Looking Back is a regular feature on the pages of the Star Eagle.
100 Years Back – 1920
• Many are inclined to believe that the scarcity of good teachers is responsible for the fact that the rural public is coming awake to the advantages of a consolidated school system, but the writer is of a different opinion. We are of the belief that the farmer can see so many other arguments in favor of consolidation that the problem of supplying teachers fades away into oblivion.
• Gilbert Johnson’s barbershop and billiard parlor was broken into Sunday evening between eight and ten o’clock, and about five dollars was taken from the cash register. The party entered through the back door and after finding the five dollars in the register began moving things about in a search, undoubtedly, for more.
• Among the various diseases we have in this vicinity appears those of whooping cough and measles. In the March issue of the Pictorial Review appears a very instructive article on whooping cough, which takes 10,000 babies in the United States annually.
• No excitement over Tuesday’s election. At the polls in New Richland village last Tuesday, 58 votes were cast. Of this number but one voted against the re-incorporation of the village.
• Prohibition is hitting Minnesota hard. Recently the Austin jail was sold because of the poor business it was doing and now comes the report that the Cass county prison is suffering from a lack of use and that during the past three months prisoners have been responsible even in this day of high living costs for a board bill of $0.00.
• Monday as Tim Harty was coming up from the depot with a stranger, he met Andrew Gregerson.
“Do you know this fellow?” Tim inquired.
Andrew gave him the once over and said without hesitation: “You bet I do. He and I had a good many differences of opinion when we went to country school and took part in the battles of the Danes against the Irish.”
The stranger was John Harty, oldest son of Dennis Harty of Bath Township. When a young lad, he left home without telling anyone where he was going. That was thirty-four years ago.
75 years back
• AUSTIN — Ten-year-old Kenneth Olson, is the most popular boy in his school at present. Not too long ago the lad wrote to General Dwight Eisenhower asking him for some sort of souvenir, perhaps a tie or handkerchief. A few days ago a letter, written on the stationary of the supreme headquarters and bearing the unmistakable signature of General Eisenhower, arrived.
• Wednesday afternoon Mrs. Kohlhoff’s room had their Valentine party. Their guests were Laurel Hanson, James Killday, Janice Moore, Darrell Weyhrauch, John Gilster, Donna Dobberstein, Mary Lou Munsch, Diane Schultz and Lois Bechthold.
• War casualties continue to hit New Richland with more or less continued regularity. This time it is Francis J. Wallace, son of Mrs. Helen Wallace, who is reported missing in action since February 8 in Germany.
• Nearly two million 4-H club members throughout the nation will take stock of their wartime activities and prepare for more effective contributions toward victory as they observe National 4-H Club week March 3 to 11.
• We were requested to plant various varieties of hemp seed to find out: 1. Whether seed production was possible in Minnesota. 2. The comparative yield of different selections, and 3. Whether the plants will reseed naturally with the danger of becoming a weed. Accordingly, we planted the seed in hills five feet apart and awaited results.
• En route from this town to Northern Minnesota points, a truck carrying precious pounds of butter rolled into a ditch, turned over and caught fire, immediately turning the beautiful yellow butter into clouds of black smoke. While the shipper has insurance protection on the merchandise as far as money is concerned, he has been somewhat inconvenienced with the necessity of a trip to the cities to satisfy OPA about the shortage of 72,000 red points.
50 years back
• Joan E. Tesch of New Richland and James B. Lewer, also of New Richland exchanged nuptial vows at First Lutheran church, Waldorf, December 27 at 7:30 p.m.
• Minnesotans were warned today to use extreme caution in the selection and use of herbicides and insecticides for the new growing season immediately ahead.
Law allows to remove seven persistent pesticides from the consumer market. These are DDT, DDD, aldrin, dieldrin, heptachlor, lindane and endrin.
• This east snow bunny was the project of these New Richland youngsters Saturday afternoon near the Clarence Abraham home. Although the bunny is very seasonal, the snow which fell last Thursday evening, was not. Children pictured from the left, around the bunny, were Jay Johnson, Dennis Abraham, Mitchell Abraham, Gary Lust, Craig Wenzel and Dawn Abraham.
• Over 300 members of Trinity Lutheran congregation and friends of the congregation, as well as the clergy from the New Richland area, attended the installation services and reception following for the Rev. Raymond H. Peterson Sunday afternoon at Trinity church. Mrs. Jay Anderson greeted the Rev. and Mrs. Peterson in a photo taken at the reception in the church parlors.
25 years back
• New Richland-Hartland Ellendale Geneva High School’s Lynsey Supalla, a junior, was selected as one of four finalists to run for a position as a non-voting student member on the Minnesota State Board of Education.
• After the New Richland–Hartland–Ellendale–Geneva High School mixed chorus sang, “Cry Aloud to My People,” by Johannes Gustavus Lundholm, Mark Rud, director, introduced and interviewed the composer’s grandson, Clyde Lundholm to the audience. Clyde is a mathematics instructor at the high school.
• Forty years ago, March 27, the Engesser family arrived in New Richland, having purchased the New Richland Star from C.W. Brown. This editor has spent the past 40 years in many different aspects of the business – as a printer’s devil, running a linotype, setting type by hand, running presses, snapping pictures, reporting and writing much of what will be considered the history of the area in years to come. It has been an interesting, sometimes trying 40 years. The years here have been a priceless treasure and yet an aching void, a pied assortment of wonderful friendships. We have gained these things, which are far more important than fame and fortune – they are the elements – the very life and breath of the fine communities, here. It is not necessary to mention that I have not always agreed with everyone in the area – most are aware of that flaw in my character! Your patience with our errors has been a never-ending surprise. And it won’t be long before this editor says, “That’s 50.”
And the Star is 110 years old!
Compiled by Eli Lutgens