Dusting off the Archives
News from Verndale's Past
75 Years Ago, August 5, 1948
• Hubert H. Humphrey, mayor of Minneapolis, filed for the Democratic-Farmer-Labor nominations for United States Senator today. In a filing statement, Humphrey pledged his support for a foreign policy that will ensure peace backed up by a domestic policy that will maintain conditions of security and prosperity at home.
• The Wadena County 4-H Club members have just finished another successful county fair with many highlights on the 4-H program. With over 300 4-H’ers exhibiting, the club building was scarcely large enough to accommodate all of their exhibits. Some of the highlights on the 4-H program were the Style Revue, Health Contest, Demonstrations and awarding the special prizes. In the Style Revue, Betty Boyer of the Ambitious Club carried off top honors when she was crowned Wadena County Style Queen on Wednesday afternoon. Her suit was in pink and blue pastel wool plaid complemented by black accessories. The queen’s attendants were Pat Thompson of the Central Club, and Jerry Mae Jacobs of the Verndale Gold Diggers. Betty will represent Wadena County at the state fair next month.
• Pfc. Virgil Laye arrived home last week from Japan where he has served in the U.S. Army for over a year. Virgil is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Ben Laye of Verndale.
40 Years Ago, August 3, 1983
• Clutching copies of the newly published Verndale “Pages From History” at last Thursday’s kick-off banquet were: Clarence Horsager, program emcee; Brian Dahlvang, young artist who drew chapter heading illustrations for the book; MaryLu McClure, book author; Mary Tangeman, production engineer, and John Crandall, Wadena County Historical Society president, who spoke at the gathering. Lighting the candles on the Pages From History open book cake baked by Barb Schwarts was Merlyne Bissel who was the hostess for the banquet.
• Ken Waisanen accompanied himself on the piano as he sang a catchy tune in keeping with the early stories of this area, and played several piano selections to entertain the “first-nighters” attending the showing of the Verndale history book. Shari McClure entertained also in song, accompanied on the piano by Marguerite Seaton who also provided accompaniment for Kent Miller and for the Happy Birthday Verndale song by the congregation.
• If you haven’t already done so, it’s time to get out the lawnmowers, rakes, paintbrushes, brooms and other paraphernalia to clean up the town in readiness for the influx of our many friends who come annually to help us “whoop it up”. There are only a few days left to complete this task. This year marks the 100th year of Verndale’s incorporation—a second centennial since we observed “Founders Day” five years ago, and we’d like to impress all who come to join in the fun...and see what it’s all about. Because of their cooperation in community projects as well as for this celebration, Alyce and Shorty Seaton have been named grand marshals.
15 Years Ago, August 7, 2008
• The Verndale Summer Theatre performance of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was a huge success! The unique storyline and songs made for a very interesting and humorous play. Forty-seven performers participated in this year’s play, an increase from last year’s 32 participants. There were 148 people attending the two performances. The cast and crew were made up of students and adults from the surrounding communities: Bertha, Staples, Verndale and Wadena.
• Members of the Verndale City Council were eager to adjourn the regular meeting Monday night, August 4. But Mayor Wayne Stave said there was one more public announcement he needed to make before they could go home. “I will not run for re-election,” Stave said. He explained he’s enjoyed serving the city of Verndale the past 10 years, but he said with family issues and his responsibilities at Verndale Custom Homes, it’s time for someone else to take the helm after this year.
• It doesn’t get much closer than this...Wadena County had a deadline of Friday, August 1, to spend $50,000 from the Minnesota Department of Transportation Highway Safety dollars for the CSAH 23 “Y” intersection realignment project in north Verndale. The Wadena County Board of Commissioners has, as of a special meeting on the deadline date of August 1, awarded the job to TriCity Paving out of Little Falls.
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