a story so warm and human that you’ll never forget it.
• Fred Barnett, former Verndale resident who is here visiting from Columbus, Indiana, has consented to show some of his special moving pictures at the school auditorium next Tuesday evening, July 20, at 7 p.m., and on Thursday evening, July 22, at the Wing River Tabernacle. The special movies that Mr. Barnett will show are actual battle scenes of World War II, the surrender of Japan and Germany, National Parks, Hawaiian Islands, Niagra Falls, Washington D.C. and damage of the ships at Pearl Harbor. Mr. Barnett’s presentation will take about one and a half hours.
• Verndale will be seeking their seventh straight Northern Lakes league victory tonight when they play Henning at home. The game, originally scheduled for last Sunday, will begin tonight at 5 p.m. sharp. This Sunday, second place Ottertail has only one defeat in six starts, that being to Verndale. Verndale’s hitters are belting the ball around at a .365 pace thus far this year as they have collected 140 hits in 383 at bats.
40 Years Ago, July 13, 1983
• Six Verndale Girl Scouts returned Friday after five days at “Tally Ho” Girl Scout Camp at St. Benedict College, St. Joseph, after participating in an English saddle horse show which concluded the near week-long activities. The girls posed for a picture including: Jennifer Johnson, Deana Davis, Bridget Perish, Nichole Lehner, Kim Wiese and Michelle Hieb.
• Ownership of Verndale Floor Covering has changed hands. Tom Yule, who started the business 10 years ago, recently sold out to Jim Winkels of Wadena, who is well known here, in his native town. He is the son of Tony and Agnes Winkels, was raised and educated here, graduating with the class of 1960. Jim and his wife, Sandy, have four children: Brenda, 16, Lisa, 14, Jimmy, 11, and Tammy, 4. The name, Verndale Floor Covering, will be retained.
• Another new business in town, Second Hand Rose, is owned by Vicki Kern, who opened her neat, clean little shop of used clothing about three weeks ago. The store is open three days a week, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Vicki is the wife of Ken Kern, and they have two children, Teri and Danny.
• The new building for G&S Sales Co. on Highway 10 East of Verndale will be the site for an open house this Thursday and Friday. Owners are Grant, Shirley and Brad Boe who have been residents of Verndale for the past six-seven years. Grant has been in the lumber business for 28 years. All are invited out for free coffee and doughnuts, and to register for door prizes.