Dusting off the Archives
News from Verndale's Past
75 Years Ago, March 23, 1950
• Frank Anderson, retired Verndale rural mail carrier since April 1933, called to our attention last week that 47 years ago on March 14, 1903 he missed his first day on the route due to a bad storm. Frank, the first rural carrier out of the Verndale office, started carrying mail in September 1902. Those early days of carrying mail brought many hardships with poor roads and horses, mules and snowmobiles used to make their routes. When horses and mules were used, the carriers would have one stationed at a halfway location and change their horse or mule at this place each day.
• The regular meeting of Troop 87 was held on March 10 at the school. The Beavers were in charge of the opening and had us say the Scout Oath and Pledge to the American Flag. They also showed us a new bowline which they learned at Central Minnesota Troop 2000. The leaders that went to the meeting were: Larry Anderson, Kent Peterson, Conn Gallagher and Bob Bergquist. We talked about making Patrol Flags. After that we played a game with a ping-pong ball. Then we had Scoutmaster Minute. We then had the closing by the Panthers. They had us say a law and sing taps. Pepper Bradford, scribe.
• The Verndale community has been without a physician and surgeon now for over two years, and the Verndale Commercial Club has been working diligently to try and obtain one to locate here. But, not less than three times they have had a doctor wanting to come here who inquired as to office quarters. When the office question came up, they were always at a loss to assure them a suitable place. Now the situation develops to a known factor, that until we can put up a suitable building to house a doctor and possibly a drug store, we just are not in the position to bring in a doctor.
40 Years Ago, May 26, 1985
• The former Great Plains Supply building was recently purchased by the Verndale Lions Club to be reconverted to a community center. It is located on the east end of First Avenue. The Lions are seeking donations from community-minded citizens so that renovations can begin as soon as possible. In addition, they will be conducting numerous fundraisers in an effort to make the payments on money borrowed in order to make the purchase.
• Charges are pending against two rural Sebeka juveniles who are alleged to have burglarized a cabin in North Germany Township on or around February 25. The incident was reported to the Wadena County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday, March 9. Taken were $400 in weapons and camping gear. All items taken have been recovered.
• One of the beginning 14 contestants takes her seat after missing a word in the oral spelldown in the sixth grade room at Verndale School last Wednesday morning. The two finalists were Jill Hosek, an eighth grader, and Ken Baker, a sixth grader, who had to spell the same words three times to determine the winner. Jill will go on to compete in the next division of the National Spelldown at Bemidji while Ken will compete only if Jill is unable to do so. All finalists taking the oral test had qualified by winning in two written tests.
15 Years Ago, March 25, 2010
• Zeus will soon be heading to Wadena County to protect the citizens here. No, it’s not the Greek God of Mount Olympus, but Zeus, a German Shepherd, will soon be arriving from the Czech Republic to begin working with the Wadena County Sheriff’s Department. He will be handled by Deputy Bryan Savaloja. Wadena County’s former K-9 unit dog Danny, who was recently retired from service, will be spending his retirement with his former handler Deputy Luke Manderschied.
• The Independent School District No. 818 Verndale School Board has approved a recommendation from Superintendent/Principal Paul Brownlow to restructure the district’s administration starting with the 2010-2011 school year. The motion was unanimously approved by the board during its March 22 meeting. The new administrative structure will include a superintendent/9-12 grade principal and a K-8 principal/district assessment coordinator. Currently the district has superintendent/principal Brownlow and a dean of students/assessment coordinator, Justin Sperling.
• Cub Scout Pack 326 celebrated its Blue and Gold Banquet on Tuesday, March 16, at the Verndale Public School. The evening started off with a delicious potluck dinner and wonderful entertainment of traditional Native American dance performed by Stan “Papa Bear” Worley who was decked out in full regalia. After he danced, Papa Bear taught the scouts the meaning of all the different pieces of his regalia.
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