Dusting off the Archives
News from Verndale's Past
75 Years Ago, November 8, 1945
•The meeting of the Lone Pine Troop was held November 5 at the school auditorium. The meeting was called to order by Lela Mack. The Scout promise and laws were read and roll call was taken and dues collected. Old and new business was discussed. As old business we learned about the money taken in at the Sister Kenny Benefit dinner. The Girl Scouts served at this dinner. New business was that Elaine Kopp is going to sell popcorn on Thursday night and Janet Rundell sells it on Friday night.
• Pfc. Emmet W. Callahan, son of Mr. and Mrs. T.F. Callahan, arrived home Wednesday of last week with an honorable discharge from Camp McCoy. Emmet was in the service for three years, 30 months of which were spent in Africa and Italy. Before coming home, Emmet visited France on a seven-day furlough.
•The Village Council had the grader leveling off the skating rink lots west of the hall on Tuesday to have it ready for flooding when freezing weather comes.
40 Years Ago, November 6, 1980
•Ninety percent of Verndale’s registered voters went to the polls to cast their ballots in Tuesday’s General Election, one of the largest percentage turnouts even in what was considered to be a very close presidential race nationwide. Three hundred fifteen of a total of 349 registered voters expressed their preferences with 55 of these new, or persons re-registering after absent from the polls the past four years. In Verndale, over 60 percent of the votes cast were in favor of the Independent-Republican party choice, Ronald Reagan, who received 188 compared to 107 supporting Jimmy Carter.
•The birthday of the founder of Girl Scouts, Juliette Low, was celebrated last week by the Verndale Girl Scouts inviting mothers to a special program. Barb Schwartz, former troop leader, and also a representative of First National Bank, a sponsor, was pinned with a corsage by current leader Joan Perish. The Dallas Cowgirls Cheerleader Patrol conducted a flag ceremony and the Rainbow Patrol presented a skit on activities involved in Girl Scouting.
• Sam, two-year-old retriever, shepherd and lab cross, won plaques under the direction of his master, Verndale Police Chief Cedric Haugen. The one he received recently was for third place in the Region 12 Obedience Trials held last June at Fairmont and the second was earned this past weekend on November 1 at Coon Rapids in the Region 12 Tracking Trials. At this time, Sam is tied for top honors (obtaining a 100 percent record) with a shepherd from Douglas County, Wisconsin Sheriff’s Department. The competition included a dozen dogs.
15 Years Ago, November 10, 2005
•Verndale defeated Hill City on Tuesday night in Wadena to claim the 5A Northern Subsection Championship with scores of 29-27, 13-25, 25-23, 23-25 and 15-12. The win took five games, but the games were played extremely well by both teams. The Lady Pirates traveled back to Wadena on Saturday to play Browerville for the Section Championship and came away with one win in four games. The girls played well and should be very proud of themselves with a great season behind them.
•In a countywide poster contest, two area sixth graders were selected to have their drawings put on billboards located in Wadena County. Congratulations to Delanie Weyer from Menahga Public School and Abby Martinson from Verndale Public School for their artistic efforts in creating a poster with a health and fitness message.
•Manuel “Rusty” Ramirez recently spent an evening in Verndale teaching an important message, “The definition of success is never having to use a gun to harm another person. Guns will never solve a problem.” Twelve people gathered to take the Minnesota Permit to Carry class for the first time in Verndale this year.
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