Dusting Off the Archives
News from Verndale's Past
75 Years Ago, March 8, 1945
• The following is a letter Mrs. Fred King received from a lady in Tasmania. She wrote to Mrs. King after she had entertained Lt. Robert King and three other officers during a stop there on their way to India. Dear Mrs. King, your son had a meal at our home while he was in Llabait recently and when I said I’d write and tell you he was very well he said, “Oh, if you write to my mother she will write you a lovely letter back.” My daughter was helping at the Leave Club and saw four young lieutenants waiting patiently outside to get a meal so she went over and told them if they come up to our home I’d give them a meal...and rang me to say four Americans were on their way up for a meal even if it was only tea and jam. Needless to say we found them more than that—eggs, bacon, pie, cake, jam and hot cups of tea from a China teapot, which they loved, after the tea they got from big urns. Very sincerely, Lelia Wynn (Mrs. E. L. Wynn).
• The 1945 District Number 24 sub-district basketball tournament is now past history and Verndale has relinquished the championship crown that they have been wearing since 1943, and New York Mills dons it for the first time in its school’s history. During the past 10 years, Verndale has held the sub-district championship five times, were runners-up twice and in 1939 were ceded in the district tournament without playing in the sub-district.
• Tonight, Thursday at the Gospel Tabernacle the Paul Hild Victory Crusaders will present a special Cantata on “The Old Rugged Cross” in five scenes. The topic is “What Church is Right.” Sunday night the two week Victory Crusade will have its closing in the high school auditorium at 7:45 p.m., with a colorful and stirring patriotic program planned. Mrs. Hild, who is a sister to Phillip Nelson, missing in action in Italy, will direct the patriotic songs and choruses.
40 Years Ago, March 13, 1980
• The newest additions to Verndale’s police force are Cedric Haugen and his dog, Sam. They began working for the city on Saturday, March 1. A native of Henning, Haugen first worked for the city of Henning in 1972 in their utilities department and assisting the police force when needed. With his experience, he applied for an opening in 1976 in the Wadena County Sheriff’s Department, was hired and trained by the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. He served in the Air Force for four and a half years working with intelligence.
• Helping parents become better consumers of education, helping to know their child better and recognizing danger signals of a student in trouble, are the reasons for a recently published book written by our superintendent of schools, James Sherock.
• Fifth and sixth grade students took part in an intra-mural basketball tournament last weekend to climax a week of activities in preparation for the “big event.” Mr. Lyle Krogstad was in charge of the activities. The champions of the event were: Leslie Compton, Paul Harne, Dean Fisher, Richard Murdock, Lynn Hahn, Ann Meister and Carmel Snyder.
15 Years Ago, March 10, 2005
• From the soldiers in 1/194 Ar Bn, we say, “Hello!” We decided to take a follow-up photo of the three Verndale graduates serving in Iraq. Before we departed back in October, we took a photo of the three of us, in civilian clothes, outside of the Wadena VFW. We thought it would be kosher to send a follow up picture. We want to take this time to thank everyone back home for the continuing support we have received since arriving to our “home away from home.” We hope all is well back in Verndale. Sincerely Ken, Mike and Daryl. SFC Ken Schmitz, a 1976 graduate. SPC. Mike Stanek, a 2000 graduate. SPC Daryl Dunbar, a 2003 graduate.
• The Verndale School Board received certificates of appreciation for their service from the School Board Association. They are: Jim Runyan, Rodney Bounds, Marcus Edin, Harvey Schoon, Naomi Moyer and Denise Bramer.
• Fire department presented awards. Chuck Goddard was named Fireman of the Year; Brenda Weniger was Support Person of the Year, Mark Motschenbacher was Goof of the Year. Retiring firemen were Louie Randall and James Carr. Louie served for 12 years and Jim for 24.