YESTERYEAR
100 Years Ago
(July 28, 1923)
Tillemans, Sanderson are re-elected to school board
The school election last Saturday evening resulted in the re-election of H.J. Tillemans and E.T. Sanderson to membership on the board. W.B. Gislason was elected to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Judge A.B. Gislason, a one-year term. There were only 32 voters who participated in the election.
First of several planned outdoor movies held
The first of a series of outdoor movies that will be put on here was staged on Main Street Wednesday evening. The crowd was exceptionally large for this time of the year. It was estimated that 1,000 people were on hand to see the show. As far as we have heard, everybody was satisfied and the entertainment may well be pronounced a marked success.
T.F. Tucker takes over Rex Theatre ownership
T.F. Tucker has taken charge of the Rex Theatre, which will hereafter be known as the Community Theatre. The first show will be on Friday and Saturday evenings of this week - Harold Lloyd in "Grandma's Boy", a high-class comedy recently released.
Grandview boy drowns in river near Granite Falls
Earl Wyffels, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Wyffels of Grandview, drowned while swimming in the Minnesota River near Granite Falls last Sunday evening. He and several other friends were picnicking near Granite Falls. The water in the swimming hole was about eight feet deep and Earl had not been in but a very short time when he seized with cramps. Every effort was made to save him, but there were no expert swimmers in the party.
75 Years Ago
(July 30, 1948)
Local threshed grain yields reported better than combined
Grain, which is being threshed, is already coming into Minneota and is proving to be of much better quality than that which was combined, according to local elevator men. According to these men, yields are good, although oats, for instance, is proving to be spotty. Yields of this grain are reported to be from 45 bushels and up per acre, with the grain being heavy. Wheat in this community it said to be of very good quality. Barley, on the other hand, is said to be too wet, with that which is being threshed being much better than the combined grain.
Illinois woman sends $5 to boy for new bike
An Illinois woman who read an article in the Mascot recently about money stolen from a boy who was saving for a new bicycle, warmed the boy's heart this week by sending him $5 as a start for a new bicycle fund. Mrs. Mike Swedzinski, who lives in Moline, Illinois, is the woman who read the Mascot story and felt so sorry for the seven-year-old lad that she wanted him to start right in saving again. The young lad who lost his year's savings of $12 is Dennis Johnson, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Johnson. Dennis immediately wrote a thank you letter back to Mrs. Swedzinski.
Boys Scouts pitch their tents at Lake Shetek
Eight members of Minneota Boy Scout Troop No. 30 were busy pitching their tents at Lake Shetek during Camp Week. James Flemming, James Drown, Gordon Nelson, August VanLoy, James DeCock, Andrew Hebrank, Glenn Johnson and Albert Eggermont attended the camp during the week of July 11 to 18. The Scoutmaster is Julius Locy. While at Lake Shetek, the scouts worked on requirements for advancement in rank. Three of the scouts, Flemming, Hebrank and Eggermont were advanced to Second Class during Court of Honor ceremonies on the last day of camp.
50 Years Ago
(July 26, 1973)
Marshall golfer gets ace at Countryside Golf Club
James. R Clark of Marshall scored a hole-in-one at Countryside Golf Club in Minneota this past Tuesday. Clark scored his ace on the third hole, a par-3, 137-yard hole. Local golf addicts report that this is the fifth time that a hole-in-one has been scored at the local golf course.
83 pints of blood donated here last week
There were 83 pints of blood donated by people of this immediate area when blood was collected here last Wednesday afternoon. Mrs, Bernard Tillemans, the blood donation director for the Red Cross, also reported that 91 people turned out for the collection. Four of those people donated for the first time. Five-gallon pins were given to George Sarazyn and Joseph Rabaey. Orin Hanson received a four-gallon pin, Raymond Bottelberghe, a three-gallon pin; and Alis Fry and Germain Hoffman each received a two-gallon pin. One-gallon pins went to Vivian Boerboom, Daniel Byrne, Beth Brewers, Terry VanKeulen, Lois Neishius, Myron Kockelman, Alive Verschelde and Diane Menken.
Finnegan Sr. wins third prize in fishing contest
Ed Finnegan Sr. of Minneota won third prize in the St. Paul Pioneer Dispatch and Pioneer Press Summer-Long Fishing Contest. Finnegan Sr. caught a 2-pound, 2-ounce crappie from East Battle Lake during the contest's eighth week. He will receive a Newton line, a Lindy Special Contest Pack, a Little Joe Quality Tackle Pack, a subscription to Fins and Feathers magazine, a set of Roger Preuss calendar prints, a Water Gremlin sinker selection, a Cisco Kid lure, and a certificate.
25 Years Ago
(July 29, 1998)
Ghent invites everyone for Belgian-American Days
The Rolle Bolle courts will be hot this weekend as Ghent hosts its annual Belgian-American Days festivities. The action will begin on Friday, July 31, with the "Miss Tootsie" contest. This has become a very popular event in the community as local men vie for the honor of being chosen "Miss" of the area. That will be followed by a street dance at 9 p.m. On Saturday, there will be a softball tournament, kiddie parade and a Grande Parade. There will be a brunch on Sunday at St. Eloi Church.
Marlene Lien recognized for commitment to families
Marlen Lien, local Family and Consumer Sciences teacher at Minneota Public School, was recognized for her 30 years of service to the Future Leaders of America/Future Homemakers of America organization at the 1998 Leadership Meeting July 5-9 in New Orleans. Future Leaders of America's Years of Service Award recognizes outstanding family and consumer sciences teachers who have been successful in leading and advising and FLA/FHA chapter. She received a certificate.
Drainage system needs changing in Minneota
Minneota's mammoth drainage system will eventually fail unless some dramatic changes are made, says an economist with the University of Minnesota's Extension Service. Floods of 1997 and the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico that some attribute to farmland drainage and runoff highlight a problem that's been simmering for a number of years, says Steve Taff.