Martin Township continuedThe following is from the Rock County Herald printed on July 18, 1924:"The first child born in the settlement was Edward Evans, April 15, 1871, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ben Evans. The first child born in Martin Township was Jorgen Anderson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Niels Anderson, June 24, 1872, who died at nine years of age. The first girl born in Martin Township was Anna Jensen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Nels Iverson. One of the first deaths in the neighborhood was Mrs. Thora Moe, mother of Gulbrand and Knute Moe, in 1872. The first divine service was at the home of Mrs. Thora Moe by Rev. E. Olson in 1871, at which three children were baptized, namely Edward Evans, Pete Steen, and a child of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Jacobson. The first public school in the county was at the home of Deborah Estey in Clinton Township in December 1870. Mrs. Richmond was the teacher. The winter following the year of rapid settlement — the winter of 1872-73 — must go down in history as the most severe one. It brought the most terrible blizzard in the county’s history before or since in which the settlers received their first experience of real hardships. (This article was written in 1924 and was talking about 50 years before that.) The ill-fated year 1873 began with the most violent storm in the history of the state from the time of its first settlement to the present date. For three days beginning Jan. 7, the blizzard raged, extending over the whole northwest. Seventy human lives were lost in the storm in Minnesota, but by a miraculous turn of fate, none of these was in Rock County It was the only county in the vicinity that escaped without loss of life. Several Martin Township farmers were caught in the storm while on a trip for wood on Rock River and had narrow escapes from meeting death in the storm. One such party was composed of Ole O. Rue Sr., Ole O. Rue Jr., Nels Anderson and John Goldberg. Just as they reached the edge of the timber, the storm broke. The men got their cattle within the grove, and there the unfortunate men were obliged to pass the night. Mr. Rue states that he had all he could do to keep the other members of the party on the move. They begged to be permitted to sit down and rest, which of course, would have been fatal. About daylight, Anderson and Goldberg went out of the grove to seek a place of shelter, but they could find none and returned with badly frozen faces. At noon the weather cleared a little — enough to permit the storm bound men to see the sun and get their bearings, then they set out for the west in an effort to reach their home. Ole O. Rue Jr., led one yoke of oxen, and the other members of the party clung to the tails of the oxen and kept close together. In that manner they safely reached the home of Henry Martin where they secured shelter for the night. During the night Mr. Goldberg, who was more badly frozen than the others, was in great agony, and, believing himself to be dying, he bade his comrades good-bye. He subsequently recovered. All the members of the party reached home after spending the night at Mr. Martin’s. Erick Colby was another Martin Township farmer who went to Rock River after wood that awful day. He reached the timber just as the storm struck, but braving the dangers of the blizzard, he at once set out for home, and reached it in safety."

"I have a hankering," wrote a man named Lin Yutang, "to go back to the Orient and discard my necktie. Neckties strangle clear thinking." As it turns out, clear thinking isn’t the only thing being strangled when men wear neckties. Think jugular vein. A recent article in the British Journal of Ophthalmology reports that tight neckties increase the risk of glaucoma, the leading cause of preventable blindness. A tight necktie can evidently increase blood pressure by constricting the jugular vein, causing a backup of blood to the eye that can damage the optic nerve. If men ever needed an excuse to throw away their neckties, this is it. Neckties in men’s wardrobes are a prime example of the worn-out expression, "It’s always been done this way." The "four-in-hands" and bow ties worn today are almost identical to the neckwear worn first in the United States back in the 1870s. By comparison, if women would still be wearing things dating back to that time, we would have closets filled with whalebone corsets, long dresses with bustles and hoop skirts. Today’s neckties are descendants of ascots, cravats and other men’s neckwear too difficult to spell or pronounce and dating back to the 1700s. In light of the news about neckties, men might question the motives of family members who repeatedly give them ties for Christmas and birthdays. Neckties rarely wear out and they are truly gifts that keep on giving. One humorist once observed, "Nothing lasts as long as a necktie you don’t like." That’s particularly true if the ties in question reveal holiday trees with real flashing lights, hula dancers or neon pink flamingos. For every man in this country there must be at least "one ugly tie in the back of the closet" story. The ties are never thrown away, perhaps because of unspoken fears that the givers might find out or that the neckwear police might show up at the front door. Neckties are difficult to knot and they must be terribly uncomfortable because men are seen loosening them whenever they can. Ties are often unsightly stain traps for foods that might otherwise plummet from fork to floor unnoticed. Surely, with the exception of women’s pantyhose, no other garment has been cursed as often as men’s neckties. This world might be a better place without neckties. Of course, we would no longer be able to sing in church, "Blest be the Tie that Binds." Now it’s all about the tie that blinds. Given the link between possible blindness and tight neckwear, we might have negative reactions to, and different interpretations of, everyday expressions — "tie-dyed," "to tie one on," "tie-breakers" and "to risk one’s neck." A necktie-less world might also be safer. Dangling ties are undoubtedly dangerous for men working near moving parts of heavy machinery or restoring old wringer washers. When A.E. Housman wrote "Shropshire Lad" in 1896, he had another neckwear in mind, but it was deadly nevertheless — "And naked in the hangman’s noose, the morning clocks will ring a neck God made for other use than strangling in a string." The comparison is a natural for an eventual revolution against men’s neckwear — a hangman’s noose and a tight necktie.

I just want to take time to publicly thank the Spotlight Dancers and Cindy Crabel. The fund-raiser for the benefit of the Historic Palace Theatre was a generous gift. The board of the theatre is excited about the variety of events that we are able to host. Our calendar is becoming full, with thanks to Cindy and the group we are able to continue to offer live stage events and movies to all in the community. The next event is the 25th anniversary of "Jaws." Come, if you dare to go back into the water …LaDonna Van AartsenBlue Mound Area Theatre BoardHistoric Palace Theatre

As Labor Day approaches, I must reflect on the current state of affairs in our country. While millions of working men and women have said they would like to form a union to improve their lives, their efforts are met with brutal resistance from many companies and a deaf ear from our government officials. Workers are illegally fired. Captive meetings are held. They are threatened with reduced pay and benefits and possible closing of the business. This is simply wrong!American workers wish to form unions to give them a voice at work to improve conditions such as job safety, wages, benefits and job security. This very important act of collective bargaining is beneficial to the employees, employers and to the community. Union contracts remedy discrimination in the workplace and raise the earnings of working women and minorities. More families can make it on their own in the community with better wages and benefits. Union members are your neighbors. They contribute to the economy as taxpayers and customers to local businesses. They serve as volunteers at churches, schools, and other community organizationsThis Labor Day, the Southwest Central Labor Council, an umbrella organization of affiliated unions representing some 4000 plus members, recognizes those union members and the employers where they work. They are meatpackers, teachers, paraprofessionals, plumbers, pipefitters, construction workers, nursing home and hospital workers, janitors and city, county and state employees. They have a voice at work!Now we must insure that other workers will have the ability to have a voice at work. If they choose to exercise their democratic right to choose a union it should be without interference from management, and our government should not turn its back on them. Let your elected leaders know that the right to organize and bargain is a fundamental human right and should be respected.Dale E. Moerke LuvernePresident of Southwest Central Labor Council/AFL-CIO

MINUTES OF A SPECIAL MEETINGOF THE HILLS CITY COUNCILAUGUST 25, 2003Mayor Jim Jellema called the meeting to order at 6:00 P.M. with the following Council members present: Jim Jellema, Linus Svoboda, Dana Dahlquist, Arlen Leenderts and Keith Elbers. Employee present: Connie Wiertzema, City Clerk. The purpose of this special meeting was to open sealed bids for leasing LP tanks and contracting LP gas. Sealed bids included costs for: LP, down payment, tank lease, regulators, pads, trips, set-up fee, sales tax, and any miscellaneous costs; along with the contract deadline. Bids were submitted from Farmers Union Coop Oil Co.; Nobles County Coop Oil Co.; and Popkes Car Care. Following the opening and review of bids, a motion was made by Dahlquist and seconded by Elbers to accept the bid from Popkes Car Care. Popkes bid for propane is $0.849 per gallon; contract will run from August 25, 2003 through March 31, 2004; 1,000 gallon tank lease $25 per year; and 500 gallon tank lease $20 per year. Voting in favor: Dahlquist, Elbers and Svoboda. Jellema and Leenderts abstained. Motion carried. No further business, meeting adjourned at 6:30 P.M.Connie J. WiertzemaCity Clerk(8-28)

MINUTES OF A SPECIAL MEETINGOF THE HILLS CITY COUNCILAUGUST 18, 2003Mayor Jim Jellema called the meeting to order at 6:02 P.M. with the following Council members present: Jim Jellema, Linus Svoboda, Dana Dahlquist, and Keith Elbers. Absent: Arlen Leenderts. Employee present: Joanne Goehle, City Treasurer; Connie Wiertzema, City Clerk and Wayne Ward, City Maintenance. Guests present: Ned Weitgenant. The Council discussed whether to purchase or lease propane tanks. After reviewing costs to purchase tanks, the Council made the decision to lease tanks at this time due to budget cuts, and consider purchasing tanks in the future. The Clerk was instructed to obtain sealed bids from five area propane providers. Bids must include costs for: propane, down payment, tank lease, regulators, pads, trips, set-up fee, sales tax, and any miscellaneous costs; along with the contract deadline. Sealed bids will be opened at a special meeting on August 25th at 6:00 P.M. The Council approved to update the abstract for the depot building a/k/a Grand Labs/Patriot Academy/Barbershop, which was sold to Eugene Immediato. The new abstract will convey five feet south of the building to the buyer. The Council also agreed to pay the second half of the taxes, due October 15, 2003. Ward inquired whether the Council would reconsider to pay his health insurance increase of $212 per month. The Council referred back to minutes of August 12th, wherein a motion was made and unanimously carried, that the City continue to pay the same dollar amount per month ($884.32); and that Ward pay his current share, plus the $212 increase for a total of $506.78. The Council informed Ward that they preferred not to continue discussion at this special meeting, but could be continued at the September 9th meeting. Motion by Dahlquist, seconded by Svoboda to approve a building permit to Chuck and Sandy Kuntze for the construction of a new home at Lot 2 in Park View Fourth Addition. Motion carried. Elbers informed the Council that Lot 5 in Park View Fourth Addition was sold to Michael Kuntze. The Council denied a request to begin a part-time mechanic shop in a housing area. The Clerk was instructed to contact a certain party to inform them that vehicle repairs are not allowed along city streets. Motion by Dahlquist, seconded by Elbers to adjourn. Connie J. WiertzemaCity Clerk(8-28)

10 years ago (1993)"Don Bosshart and his Patriots kicked off their 1993 campaign with a 3-0 victory over the host Faith Christian Falcons Thursday night. H-BC turned in a 58-percent rating from the line, 44-76. Senior Amy Behr led the local attack with 13 points, collecting on 13-19. Becky Olson went 9-15 from the line for nine tallies." 25 years ago (1978)"More than 60 Rock County 4-H’ers take off Wednesday for the Minnesota State Fair. Another eight or so will follow on Friday. That’s a pretty good-sized crew to be sending to the State Fair and it’s just one more indication of the strength of 4-H in our area."50 years ago (1953)"Probably one of the hottest matters of public interest in many years, was calmed here Tuesday night, when Districts 19, 34, 37, 39 and 61 voted in favor of a consolidation with District 66. The more than two-to-one vote was 72 to 35, in favor of the consolidation. This is the second time the matter came up for election. The issue failed by a vote of 48-43 the first time, June 12."75 years ago (1928)"More than 200 4-H Club exhibits in livestock, poultry, bread-making, cake making, garment making and canning will be displayed at the Rock County Fair next week.This will include approximately 20 baby beef, 18 dairy calves, 13 fat lambs, 3 purebred ewe lambs, 15 purebred gilts, 15 fat barrows, 4 yearling draft colts and 20 pens of breeding and market poultry."100 years ago (1903)"The businessmen of Jasper have purchased 15 acres of land adjacent to the village for a driving and baseball park. Hills could follow suit in this respect, even if it hasn’t any $50 per acre land lying around the border."

H-BC 1973 class reunionOut of 38 classmates, 15 attended the 1973 class reunion Saturday, Aug. 23, at Sharkee’s in Luverne. Attending were Cathy Aykens, Crosby; Rod Bajema, Larchwood, Iowa; Wayne Beyenhof, Luverne; Patti Demuth Gutzwiler, Mora; Janie Nelson Helgeson, St. Paul; Laurie Schlueter Hynes, St. Louis Park; Lila Bos Kroon, Steen; Brad Larson, Lakeville; Ken McFarland, Sioux Falls, S.D.; Joyce Sandager Wulf, Herrick, S.D.; Carolyn Schubbe Randall, Stillwater; Merlyn Sandstede, Steen; Bill Stegemann, Luverne; Donna Deragisch Schneider, Fargo, N.D.; and Becky Leuthold Wulf, Lester, Iowa, along with some of their spouses. Carol Lonkey, Brooklyn Center, spent from Wednesday to Sunday in the home of her mother, Martha Lindrud and on Saturday visited Ruben Vestlie in Sioux Falls.David and Nancy Swanson and Chad and Jenny Nelson and children returned home Friday night after traveling to St. Louis, Mo., Kansas City and other points south taking in ballgames and other points of interest. Guests for dinner Sunday in the home of Darrell and Marie Brown were their daughter, Shelly Swenson, her son, Casey, and daughter Katie, Luverne. In the afternoon they visited Marie’s mother, Pearl Hiney, at Tuff Memorial Home. Mitchell Elbers, Valley Springs, spent last week in the home of his grandparents, Wilmer and Betty Elbers. Keith and Marj Hellie, Detroit Lakes, stopped Saturday for a visit with Don and Edyth Briggs. Gerald and Rosemary Kraetsch, Kasson, were weekend guests of Bob and Twila Kirsch. On Sunday they all attended the Moeller cousin picnic at Don and Bonnie Moeller’s in rural Ellsworth. David and Nancy Swanson, Opal Swanson and Arnold Swanson attended the Swanson family reunion Sunday at the Pizza Ranch in Brandon. Chuck and Rheta DeBoer celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary by spending three days at Inspirational Hills. Also present were their children and spouses and their grandchildren who helped honor the occasion. John and Laurie Hynes, Gregory and Ellen, St. Louis Park, spent Friday night until Sunday morning with Luella Schlueter. Joanne Goehle, Brenda, Katie and Colby Hadler, and Alyssa Carmany drove to Mankato Thursday to watch Nicole Nester, Joanne’s granddaughter, play in two tennis meets. They beat both Mankato East and Mankato West. Donna Edyth Briggs drove to Madison, S.D., Sunday to the Prairie Village where the Shriner’s played a concert in which Don participated. Later they were supper guests in the home of Wally Johnson. Lorraine Wiese, Kanaranzi, accompanied them. Katie Hadler and Alyssa Carmany spent from Thursday evening until Sunday with their grandmother, Joanne Goehle. Vi VanWyhe met her daughter, Lexia DeWit, in Sioux Falls on Monday to enjoy lunch together. Dwayne and Margo Skattum, Forestburg, S.D., spent from Friday until Sunday in the home of Margo’s mother, Harriet Skattum. Brad Larson, Lakeville, spent Saturday overnight in the home of Tedd and Diane Larson.Saturday Leanne, Andrew, Elliot and Allison Carmany, Tyler, were visitors of Joanne Goehle. Sunday, Mark, Brenda, Zack and Colby Handler and Amber Rieck, Edgerton, were guests of Joanne. Jo Wulf, Herrick, S.D., spent the weekend in the home of her parents, Sheldon and Ellie Sandager.

After driving to St. Cloud last weekend I am convinced that we live in the garden spot of the world. The crops looked very good until we got to Hutchinson and from there on the corn was burned to a crisp in the fields. Many fields had been disked and plowed as it was a total loss. There were many, many fields like that all the way to St. Cloud. I know we are very dry and could really use a nice rain and hopefully, it will come soon as most fields are looking all right as yet.August means harvest as far back as ancient Gaul. The first day of August marked the beginning of the Guil of August, one of the great pagan festivals of ancient Britain, celebrating the first fruits of the earth. Most of our communities today celebrate the harvest with their county fairs where they get together to share in the harvest. Even if we have had our share in the hot, humid weather it hasn’t been as hot as it was one year back in Ohio where the milk cows were giving evaporated milk. Now that’s pretty hot!The Steen softball team will have their annual Labor Day Tournament on Labor Day weekend. The first games begin at 7 and 8:30 p.m. Saturday. The tournament continues at 9:30 a.m. on Labor Day. A special dedication service honoring Duane Sandbulte is at noon. Mildred Paulsen left last Sunday afternoon for Lakefield where she met Sylvia Hasara. From there they traveled to St. Cloud to attend the meeting of volunteer advocates and ombudsman training on Monday and Tuesday. The final agenda was "Mental Health in Long-Term Care." They returned home on Tuesday. There will be an open house in honor of Elizabeth Elbers’ 95th birthday from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 30, in Steen Reformed Church Fellowship Hall. Happy Birthday to her!The Bible Conference for Steen Reformed Church is from Aug. 29 to Sept. 1, Labor Day weekend, on the shores of Lake Okoboji. The featured speaker is the Rev. Ed Baker, pastor of Orchard Church in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Congratulations to the Steen softball team who participated in the Hills softball tournament this past week. They made it to the finals where they played the Hills town team for the championship game Wednesday evening. They defeated the Hills team and won the championship. Our deepest sympathy goes out to Anna May Berghorst, Joyce Bristow and the Tinklenberg family on the death of their mother, Hermina Tinklenberg, who passed away on Sunday, Aug. 17. Funeral services were at American Reformed Church in Luverne with burial in Edgerton. Melba Boeve joined the Prime Timers from Luverne for a mystery trip which took them Wednesday to Eau Claire, Wis., and other interesting places. They returned home on Saturday. Henrietta Huenink was a Sunday dinner guest in the home of her daughter, Norma and Wayne VanWyhe, in Lester, Iowa. Harold Wissink was transferred from Sioux Valley Hospital in Sioux Falls to Luverne Community Hospital on Friday where he remains a patient at this time. Melba Boeve helped her granddaughter, Malinda Boeve, daughter of Brian Boeve, celebrate her 19th birthday on Sunday. A Sunday morning brunch was served at the Dries and Laura May Bosch home for their family. Those attending were Paul and Diane Bosch, Brandon, Nathan and Erick Bosch and Tom and Amy Bosch, Isabel and Emma, all of Sioux Falls.Thursday afternoon visitors in the Arnold and Jane Bonnema home were Dries and Laura May Bosch. Orrin and Bernice Aukes visited in the Iona Eckhoff home in Sioux Falls Thursday. She is the wife of the late Herbert Eckhoff who passed away several years ago. Word was received here recently that Gloria Gangestad was injured in a head-on auto accident in Hawaii. She is the daughter of Gladys and Otto Van Wettering, former residents of this area. She and her husband live in Wyoming. Her husband was more seriously injured and remains a patient in the hospital in Hawaii at this time. Don’t forget the school bells will ring Sept. 2, the day after Labor Day. Summer is over and we will all be back in the old routine. A Psalm and hymn sing was at Tuff Home in Hills last Thursday. Those participating from Steen were Bill and Bertha Bosch and Jo Aykens. Lori Scholten (Rick) underwent correctional back surgery at Sioux Falls Surgical Center on Monday. She was able to return to her home on Friday. There are many things in our world today that are changing. One of the more important ones is our education system and what is happening in our schools. One of the issues is what we should be and what we should not be including in our children’s education. I found this article titled "An eagerness to go on and on in learning." This was written in 1972 but I think it gives us much food for thought today as well. This was a gripping and meaningful address on the problems of education as delivered by Mary E. Meade, an outstanding educator and, at the time this was written, was a member of the New York City Board of Education. Ms. Meade’s remarks came from the heart, as well as from the mind. She declared, "Our schools today must give the young people what they need: Standards to live by as well as standards to live. The underlying purpose of education is to give young people an understanding of life, of how to live successfully, so that they won’t get into the drug habit along the way or something worse.The spirit of education should be to inspire the individual with the desire to learn — and to keep on learning and growing no matter what field of work, profession or vocation may be." Ms. Meade supported her own firm views by quoting Dr. Thomas Briggs, one of her teachers in Normal School. "The first duty of the school is to teach the children to do better, the desirable things they will do anyway. The ultimate aim of education should be to develop in the children the habit of education — an eagerness to go on and on and continue in the field the school has led them only a little way into. Each one of us should realize that good education for our young people is basic to the solution of many of today’s problems — and to the prevention of future problems. However, it takes more than efforts of the educators to provide good education. It takes cooperation on the part of concerned citizens."This is your food for thought! But since school is beginning soon or has begun I want to give you something to think about and wonder if you know the answers to these questions: oWhy is a naughty boy like a postage stamp?oWhat is the difference between an engineer and a teacher?oWhat is the difference between a teacher and a train?oWhat did one arithmetic book say to another?oWhat letters of the alphabet are bad for your teeth?oWhat happened to the plant in the math class?Answers to the quiz:oBecause you lick them with a stick.oOne minds the train and the other trains your mind.oOne says choo, choo, and the other says spit out your gum.oI’ve got problems.oDK (Decay).oIt grew square roots.