20 years ago – 2002
Local News – Cole Wagenaar was a Sunday overnight and Monday guest of his grandma, Linda Wagenaar and Paul Schueller. Wes and Barb Schnack, and Samantha Schnack of Paullina went to see Dallas and Sue Schnack and family at Sioux Falls on Sunday. Saturday, Mr. and Mrs Marvin Hoppe accompanied Joann Koel to Sioux Falls where they visited her sister, Wilma at the Sioux Valley Hospital. Doug Hoppe of Sioux Falls was a brief caller Sunday afternoon in the parental Marvin Hoppe home.
Responses to school bond issue run gamut – The December South O’Brien School District bond levy vote failed, prompting a community meeting Wednesday, January 9 in order to discuss thoughts and ideas of the voters for the future of the school. The canvassing committee for the bond issue and the Vision South O’Brien group met in an open meeting with the school board at 6:00 p.m. before the larger community met at 7:00 p.m. The board of education was advised of comments that were heard from voters during the canvass for the bond issue. Information shared with those attending the meeting in a handout was the breakdown of voters in the recent election as to age. Of the l,399 voters, 54 were 18-24; 81 were 25-34; 420 were 35-49; 349 were 50-64 and 486 were over age 65 Age was not given for 9 voters. A total of 672 yes votes were received, and 727 no votes were received for a 46 percent yes vote. A super majority of 60 percent yes votes was needed to pass the issue.
Grace Lutheran Church quilting group continues a 40 year tradition – Hands that rock the cradle may rule the world, but there’s no doubt they can also make some pretty awesome quilts. So it is with the lady quilters of Grace Lutheran Church. The quilting circle was started in Lutheran Churches all over the United States in the 1960s for Lutheran World Relief. The local group was composed of about ten quilters when it started, and three quilt frames were setup . Now they average about six people and use one or two frames. “It (attendance) picks up after Christmas,” said Carolyn Smidt, one of the six ladies working in the room. The other regulars are Betty Hintz, Carolyn Pingel, Gloria Hansen, Kay DeRidder and Ellen Kimblad. The group gets together for two hours at the church, two Thursdays a month from September to March, with time off in December for the holidays. These nimble-fingered women manage to complete about 100 quilts each season. They now have 46 done.
30 years ago – 1992
School board oks wage agreement and proposed curriculum – The Primghar school board reviewed and approved the contracts with the Primghar Teachers Association and the SOHS registration handbook at its regular meeting on Jan. 13. SOHS Guidance Counselor Dave Schroeder went through the proposed handbook and reviewed changes and additions from the 1991-92 book. A program in cooperation with NITC allowing junior and senior students to earn college credits while in high school will be expanded so that they may eventually have five or six courses of that type offered each semester. Schroeder also talked about the proposal to change the number of credits needed to graduate from 40 to 45. He said that the change would make students plan their school agendas and put some thought into their future. Along with the increase of credits needed for graduation the school plans to phase in a requirement that each student take at least three credits in one of the following areas: art education, vocational agriculture, home economics, industrial education, or business education.