Dusting Off The Archives
75 Years Ago, January 25, 1945
• The Verndale Pirates A-team had another unimpressive week of basketball, losing to N.Y. Mills here on Friday night and to Perham on Tuesday night. The Verndale B-team however, won both their games. A fast and good shooting N.Y. Mills outfit set the Verndale A-team down for their second conference loss this season by 31-25 score.
• “For outstanding performance of duty as an gunnery officer of the USS Macomb in offensive action against an enemy submarine,” Lt. (JG) John J. Rengel, USNR, received a ribbon from the secretary of the Navy. The citation continues: “Lt. Rengel promptly manned his battle station and effectively illuminated the surface target by searchlight to enable the ships main battery to open accurate concentrated fire. By his fearless initiative and exceptional skill in directing effective gunfire against the enemy, Lt. Rengel contributed essentially to the eventual destruction of the submarine and his gallant conduct throughout was in keeping with the highest traditions of the U. S. Naval Service. Lt Rengel is a former instructor of the Verndale High School.
• A night patrol led by Second Lieutenant Robert E. Gaines of Verndale was forced to run across 150 yards of open terrain under fire of three German machine guns and a 50-millimeter mortar in northern Italy. The patrol from the 338th Regiment, 85th “Custer” Division of the Fifth Army was sent to raid a house occupied by Nazis. When the Yanks neared the house, a machine gun opened up without sign or warning. Soon another machine gun started firing from their left and the doughboys were caught in the crossfire in a bare field. The nearest cover was a cliff 150 yards away.
40 Years Ago, January 24, 1980
• Having an empty truck contributed to this incident last week Thursday when Pat McCormick of rural Verndale attempted to keep from hitting a school bus on ice-covered Highway 22 about four miles north of Verndale. Both vehicles were heading north. The bus had just discharged its first three passengers, the Dick Harne youngsters, and was stopped a short distance away to unload the Duane James children. McCormick’s truck entered the ditch and the trailer swung around on the ice, so that the entire unit was facing south when it came it a halt. There were still 35 students on the bus. There were no injuries or damages reported.
• Thirty people left the special council meeting held Thursday night elated in the fact that the City Fathers (and Mothers) registered an opinion in favor of a thru-city route for Highway 10, while one individual, a north side resident, went home dejected. His concern was for the effects the widened highway could have on the Catholic church and the difficulty of north siders crossing the highway, especially the elderly. Norman Brejcha asked, “Why do we want to divide our town in two?” Others also expressed concerns over these and other problems arising from already difficult attempt to cross the busy Burlington Northern railroad track, coupled with the double intersections of the four-lane highway on which truck traffic is bound to increase.
• Mr. Randall’s junior high math classes have abandoned the idea of collecting one million of each, can tabs and beverage bottle caps, and will group them all together to arrive at a concept of how many/much a million is. Here Shelia Notch, JoNeen Rousslang, Val Luebke, Mr. Randall, Brian Shively and Bryan Dahlvang display boxes that have been counted thus far, totaling 53,321.
15 Years Ago, January 27, 2005
• The Pirates were at home for the first time since the Christmas break with a game against the Lake Region Christian School from Baxter. The Hornets were short-handed with two players in street clothes on the bench for the game. The first quarter ended with the Pirates holding a 19-14 advantage.
• Elizabeth Yungbauer placed third in the girls 12-13 year old category for the Wadena Elks hoop shoot contest. She shot 15 of 25 free throws. Teresa Moenkedick placed third in the girls 10-11 year old division shooting eight of 25 free throws.
• This group of Verndale Cheerleaders has welcomed the little people of the community to join in their cheer. At the school the other night little Chad Anderson had a blast, as he, along with the girls cheered and the girls treated him as one of the squad. Cheerleaders are Stephanie Reprogal, Katie Jonson, Courtney Mancuso, Jessica Weaver, Emily Veronen, Katie Johnson, Paula Schoon and Ashley Goltz.
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