These 11 members of Minneota Boy Scout Troop No. 30 built this dog sled to compete in the “Klondike Derby”, which was part of Cottonwood’s “Fishless Derby” on Sunday, Feb. 13, 1972.

From the Mascot files

100 Years Ago
(Jan. 20, 1922)

Borson in Willmar
for Grain Growers
Ben Borson of Minneota has been spending the week in Willmar working in the district there for the U.S. Grain Growers. Borson is considered one of the most valuable field men that the Grain Growers have out.

Pemberton, Bjornson
judge debate in Canby
Professor L.R. Pemberton and G.B. Bjornson went to Canby last week to act as judges of the high school debate between Canby and Renville. The question posed was whether or not the government should control cost prices in times of peace. Most of the debaters shared their facts like veterans. Renville was declared the winner of the debate.

Minnesota Farm Bureau
to hold local meeting
There will be a social meeting of the Minnesota Farm Bureau Unit at the home of the Dovre brothers on Jan. 23. This meeting will addressed by O.E. Olmstead of the University Extension Service. He will discuss farm clubs in general. Every member of the Unit and anyone else interested is invited to come to the Dovre home and attend this meeting. The ladies of the Unit will serve lunch after the program.

75 Years Ago
(Jan. 24, 1947)

Bank reaches $4M
mark for 2nd time
The Farmers and Merchants State Bank of Minneota hit the $4 million mark on Monday, the exact figures being $4,071,861.01. The totals at the bank went over the $4 million for the first time in the institution's history during September of last year. Also, directors re-elected at the bank's annual meeting were E.M. Amundson, A.E. DeSutter, John Tillemans, H.J. Tillemans and L.V. Widmark.

Taunton still seeking
postmaster with exam
The Civil Service Commission announced this week that it would hold another examination for the position of postmaster in Taunton. These exams have been held periodically for the past three or four years and so far, it seems, no one has stepped forward and passed the test. Mrs. Aloysius Tillemans has been serving as acting postmistress. The government will pay the new postmaster $2,200 a year.

Drietz farm home
damaged by fire
Minneota firemen, by their quick action and knowledge, are being credited with saving the farm home of Walter Drietz when a fire broke out in the bedroom on the second floor last Saturday evening. The farm is eight miles southwest of Minneota. When the firemen arrived on the scene, the blaze had broken out through the roof and furniture and clothing was burning in the bedroom. Considerable damage was done to the house.

50 Years Ago
(Jan. 20, 1972)

Two men injured in
accident south of town
Kenneth Skaar, 18, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Kermit Skaar of rural Minneota and a student at Southwest Minnesota State, and Marlin Bresse, 24, of Russell were both injured about 7:15 a.m. Monday when automobiles they were driving collided in the vicinity of Hemnes Lutheran Church about three miles south of this village. Both men were taken to the hospital in Marshall and Skaar is listed in critical condition with head injuries, a broken pelvis, and face lacerations. He is in a coma and was transported to the Sioux Hospital in Sioux Falls. Bresse was not severely injured.

Railway closes four
depots in this area
Four depots at stations in this area, including Minneota and Canby, were closed by the Chicago and Northwestern Railway last week and the communities they originally served will be served by the depot in Marshall. Byron Groezinger, who has been the agent here. will now work out of the Marshall office, as will D.R. Clark, the Canby agent.

MBA elects 3 new
members to board
The Minneota Businessmen's Association elected three new members to its board of directors at its meeting on Monday evening. The three new members are Wynston Boe, Don Hoberg and James Wambeke. Other directors are Virgil Ufkin. who has been president the past year, Dennis Tomask, Gary Swendsrud and Jon Guttormsson.

25 Years Ago
(Jan. 22, 1997)

Otter Tail cautions
about power lines
Heavy snowfalls, together with extraordinary high drifts caused by strong winds and snow removal, have made any activity near power lines especially hazardous, according to Don Larson, Otter Tail Power Company's safety director. There are reports of instances in which line clearances are reduced by half or more. Larson advises people conducting any type of activity around power lines, especially the operation of equipment, to be especially careful.

Minneota Crop Show
called second to none
The Minneota Crop Show will be held Jan. 23 at the American Legion in Minneota. The Crop Show features an outstanding program for corn and soybean farmers. Included in the program are timely and hot agronomic topics. The Minneota Crop Show has earned the reputation at the best regional educational program for producers. If farmers are going to attend one corn and soybean clinic this winter, this is the one.

5 wrestlers champs
at Foley Invitational
Five Minneota wrestlers won individual championships at a strong Foley Invitational this past weekend. St. Michael-Albertville, ranked No. 1 in Class AA, won the team title. Minneota, one of the smallest team competing in the tournament, finished a close second. Individual champions for the Vikings were Ben Vlaminck at 103 pounds, Kris Fier at 112, James Miller at 119, Kurt Fier at 130 and Scott Fier at 160. Ross Eischens was second at heavyweight.
This Day in History
January 21

1793 - During the French Revolution, King Louis XVI, condemned for treason, is executed on the guillotine.

1861 - Jefferson Davis of Mississippi and four other Southerners whose states seceded from the Union resign from the U.S. Senate.

1950 - Former State Department official Alger Hiss, accused of being part of a Communist spy ring, is found guilty in New York of lying to a grand jury.

1968 - The North Vietnamese Army launches a full-scale assault against the U.S. combat base in Khe Sanh, South Vietnam, in a siege lasting 11 weeks; although the Americans are able to hold back the communists, they end up dismantling and abandoning the base.

1977 - On his first full day in office, President Jimmy Carter pardons almost all Vietnam War draft evaders.

1998 - Pope John Paul II begins a historic pilgrimage to Cuba.

2003 - The Census Bureau announces that Hispanics have surpassed Blacks as America's largest minority group.

Photo: These 11 members of Minneota Boy Scout Troop No. 30 built this dog sled to compete in the “Klondike Derby”, which was part of Cottonwood’s “Fishless Derby” on Sunday, Feb. 13, 1972. The boys pictured are: Douglas Jackson, Kevin Jackson, Richard Christianson, James Christianson, Douglas Josephson, Lanny Merritt, Brent Larson, John Pennings, David Pennings, Danny Thompson and Kevin Harbank.

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