Looking Back - 1962: Campbell's gives $25,000 gift toward YMCA pool

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One year ago

A Minnesota House committee unanimously passed a bill designating the third week of September as Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week, known as “Leo’s Bill.” The bill was named for Leo James Chapman-Nesseth, son of Lindsay Chapman and Andrew Nesseth, Jackson County, who died at age 1 of Alpers syndrome, a rare and fatal genetic disorder, earlier in the year.

A Comprehensive Arts Planning Program (CAPP) grant made possible the residency of artist and instructor Karla Nweje, who worked with Worthington Middle School eighth-graders in physical education classes, among other efforts during her time in Worthington.

A steering committee was formed during a meeting of Lake Ocheda landowners to begin discussing options for carp control in the chain of lakes south of Worthington. The large population of rough fish in the three basins was considered one of the biggest obstacles to creating a cleaner, healthier lake system.

Five years ago

Maurices, a women’s clothing store that had been at Northland Mall, Worthington, since the facility opened in 1977, announced plans to relocate to the Ryan’s Road strip mall in early April.

About 50 Worthington Figure Skaters performed their “Disney on Ice” show at the Worthington Arena.

A routine traffic stop on I-90 in Nobles County resulted in troopers seizing $187,000 in cash, believed to be intended for a drug purchase on the West Coast.

Erin Schutte, a Worthington High School student, participated in the Minnesota House of Representatives’ “High School Page for a Day” program at the state capitol.

Basketball games were postponed and church services were cancelled due to a winter storm that deposited sleet and 6½ inches of snow on Worthington and across the region.

A resolution supporting a MnDOT alternative for improving traffic flow in the area around U.S. 59 and Ryan’s Road, Worthington, was approved by the Worthington City Council.

10 years ago

The Worthington High School administration pulled the plug on the school’s pop machines, with Principal Bruce Blatti citing (as part of the reason for the change) a Valentine’s Day incident wherein students sprayed halls and ceilings with pop.

The late couple, Mildred Soderholm Grann and Art Grann, were featured in a new book, “So Far Away in the World: Stories from the Swedish Twin Cities” by Anne Gillespie Lewis. Mildred (and her daughter) had completed nursing training at the Swedish Hospital in Minneapolis.

Worthington High School’s gymnastics team finished sixth in State Class A competition with a score of 138.675. The team was coached by Shelly Eklund.

About 52 businesses and organizations participated in the Slayton Farm and Home Show at Murray County Central’s high school gymnasium.

25 years ago

David Dale, son of Jerry and Shari Dale, Rushmore, earned the rank of Eagle Scout, with his Court of Honor taking place Feb. 15 at the Reading Community Center.

Featured recipes in this week’s “Mixing and Musing” column by Dorthy Rickers included Hamburger Curry in a Hurry, Vegetable Salad, Broccoli Salad, Chicken Aspic and White Chocolate Mousse.

Worthington High School was preparing to celebrate its 100th year of graduates. The school’s centennial was to be celebrated Thursday evening.

Rick Dorn of Adrian was named this week’s Daily Globe Athlete of the Week for his 23-0 record in wrestling (at 145 lbs.) this season.

Darin Pellegrino finished his YMCA swim career this past weekend at the state meet by winning five gold medals, plus setting a new state record in the 100 breaststroke. Pellegrino was part of the local YMCA swim team, which had 36 members this year, 27 of whom qualified for state competition.

Three area postmasters retired Friday: Stanley Gulden of Round Lake, Glenn Solomonson of Storden and George Freking of Windom.

50 years ago

R. W. Bergstrom, manager of the Worthington plant of the Campbell Soup Company, presented YMCA secretary George Zeise with a $25,000 donation for the Community YMCA swimming pool fund drive. Campbells also offered to donate an additional $25,000 on a matching fund basis with the community of Worthington. A total of $195,000 was needed to finance construction of an all-season indoor pool.

The recent heavy snowfall prompted Roy Frost Darling, who farmed near Reading, to ditch his tractors in favor of an old-fashioned bobsled and a team of horses. Said Darling, “I’ve got two tractors, but the sled covers the 30 rods to the roadway a lot better.”

An ice mass that was a total of 23 feet high formed over the weekend at the home of Harry Freeman, 802 Third Ave., Worthington. Freeman speculated, “There may be a ton of ice out there.”

Worthington City Council’s senior member in years of service, Second Ward Alderman J. C. Hagge, announced he would not be a candidate for re-election. Hagge was first appointed to the Council in 1954 to fill an unexpired term, and had since served three full terms in his own right.

75 years ago

Mrs. Catherine Johnson, 80, died at her home at 1215 Eighth Ave., Worthington, Thursday night of a wasting disease that she had been suffering for more than a year. She was born Catherine Paulson on July 20, 1856, near Malmo, Sweden, and sailed for the U.S. in 1881, arriving at Kiron, Iowa, in November. Her husband died in 1923. Seven of her eight children survived.

Mr. and Mrs. John Garms of Lake Park, Iowa, celebrated their silver wedding anniversary.

Miss Marianne Peterson of Heron Lake won first place in the state oratorical contest for women at Macalester College, St. Paul. She was to represent Minnesota in the national contest in April in Chicago.

John Mangelson, 75, resident of Minnesota for the past 41 years, and former Round Lake businessman, died at the General hospital at 5 a.m. Sunday, where a fortnight earlier he underwent the amputation of an infected leg. A native of Sweden, Mr. Mangelson was born at Tjarstad on Nov. 22, 1861.

Tags: looking back, lifestyle, columns, reminiscing