On this date . . .
On May 16, 1911, the cornerstone of the new Catholic church was laid. St. Mary’s dedicated its new church on May 22 of the next year.
July 1, 1897 —
From state news: Judge Baker of the Douglas County district court has sentenced “honest” Joe Bartley to 20 years in the pen at hard labor and imposed a fine of over $300,000.
This, to our mind, is meting out to honest Joe justice, pure and simple.
We now hope that the supreme court will affirm the decision. [Joseph S.
Bartley was the ninth State Treasurer of Nebraska, serving from 1893 to 1897, after which he was convicted of embezzlement and sentenced to 20 years in prison. More information about this infamous period in Nebraska history is available by searching Joe Bartley Lincoln Nebraska.]
100 Years Ago. . .
Osmond’s Col. Welch returned from Omaha where he had been attending the MWA state encampment. Col.
Welch was elected as delegate to the MWA national encampment which would meet in Milwaukee in June.
This was indeed a high honor, and spoke very strongly for the big work which our fellow townsman was doing in the MWA, and showed the high regard in which he was held by the leaders of this great fraternal order. Only 21 delegates were chosen from Nebraska, and the national encampment was held but once in four years. The last time (before 1925) it met in St. Louis, and Col.
Welch attended that also, not as a state delegate, but sent there by the Osmond MWA camp.
The senior class of OHS drew the largest paid house in the history of the school, it was believed, when they put on their play, “A Bunch of Fun.”
The receipts were $140. The play was excellent all the way through and reflected great credit upon both teachers and pupils. The seniors in the cast included Milton Cizek, Erna Schumacher, Mildred O’Brien, Rosa Leuenhagen, Kenneth Carver, Ursula Davis, Verna Weingartner, Helen Roberts, Bertha Thomsen, Frank Landreth, Lucille Senift, George Pochop, Vernon Landreth and Lucille Neumann.
C. F. Boye and Henry Grosse Rhode returned from Omaha where Mr. Grosse Rhode purchased a cooling plant for his butcher shop.
It was run by electricity, and kept the temperature of the ice box at 26 degrees, and also in the counters where the meats were kept. It was one of the very latest outfits, and was a very fine addition to Mr. Grosse
Rhode’s meat market.
75 Years Ago. . .
Meade Larson was the last to be released from the local hospital where he had been treated for burns sustained in an April 22 fuel tank explosion. Larson was released, but it would be several weeks before he could be active in his business, the Osmond Creamery. Phil Beckwith, released a week earlier, also must forego work at West Lumber and Coal while healing continued. The two were among some 30 persons who received burns when a fuel tank exploded on the Wm. Timmerman farm.
The Osmond Theatre installed 96 of the latest type theatre seats to replace others which had become worn and obsolete. 120 other theatre seats were rebuilt to provide the utmost in comfort to theatre patrons. The changeover gave the theatre 216 cushioned seats.
Graduation exercises were held at the Osmond city hall. Byron Kratochvil was named valedictorian and received a scholarship to any teachers college in Nebraska. He also was the winner of the University of Nebraska regents exam, placing in the top 30 in over 2,000. James Rodgers received salutatorian honors. He received a scholarship to the Norfolk Junior College. He was winner of alternate honors in the Nebraska University Regents exams. Rolanda Hoffman was third high in the senior class, winning a scholarship to St. Mary College at Omaha.
65 Years Ago. . .
Druggist Bob Beedle, who was going to open a drug store in the Van Ackeren building here, and helpers had been working almost daily to paint and repair the building interior preparatory to the opening. New fluorescent lighting was installed.
Ceiling and sidewalls had been painted white.
Lawrence Graham, superintendant of schools in Pilger, was elected superintendent of Osmond schools, replacing S. N. Westergard, who had been head of Osmond schools for seven years.
The latest in a series of meetings to discuss bowling lanes construction and operation in Osmond was held and, at its conclusion, attendants said the chances of such an installation were “favorable.” Plans called for construction of a new permanent-type building to house the lanes. Officers of the organization were: President, Chick Reed; vice president, K. L.
Dawson; secretary, Jim Stratton; treasurer, Dr. E. D. Boice.
The little red school houses, though none of them were really red, were being squeezed out of the picture in Nebraska. A few months hence, about a dozen of the buildings, some of which had served four generations, would cease to be used for their intended purpose in the Osmond area. The passing of these school houses would bring fond memories to hundreds of patrons.
The Osmond Republican wanted to print the story of the rural school districts incorporated into the District of Osmond. If interested persons would write their stories, the paper would gladly print them together with names of the writers.
50 Years Ago. . .
Rose Clayton and Anita Gloe quali- fied for the state track meet to be held at North Platte. Anita won the shot put with a throw of 39 ft., 0 in., breaking her own school record. She also tossed the discuss 93 ft., 4 in., setting the school record and finishing seventh.
Rose placed second in the 100 yard dash with a time of 11.9, qualifying her for the state meet, and third in the 80 yard low hurdles, setting a school record with a time of 11.7.
“The Dawn Has Brought Us This Far, Where Will the Sunset Find Us?”
The 42 member Osmond High Class of 1975 chose that phrase as the motto for contemplation as they took a giant stride into adult life. Valedictorian of the class was Sharise von Rentzell.
Salutatorian was Norma Jean Blunck.
The observance of Memorial Day in Osmond was changed in 1975, from the city auditorium to Osmond Community School. The guest speaker in 1975 was Bob Lowry of Cairo, NE.
He was Alternate National Committeeman for the American Legion, Department of Nebraska and a veteran of service in the Submarine Service, U.S. Navy WWII.
25 Years Ago. . .
Dr. Kelly Heath and Dr. Shane Petersen advised that Veterinary Health Services, LLC would close its Osmond office. The change was prompted, they indicated, in order to more efficiently use their staff and resources.
Osmond Public Library was closed while the move across State Street from the old library to the new facility was made. Books were transferred by loading into pickups on one side of the street and unloaded on the other side.
10 Years Ago. . .
American Legion Auxiliary held an Americanism essay contest for Osmond students with the title “What Does Freedom Mean to My Family?”
High school winners were Caleb Krohn, junior, first; Hannah Gutz, sophomore, second, and Madeline Huwaldt, freshman, third. Elementary winners were: Kenzie von Rentzell, first; Kiera Moes, second, and Riley Wagner, third. All were fifth graders.
