Dusting off the Archives
News from Verndale's Past
75 Years Ago, December 1, 1949
• Mrs. Ben LaLone’s Thanksgiving Day was made more joyful for her this year when she received a long distance telephone call from Spokane, Washington. More out of the ordinary, was the fact that the conversation involved five generations of the LaLone family, as she talked to: her daughter, Mrs. Mae Luther; grandson, Herbert Luther; great-grandson, Jack Luther and great-great-grandson, Jack Alan Luther.
• Louis (Tony) Beven completed a deal recently for the purchase of the 160 acre farm south of town known as the Henry Peterson place from his widow, Mrs. Henry Peterson of Minneapolis. The farm is being operated by Cliff Horn.
• Verndale has now taken on the holiday look. Thanks to Jim Thompson who last week brought in about 50 small evergreens and stuck them in front of each business place. When they’re lit up they will really be a pleasant sight.
40 Years Ago, December 5, 1984
• Workmen reached the final section of the 150-foot self-supporting micro-wave tower which was constructed in Verndale last week behind the telephone switchboard. It will be used to relay all toll and switching calls over a 240 foot guy tower located north of Sebeka, providing point-to-point radio contact over the 16 air miles between the two. Transmission should not be affected by weather conditions, Manager Andrew Schmith said.
• Children need no practice in learning to build a snowman, but when you have no snow with which to work, and you pretend, that takes practice. That’s what youngsters were doing while rehearsing for the Celebration Committee’s Christmas Extravaganza which will be presented twice this Saturday. Vicki Kern will be the snowman.
• Sandy Westergren, daughter of Stan and Eileen Westergren of Wadena, who formerly operated a cafe in Verndale, played Christmas songs on a psaltery in a corner of one of the exhibition rooms. She had heard one played and decided because it was unusual, she’d like to have one. The instrument has 30 strings, with the regular notes on the right side and the harps and flats played on the left side.
15 Years Ago, December 3, 2009
• Pugilism has a long storied past here in the United States and in other countries and we are all aware of some of the more famous boxers within the professional ranks, but where did they start? They started in clubs not unlike the Wadena Boxing Club where they fought as Golden Gloves amateurs. Bob Tubandt from Wadena has been coaching boxers at the Wadena Boxing Club since 1968. He was originally a boxer from the Wadena club and won five regional titles. Golden Gloves started in the area in the 1940’s by Art Addeltson from the Verndale area.
• On November 24, the Verndale football banquet and awards night was held with a large crowd in attendance. Following the awards presentation everyone was invited to stay and watch the highlight reel. All conference players: Dan Kneisl, Jon Kohlhase, Clay Cottrell, Amos Schmidt, Colby Schmidt and Cody Yungbauer.
• On November 30, Verndale held its Middle School Christmas Concert in the Ted Masog Auditorium. Band Director Stephanie Brownlow and Choir Director Deb Haraldson put on a great performance for all in attendance.
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