Looking Back
News from Bertha's and Hewitt's Pasts
25 Years Ago
July 1, 1998
Those who live or drive through the western edge of Bertha Township have been commenting on the number of pheasants they are seeing. Mother Nature is getting a helping hand thanks to the perseverance of Gary Westergren and his parents, Rodney and Bertha. Westergren bought a styrofoam incubator and 48 pheasant eggs, and only 18 hatched. He also bought some chicks. Since his parents no longer have cows, the barn, granary and other outbuildings soon became home to his pheasant-raising operation. The tiny incubator gave way to one that would hold 200 eggs and it escalated from there.
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Lisa Detloff, 19, daughter of Jerry and Lois Detloff of Bertha, was crowned Region 4 Dairy Princess at ceremonies held June 19 in St. Cloud. Counties included in Region 4 are Benton, Morrison and Todd. Detloff will compete along with Minnesota’s 10 other regional dairy princesses for the title of Princess Kay of the Milky Way at the annual contest to be held August 26 at the Minnesota State Fair.
50 Years Ago
July 11, 1948
A mass meeting was called at the Hewitt Community Hall to determine the preference of the parents of School Dist. No. 103 as to whether they would discontinue the high school or keep it open. Mr. Heineman and Mr. Hagarty of St. Paul were present and gave information and advice. A ballot was taken which resulted in 78-18 in favor of keeping the high school in operation.
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William Johnston and Grace Johnson were announced as the winners of the American Legion Awards given annually to the boy and girl of the graduating class who “best represent those qualities of character and ability which, when cultivated, result in worthy citizenship and well-rounded manhood and womanhood.”