Reminiscing: 1958: Rickbeil’s wins contest

One year ago

Dr. Greg Lecy, an orthodontic specialist who had operated a clinic in Marshall since 1984, had begun seeing patients in Worthington after purchasing Dr. Bruce Anderson’s practice.

A $400 million gift made to Sioux Valley Hospitals and Health System of Sioux Falls, S.D., by T. Denny Sanford was expected to have far-reaching effects throughout the region.

The Luverne Area Community Foundation kicked off a $1 million fundraising campaign to complete the second phase of the three-phase renovation project at the Palace Theatre.

Two Worthington student wrestlers were diagnosed with the herpes gladiatorum virus that shut down high school wrestling program across the state a week earlier.

Five years ago

Anne Aby, an instructor of history and political science at Minnesota West Community and Technical College, Worthington campus, edited “The North Star State: A Minnesota History Reader,” published by the Minnesota Historical Society Press.

Singers Neal and Leandra were part of the Minnesota Public Radio live broadcast of its “Morning Show with Dale Connelly and Jim Ed Poole” from Worthington’s Memorial Auditorium.

New “welcome” signs were in place, strategically located at four of the main entrances into Worthington. In addition, a professionally filmed video promoting Worthington was in use as a recruitment tool for prospective industries, employees and tourism.

In the last home meet of her high school career, Worthington senior gymnast Kaitlin Haack broke her own school record with an all-around score of 37.425, leading the Trojans to a season-high team score of 137.825 and a win over New Ulm. The Trojan gymnasts ended their regular season with a 10-2 record.

10 years ago

The first-ever Worthington Youth Council Talent Show took place at Worthington’s Memorial Auditorium.

The Calumet Players performed the musical “Quilters” at the Pipestone Performing Arts Center.

Minnesota’s Lieutenant Governor Joanne Benson officially announced her candidacy for governor and made a campaign stop in Luverne this week.

The Jackson County Central gymnastics team withstood a challenge from Worthington to win the 1998 Section 3A girls’ gymnastics title.

25 years ago

Jean Oelke opened a new business, the Pet Palace, in the former Hotel Thompson in downtown Worthington. Items for sale included tropical fish, goldfish, aquarium supplies, exercise wheels for gerbils, bird cages, informational books on pet care and dog and cat supplies of all kinds.

The District 518 school board was considering cuts of up to $115,000 (a little more than 1 percent of the operating budget) for the 1983-84 school year. The board hoped to make the cuts without eliminating any educational programs.

Worthington High School was chosen as one of five high schools in the state to serve as representatives of quality schools, principal Al Johnson announced. The recognition was part of a national program sponsored by the Department of Education.

50 years ago

Janice Heig, daughter of Mr. and Hrs. Oscar Heig, 403 Lake Ave., was the student soloist at the annual winter concert of the Mankato State College Concert Band. Janice, a junior music major with minors in biology and physical education, was a member of both the band, in which she played oboe, and the choir, for which she was a piano accompanist.

Rickbeil’s Hardware of Worthington won $5,000 in a nationwide sales promotion contest sponsored by the Kordite company. According to Hardy Rickbeil, the promotion, conducted last fall, consisted of window displays, point of sale displays and a contest conducted in cooperation with the county extension office. The $5,000 was likely to be used for “some remodeling work,” Rickbeil said.

Feb. 14 marked the tenth straight day of sub-zero morning temperatures in the Worthington area, with four mornings having readings of nine below zero.

Nobles County discontinued the payment of bounty on foxes, in line with a trend in that direction, said county auditor Pauline Rohlk. Previously, almost $333 million was paid out every biennium in fox bounties by the state department of conservation.

75 years ago

George Kemper died recently of apoplexy. He had been ill for about six weeks after having the flu. He was visiting his daughters, Mrs. B. Henning and Mrs. J. Henning, in Lismore at the time of his death. Mr. Kemper was born in Westphalia, Germany, in 1858. He was married in 1880 to Elizabeth Dickmann, and they came to America in 1885. They lived in Sioux Falls, S.D., for two years, where he was employed in a cigar factory. From there they moved to Sioux City, Iowa, where he was employed in the same trade. In 1893 they moved to a farm eight miles north of Lismore, where they lived until moving to a farm one-half mile east of Lismore in 1913.

Game warden E. W. Bailey said area pheasants were suffering from the severe cold and were weakened to such an extent that they, in many instances, were unable to secure food for themselves. Ice formed on the wings of some birds, preventing them from flying. Mr. Bailey urged farmers to report deaths of large numbers of birds to him, and to place grain on the snow for them during severe weather.

Tags: hardy rickbeil, reminiscing