Barnes County: A Moment in Time

1921

100 Years Ago...

Plan Erection of New School

Erection of a two room consolidated school is planned in District No. 7, Stewart Township, Barnes County, according to Valentine Potter, clerk of the district, who was in Valley City Tuesday making arrangements to advertise for bids for the erection of the building.

At the present time there are two schools in the district. One of them is said to be in bad condition, and necessitates the building of a new school house. The new building, as is planned a the present time, would be a small two room building, up to date in every respect. If it is built it will be located in the center of the district so as to make access to it easy for pupils in the district. Bids were called for last years, but due to the unsettled conditions in the price of lumber and the high wages, no contractors cared to tackle the job. However, it is believed that it will be possible to get the building erected before next fall when school commences.

Life is just one glorious panorama of thrills and experiences if you are running the Times-Record and step on somebody’s toes. The editor had two scraps this morning before the sun was up very high in the heavens which shows that the paper is read even if the readers do not agree with the Editor. It is a fine job - this editing the Times-Record. You get kicked if you do and you get kicked if you don’t.

1946 75 Years Ago...

Hi-Liner Band Invited to Detroit Lakes Carnival

Wendell Ton, director of all music at Valley City High School, announced that the high school band has accepted an invitation to march in the Detroit Lakes Water Carnival parade July 14th.

This water carnival is the 11th annual and is held July 12, 13 and 14. The three day affair will reach a climax with the parade, which is Sunday afternoon.

The seniors who graduated this year will help make up the 50 piece band that will make the trip. According to Mayor Olson, there may also be two floats representing Valley City.

The high school band meets every Monday evening at 7:30 in preparation for this event.

Gordon Jantzen Wins Oakes Tournament

Pitted against one of the classiest fields of the summer, Gordon Jantzen of Valley City, who won the President’s Cup here last year, defeated Bud Wahl of Jamestown one up to win the Southeastern golf tournament at Oakes Sunday, Seventy-three were entered.

In his first round he eliminated Bennie Burton of Oakes one up, Less Johnson, Jamestown ace, was the next victim, also one up, and he was forced into an extra hole to beat Gary Jones, well known Lisbon golfer, in the third 9-hole round.

Five of the eight Valley City entries shared in the prize awards. Roger Ludvig, runner-up to Dr. Paul Cool here a week ago, was tied for medalist honors by Johnson of Jamestown, each turning in a par 36.

Bill Piculell won the consultation prize for the firth flight; Duke Thilmony, the consolation award in the eighth. Other Valley citians competing were Ross Dooley, John Rhodes and Bob Fredrickson.

1971 50 Years Ago...

Avis Huso Runner-Up in Miss ND Contest

AVIS HUSO, Miss Valley City, was chosen first runner-up and first place winner in the talent completion at the Miss North Dakota Pageant held in Bismarck over the weekend.

Selected as the new Miss North Dakota from Williston was Miss Lana Jean Herreid, 20. She offered as her talent a selfwritten vocal presentation. Miss North Dakota will now enter the Miss America finals in Atlantic City, N.J.

The pageant’s theme was “Through the Eyes of a Child” with it’s scenery of Walt Disney Character. Valley City’s queen along with 19 other girls spent the entire week in Bismarck rehearsing with children in full costume producing a variety of entertainment for the audience Saturday evening. Miss Huso set the scene as Snow White and 7-12 year old youngsters backing her as the seven dwarfs.

Miss Durum, Kathy Stabo, a delegate selected by the Langdon Jaycees, was named second runner-up and third and fourth winners were Angelia Skythand, Miss North Dakota State Potato Queen and Miss Jamestown, Gloria Kraft.

Removal of Lincoln School

Workmen began removing the roof the Lincoln School this week, starting the job of leaving the old school, replaced in 1969 by a modern structure. The old school was built in 1907 following a fire that razed an eight room brick building that preceded it as a school. The original grade school and the only one at that time was built in 1901, and was a brick building of eight rooms located at the site of old Ritchie. Following the fire in 1907 two schools were erected to replace it, Ritchie and Lincoln, both built and occupied that same year.

The property where old Lincoln is now located was purchased by Maurice Wick, local contractor, at the time of the erection of new Lincoln School on Granger Hill.

Mr. Wisk commented that despite precautions taken to preserve the school building, excessive vandalism had forced the removal of the building. Entry had been made at several times to the building and furniture and materials removed with the owner’s knowledge.

1996 25 Years Ago...

Soap Box Derby Debuts in Valley City

Things are falling into place for the first-ever sanctioned Soap Box Derby to be held in Valley City June 21-22, says Suzi Anundson, executive director of the Val

ley City Chamber of Commerce and director of the derby.

The Chamber now has the Pepsi® Company as a major sponsor, she says. The actual race will be June 22nd with practice on June 21st.

“We are very excited to provide a family-orientated program to our area. Central Avenue is the perfect track,” Anundson says.

She adds that this is an open race because it is a sanctioned race and they do have people coming from other area.

There will be bleachers set up on each side of Central Avenue for spectators. There will be some located in the high school parking lot and others in the high school administration parking lot. In addition, concession stands will also be set up.

Anundson says the local Soap Box Derby committee is composed of community leaders and businesses. Steve Hoss and Jan Stowman are the local chairpersons of the event.

Other community people who are on the committee are Tim Kadrmas, Mickey Kvien, Bill Jahn, Dennis Bestge, Jerry Perkins, Scott Miller, George Dutton and Randy Trautmann.

There will be some celebrities for this firstever race in Valley City. Gov. Ed Schafer and First Lady Nancy Schafer will ride in two adult Soap Box Derby cars and Miss Teen American, Sonya Wang, of California, will participate in the awards ceremony.

Dan Michaels, formerly of Valley City and now a sports director at the Fargo TV station, will be the official starter. The race will run from approximately 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. on June 22. In addition to the governor and his wife racing, there will be a number of other celebrity races throughout the day.

Regional Director Jerry Van Waart of Bellevue, Neb., was in Valley City in February to help Chamber and the community members get the project off the ground.

“I am very pleased to see North Dakota make a comeback in Soap Box Derby racing,” he said. “It was 1972 when this state held their last race.”

Van Waart said Central Avenue is “very accessible being right downtown” and should draw a large crowd.

“It’s a great-great deal and the people in Valley City have indicated they want (this derby) to be held statewide,” he added.

Van Waart has been involved in Soap Box Derby racing since he was 12 years old and is

still as excited about the sport as he was then.

It is his job as director of Region 4 to get the local committees started with the racing program.

Region 4 consists of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Nebraska. Currently, there are no Soap Box Derby held in North Dakota or South Dakota. Minneapolis and Hibbing are the only cities in Minnesota currently with the youth racing program.

The Iowa cities with the program are Cedar Rapids, Sioux City, Des Moines and Eldora. Omaha, Neb., holds one statewide race, Van Waart said.

The All-American Soap Box Derby has run every year (except during World War II) since 1934.