Looking back: 1962 - Ellsworth ewe gives birth to four offspring

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One year ago

The rerouting of traffic from Minnesota 60 onto the Nobles County State Aid Highway system began on Monday. Bob Williams, MnDOT District 7 project engineer of Windom, said the detour would continue through November.

About 260 Worthington Middle School students were part of the annual WMS spring choral concert, conducted by Cindy Anderson and performed at Memorial Auditorium.

At the request of Worthington High School’s SADD chapter, Worthington Police Officer Bob Fritz borrowed a distracted driving simulator from Minnesota AAA so WHS students could experience the effects of distracted driving without suffering real consequences.

Schwalbach Ace Hardware, Worthington, had recently expanded its line of gift and home décor items, offering everything from special occasion cards to napkins, wine accessories and picture frames.

Five years ago

Worthington community volunteer Karen Pfeifer received the Spirit Award from First State Bank Southwest.

Two teens were charged for alleged involvement in numerous burglaries in Sheldon, Iowa, following an investigation by the Sheldon Police Department. Authorities believed the teens had committed a series of car burglaries in late March and early April.

Physical education and health teacher Mike Traphagen was honored as the District 518 Teacher of the Year. Traphagen had taught for a total of 28 years, 22 in Worthington.

A quilt exhibit — a joint effort of the Nobles County Art Center and the Nobles County Historical Museum — opened at the Worthington War Memorial Building.

Hundreds of people came to an inoculation clinic at the Murray County Fairgrounds, Slayton, after two employees of the Pizza Ranch restaurant in Slayton tested positive for Hepatitis A. The restaurant voluntarily closed for a short period of time.

10 years ago

More than 90 people left Worthington Tuesday for Crailsheim, Germany, to celebrate the 55th anniversary of Worthington’s sister city relationship with the German community.

Some church congregations in the Edgerton area had begun gathering petitions to protest the Edgerton city council’s 3-2 decision to allow the Edgerton municipal swimming pool to be open from 1-5 p.m. Sundays on a trial basis starting in June.

A groundbreaking ceremony was hosted for a new Mountain Lake furniture store. The 15,000 square foot building was to replace Conestoga Wood Products Inc., which was destroyed by a December 2000 fire.

The Prairie Arts Chorale performed Sunday in Worthington at the Minnesota West Fine Arts Theater. Worthington soprano Elizabeth Bushard was a 15-year member of the group.

25 years ago

The 16th annual fundraiser for The Achievement Center of Worthington was scheduled for June 6 at the Nobles County Fairgrounds arena. The event was to include an auction of gift certificates donated by area merchants, preceded by a rummage sale at the fairgrounds.

Showing this week at Worthington’s Northland Cinema were “Light of Day,” “Burglar” and “A Nightmare on Elm Street III.”

Advertised specials at Worthington’s Hy-Vee store included a 12-ounce bag of Baker’s baking chips, 88 cents; a 10-count package of hot dog buns, 69 cents; a “jumbo-sized” stalk of celery, 79 cents; a one-pound bag of Hy-Vee potato chips, $1.29; a 24-ounce package of raisins, $1.39; and a 12-ounce package of wieners, 59 cents.

First Bank of Worthington and Lakefield sponsored an ad congratulating Highland Manufacturing Inc. of Worthington on its “first year of successful operation.” Details noted included sales being up 300 percent, a growth in jobs of 18 (from 60 to 78), and a growth in retail outlets from 13 to 50.

Sisters Valorie and Stephanie Moritz of Hadley departed for an international science fair in Puerto Rico. The girls had worked on their science projects for three years and one year, respectively.

50 years ago

A ewe owned by Jacob Kruger of rural Ellsworth gave birth to four offspring. “I’ve seen triplet lambs many times,” Kruger commented, “but never anything like this.” Animal husbandry authorities reported quadruplet births in sheep were not “unheard of, but certainly not common.”

A postage stamp exhibit took place in Worthington at the Okabena Room of the First National Bank. The show was hosted by the Worthington Stamp Club.

Bids were opened Tuesday by the Jackson School Board on an addition to be built to the present high school, and officials were pleasantly surprised to find the total $90,000 lower than the architect’s estimates.

Advertised specials this week at the Worthington Red Owl included a 10-ounce jar of Kraft ice cream toppings, 19 cents; a 19-ounce package of Red Owl cake mix, 19 cents; a dozen Valencia oranges, 25 cents; a head of cabbage, eight cents; a one-pound package of Nabisco saltines, 25 cents; and a half-gallon of Farmdale ice cream (along with Nabisco waffle cuplets and an ice cream scoop), 78 cents.

75 years ago

A onetime playmate of Thomas Alva Edison in his boyhood, Charles W. Lowry, father of R.W. Lowry (president of the Worthington Civic & Commerce Association), was laid to rest at Windom. The veteran Windom jeweler would have been 80 years old next Aug. 11. Lowry was born in Indiana but had lived in Windom for 58 years.

Payson Wolff and Robert Hansberger, both of Worthington, left with their coach, Alois F. Kieffer, to participate in the National Forensic League tournament at Jacksonville, Ill.

Unfavorable weather resulted in a considerable sluggish tone in fishing license applications, J. M. Mitchell, deputy auditor, reported.

Habicht & Habicht of Worthington advertised a coat and suit clearance, with tailored suits sold for $8.90, “shower-proof” Lochmoor coats for $18.90, children’s jersey raincoats for $1.98, ladies’ suede sport jackets for $1, and Kid-trim Redfern coats for $9.90.

Playing at the Grand theater in Worthington: “Breezing Home” and Boris Karloff in “Night Key.”

Tags: looking back, lifestyle, reminiscing, columns