Dusting off the Archives
News from Verndale's Past
75 Years Ago, January 13, 1949
• Mr. Wm. Kelzenberg, manager and operator of the Verndale Co-operative Creamery, this month completed 30 years as active manager of the Verndale Creamery. Mr. Kelzenberg who came here from Bluffton in January of 1919 has been instrumental in raising the gross business of the creamery from $50,000 in 1919 to over $400,000.
• Lee Sowder of Verndale and Milt Chapin of Staples killed a big brush wolf east of Aldrich one day last week. This is the third wolf to be shot recently in that area.
• Mr. Adrian Launceford wishes to inform the public that the electricity will be off in Verndale on Sunday morning from 8-11 a.m., if weather permits, so that workmen may make preparations at the Verndale sub station for the increased load coming in the near future. This will also affect farmers served on the Todd-Wadena REA from the Verndale sub station from 9 a.m.-noon. It is advised that persons using oil burners, heat their house well before the current is turned off.
40 Years Ago, January 11, 1984
• Over 40 interested persons, including basketball team members, assembled in the school library last Wednesday evening and heard Coach Byron Hartung verify his resignation as coach. The parents had been invited to a meeting to discuss the issue, but when the meeting opened, it was announced that Mr. Hartung would make a statement and that the meeting would then be dismissed. Some discussion did follow, however. Hartung shared the criticism has affected him, from players and fans. “I think it has gone beyond basketball, who’s winning or who’s playing. Basketball is not meant to be an ego trip for the players, school or community.”
• Verndale Boosters picked up over 60 Christmas trees last Saturday morning and hauled them to a field on the Runyan farm to provide shelter for wildlife. Participating in the collection were: Jim Runyan, Mark Callahan, Gary Bramer, Dave Seaton, Armond Swanson, Jim’s son Erick, and Chuck Tangeman.
• The main event of the Booster Wednesday Night Basketball League was a heated game between Carr’s and OFF’s for first place in the first half of the season. Both teams had tall inside players early in the game trying to dominate the boards. Carr’s worked aggressively in the second half, but OFF’s strong defense and running attack overcame Carr’s late charge to win 44-39.
15 Years Ago, January 15, 2009
• Mr. Aeling has something interesting going on in art class. The kids have taken their ideas and skills to canvas, wood and poster board using several types of mediums such as pastels, a type of chalk, acrylic paint, carving tools and paper and paste. Mr. Aeling is teaching a point of reference. The best point of reference is, of course, from life. He demonstrates point of reference from a real fish. A photograph can be used but it is two-dimensional which is tough in capturing the depth of field and difficult to teach and learn.
• Newly elected Wadena County Commissioners Ralph Miller, District 2, and Rodney Bounds, District 4, were sworn into office on Tuesday, January 6, by the Honorable Judge Sally Ireland Robertson at the courthouse.
• Preparations for the second annual Verndale Ethnic Fest and the February Family Fun Night are already underway. The seven foreign exchange students include Samuel Gross from Germany, Victor Garcia from Spain, Leticia Tonin Passos from Brazil, Xiao Xiao from China, Chin-Chiao Hu (Eric) from Tiwan, Supredee Thummasoonthorn from Thailand, and Anna Anderson from Denmark. The exchange students began preparations back in October as they prepared to present mini-language lessons to each class in grades one through three.