The following appeared in the Rock County Star Herald on April 10, 1958.
 
Past Week’s Precipitation Totals 1.14 In.
After an unusually dry period the first three months of 1958, Rock County came in for some brisk rainfall in the past week.
Starting last Thursday and continuing intermittently through Sunday a total of 1.14 inches of moisture was recorded at the Luverne precipitation gauge.
The moisture received in the past week falls  just slightly over a  half inch less than was recorded here for the entire period of January, February and March this year.
The first thunder and lightning of the year accompanied the rain late Friday and early Saturday.
Sunday’s wet snow, which ruined hopes for an opportunity of an “Easter parade” in the county, spared the Luverne area compared to parts of the country north of here.
Snow plows cleared paths thru the snow in the Canby area Sunday and the snow filled the ditches as high as the fence posts in some sections of that area. More snow reportedly fell in Magnolia and Kenneth than in Luverne, also.
A brisk wind dried the snow here late Sunday afternoon and a bright day Monday, which saw the temperature climb to a high of 55 brought a real feeling of Spring to the air.
Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, 312 E. Main Street, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.
 

The following appeared in the Rock County Star Herald on April 10, 1958.
 
City May Rent South Air Strip
         Luverne’s airport committee was authorized to negotiate for a lease of the landing strip south of the city on U.S. Highway No. 75 by the City Council Tuesday night.
         Benjamin Vander Kooi, representing the city’s airport committee, appeared before the council and urged the city to rent the eight-acre airstrip from the landowner, Tallak Vegge. Boyd Rolph, of Minneapolis, has been leasing the strip, but Mr. Vander Kooi said the lease expired April 1.
Gentleman’s Agreement
         Yesterday afternoon, Mr. Vander Kooi said there was a “gentleman’s agreement” between the committee and Mr. Vegge on rental of the airport. Negotiations were not completed, however, and neither party had signed an agreement.
         A factor for the city to consider will be the amount of liability that the city would incur if they were to rent the airstrip. City Attorney Rodger Jensen is to study that. If insurance costs are not prohibitive, and the airport committee works out a satisfactory agreement with Mr. Vegge there is a good chance Luverne will have an airstrip.
         Vander Kooi told the council he understood Mr. Vegge would rent the land for one year and give the city an option to rent it another year.
         Members of the airport committee, besides Vander Kooi, include D. M. Lippi, Larry Brinkman, William Mohr and Glenn Jensen.
         Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, 312 E. Main Street, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.
 

The following appeared in the Rock County Star Herald on April 3, 1958.
 
Special Good Friday and Easter Services Are Planned
         Most Rock county churches will have special Good Friday Easter Festival services tomorrow and Sunday. There will be no Community Good Friday services this year.
         This year individual churches have scheduled Good Friday services or will go together with other congregations to have a joint service. Most churches will hold Easter services at their regular hours of worship Sunday.
Business To Close 12-2 p.m.
         The Luverne Civic and Commerce Association announced that Luverne business places will be closed from 12 noon to 2 p.m. tomorrow, Friday, in observance of Good Friday.   A three-hour service will be sponsored by the Kenneth, Blue Mound, Luverne Zion and Grace Lutheran churches from 12 to 3 p.m. tomorrow in the Grace Lutheran church. Four laymen and three pastors will preach on the “Seven Last Words” of Christ from the Cross. Music will be provided by four church choirs and other groups.
Various Speakers
         The first half hour of the joint service at Grace Lutheran will be quiet meditation with a background of hymns, with the service proper beginning at 12:30 p.m., with a processional of the four choirs. Speakers at the service include: Ray Paulson, Howard Fitzer, Dr. D. M. Odland, Elmer Hovland, Pastor Martin Ford, Pastor Russell Quanbeck and Pastor Gilford Helegsen.
         Special Good Friday music will be provided by the Zion Lutheran choir, Kenneth Lutheran choir, junior and senior choirs of Grace Lutheran church, John Miller, Jean Helland and the Kenneth Lutheran Quartet.             
         Those who cannot stay for the entire joint service may leave approximately every 17 minutes. Those who enter between periods will be seated in the chapel until time to enter the sanctuary. The public may attend all or part of the service.
         A special Good Friday service will be held at 1 p.m. in the First Presbyterian church. The robed choir will assist in the worship service.
To Sing Carols
         Young people of the Grace Lutheran church will sing Easter carols for the sick and shut-ins starting at 7:15 a.m. Sunday morning. Participating in this will be the Junior and Senior Leagues and college students. They will have a youth fellowship breakfast and devotional program at the church after the caroling. Easter services at Grace Lutheran will be held at 6:15 and 10:15 a.m. Sunday.
         Presbyterian and Methodist young people will lead a sunrise service at 6:15 a.m. Easter at the Presbyterian church. An Easter breakfast will follow. Regular Easter services will be held at 8:15 and 10:45 a.m. at the Presbyterian church and at 10 a.m. in the Methodist church.
Joint Sunrise Service
         The Palisade Lutheran and First Lutheran church, Valley Springs, will hold joint League Sunrise services at 6 a.m. Sunday in the Valley Springs church. A League breakfast will follow there at 9:30 a.m. Worship services Easter will be held at 8 a.m. in the First Lutheran and 9:30 a.m. in the Palisade Lutheran church.
         The Steen Evangelical United Brethren church will hold an Easter sunrise service at 6 a.m. Sunday, with the Rev. Henry Vander Schaaf, of the Steen Reformed church speaking.
St. Catherine’s Catholic church will have three Masses Easter morning. Mass will be said at 6, 8 and 10 a.m.
         A complete listing of church services is on the Church Page of the Star-Herald.
         Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, 312 E. Main Street, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.
 

The following appeared in the Rock County Star Herald on April 3, 1958.
 
Free Movies For Children Saturday
         A free movie extravaganza of cartoons will be enjoyed by Luverne area youngsters Saturday at the Palace Theater here at two special matinee movies.
         There will be one youngster who is going to be made especially happy. A shiny $40 bicycle will be won by a lucky boy or girl.
         The first show will begin at 1:30 p.m. and will end at 3 p.m., when the second show will begin. Drawing for the bicycle will be held between the two shows.
         Several cartoons will be shown to the children in a program entitled “Cartoon Parade.” Each showing will be the same, so town and country children may choose the one they can best attend. The bicycle goes to the child whose name is drawn first.
         Tickets to the free shows were obtained by almost 1,000 children 5 to 12 inclusive who got free bags of Easter candy last Saturday. Enclosed in the bag of candy were coupons with the name of a store on them and the children simply exchanged the signed coupon for their free ticket and their coupon gives them a chance at the bicycle.
         Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, 312 E. Main Street, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.
 

The following appeared in the Rock County Star Herald on March 27, 1958.
 
Frick Elected To Head New Business Corp.
Officers and committee heads were elected by the Luverne Industrial Corporation at a meeting here last week.
Named as president of the newly incorporated group is Ray Frick. Larry Brinkman is vice president; Magnus Christensen, secretary-treasurer, and Merle Geving, executive secretary. All are members of the board of directors, but Mr. Geving, who is city administrative assistant.
Other directors appointed to head various committees of the organization are Lloyd Rapp, new industry; Lester Tollefson, existing industry; W. J. (Bill) Brakke, attracting new residents; Gene Blair, housing; Rodger Jensen and Mort Skewes, legal, and Jack Smith, Civic and Commerce association.
Committee charimen will choose assistants to help them develop their particular phase in the corporation.
Purpose of the new organization is to promote and develop business and industry in Luverne to benefit the entire community. It is a non-profit group.
Membership to the corporation is open to anyone who wants to help promote and develop the progress of the community. Minimum membership fee is $25, but larger amounts may be contributed to the work of the corporation.
The organization will supply prospective residents and businesses with complete information on the facilities that they can find here, and will endeavor to do what it can to provide special needs for an industry that would consider moving to Luverne.
Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, 312 E. Main Street, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.
 

The following appeared in the Rock County Star Herald on March 27, 1958.
 
Telephone Rate Increase Goes Into Effect Tuesday
         A telephone rate increase, granted by the Minnesota Railroad and Warehouse commission last week, will go into effect here Tuesday, April 1.
         The rate increase, which will affect 134 Northwestern Bell Telephone company exchanges was requested by the telephone company to help offset higher cost of operation.
         In Luverne, the rate increase ranges from 35 cents for two-party residence telephones to $1.20 for one-party business phones. Present rates have been in effect since February 1, 1954.
New Rates
         New rates for customers of the Luverne exchange, with the old rates in parenthesis are:
Business, one party—$8.90 ($7.70).
Business, two party—$7.50 ($6.50).
Residence, one party—$4.35 ($3.85).
Residence, two party—$4.35 ($3.85).
Rural residence—$3.85 ($3.40).
Rural Business—$5.40 ($4.85).
         Northwestern Bell, which has some 937,700 phones in the state and employs about 10,000 persons, filed its application for rate increases October 15, 1957, and lengthy hearings were held in December.
Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, 312 E. Main Street, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.
 

The following appeared in the Rock County Star Herald on March 27, 1958.
 
Merchants To Hold Annual Easter Bunny Day Saturday
 
Free Candy For Children Ages 5 Through 12
Luverne’s second annual “Easter Bunny Day” will be held here Saturday, under the auspices of the Luverne Civic and Commerce Association promotion committee.
Free bags of Easter candy will be provided for youngsters ages 5 to 12, inclusive, and plans have been made to make the candy available to about 1,000 children from the Luverne trade area.
Two life-size Easter Bunnies will be on hand to help with the distribution of the candy, and to visit with the small fry, according to Stan Remme, promotion committee chairman.
In each bag of candy will be a slip of paper, or coupon, bearing the name of a Luverne business firm. These coupons should be signed by the child and brought to the business firm whose name is printed on it. In return for the coupon, the child will receive a ticket good for the Saturday afternoon matinee at the Palace Theatre the following Saturday.
Special Prizes
         There will be special prizes too – about 75 of them in all – which will be given by the participating business firms to the children who get the special coupons in their bags of candy.
         In addition, all the coupons will be collected and a drawing will be made between the afternoon shows on April 5, and the person whose name is drawn will receive a new bicycle.
         “Last year, when we tried this for the first time, everybody had a lot of fun,” said Mr. Remme, “and we hope to have the same kind of good time this year. We expect to have plenty of help so that children won’t have to wait in line too long for their bags of candy, and we’re planning on having some real good children’s movies the following week for those who come to get their free candy this week. Details as to the time of the movies will be announced next week.”
Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, 312 E. Main Street, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.
 

The following appeared in the Rock County Star Herald on March 20, 1958.
 
Organization Of Industrial Group Completed
 
Corporation To Promote New Business Here
Articles of incorporation for the Luverne Industrial Corp. were completed this week and sent to the Minnesota Secretary of State for filing, it was reported yesterday.
The  new corporation is the group that will spearhead this community’s drive to obtain new industry and business. It will become an active, functioning body as soon as the secretary of state signs the certificate of incorporation.
Meeting Today
A meeting for members of the corporation and anyone else who is interested in promoting the community will be held at 4 p.m. today in the room above the city hall.
Membership to the new organization, which is strictly a non-profit group, is $25. That is a minimum but the top is “wide open.” All funds will be used for the betterment and development of the city of Luverne and for benevolent purposes.
The articles of incorporation point out that the organization is designed to encourage and promote development of industries and business, commercial and otherwise, to benefit the community. Income will not benefit members or directors.
Nine Directors
There are to be nine directors in the new corporation. The first directors, which are included in the articles, are Ray R. Frick, L. R. Brinkman, Lloyd Rapp, W. J. Brakke, Mort Skewes, Rodger Jensen, L. U. Tollefson, Magnus Christensen and Jack Smith.
Eight of the directors are elected by members, while the ninth director will automatically be the president of the Luverne Civic and Commerce Association, during his tenure in office. If he cannot accept the position, he may delegate it to another C & C officer.
Pilot Committee
Early interest in forming the corporation was initiated by the C & C’s business development committee, with Ray Frick and Larry Brinkman as co-chairmen. The committee has already contacted various business and industrial firms about the advantages of moving to Luverne.
Members who signed the articles of incorporation, besides the directors, are: R. H. Creeger, C. H. Hatting, W. J. Estenson, Dr. D. M. Odland, L. A. McClure, William J. Wendt, H. S. Hansen, Chester Holm and Donald Hanson.
Benefits that a city and its surrounding area receive from added industry and business has been outlined in talks here and has been a factor in the origination of industrial development corporations in many Minnesota cities.
Support Necessary
Strong support of Luverne’s corporation is the key to success, members of the group emphasize, and everyone is invited to join the group and contribute as much as they can.
The non-profit corporation will not subject its members to personal liability and no corporate stock will be issued. If it should dissolve at any time, funds left in the corporation’s treasury will revert to the C & C or its successor, and if there is no such group as that, the city of Luverne will inherit the funds.
Directors will elect their officers at a meeting as soon as the articles of incorporation are approved by the state. That is expected in a few days.
In the meantime, the public is invited to attend the meeting today to help chart the progress of the city and the surrounding community.
Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, 312 E. Main Street, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.
 

The following appeared in the Rock County Star Herald on February 25, 1954.
 
Board Sets Mar. 26 To Vote On School Bonds
 
To Cost about $22.30 For Each $1,000 Assessed Valuation
Continued from last week. 
New School, Two Stories High
The new building will be two stories high with the shops housed in one story units. Besides the regular classrooms, there will be special departments such as science, laboratories, economics rooms, FFA, etc.
The present high school building will be remodeled into an elementary building and will include two kindergarten units each consisting of two rooms, changing of several walls to increase the size of the rooms to adapt them to elementary needs, hot lunch facilities and remodeling of heating and ventilating.
The kindergarten rooms will have their own lavatories.
The elementary grades will include kindergarten, and grades one through six while the new building will include grades seven through 12. The new building will be approximately 554 feet long and 340 feet wide at its widest portion. It will be constructed of glass blocks with three foot aluminum windows at the base.
Calling for the bond election capped many months of research and fact finding on the parts of many persons, both in the rural districts and the city of Luverne.
The architects feel that this is the best possible school that the Luverne board can have built. State department officials were most enthusiastic in their approval of the preliminary plans for the new school and the remodeled elementary school.
It was on the suggestion of the state department of education that the Luverne school board consider converting the present high school to an elementary unit and constructing a new junior-senior high school.
Interested Groups Work
Throughout the fact finding and laying of preliminary plans, many interested persons voiced their opinions on the school set-up. Many questions and suggestions have been presented at countless school board, consolidation and other meetings.
Even after the bond issue is approved by the voters, the state department of education will have to okay and study each of the final plans with specifications.
During the time of construction a building inspector will be at the site on a full-time basis.
Next step following the okay of the bond issue would be for the architects to complete the final school plans with specifications and secure the approval from the state department of education.
The Luverne school board would then have to approve the final plans and then call for bids on the actual construction.
If construction were to start in September 1954, the new school would be ready for occupation sometime in the fall of 1955, school officials said.
Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, 312 E. Main Street, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.