July 1, 1897 —
Dr. Walden, the Randolph dentist, will be in town from Wednesday noon, July 28, until Friday noon, the 30th. Painless extracting a specialty. Josie and Adell Leedom entertained about 20 of their little friends on Monday afternoon, the occasion thereof being the eighth birthday of Master Joe.
Sick headache can be quickly and completely overcome by using those famous little pills known as “DeWitt’s Little Early Risers.” For Sale by Long & Hoes.
100 Years Ago. . .
Mat Goden, while riding with Joe Turek in his Ford truck, was thrown out and suffered a broken collar bone. The accident happened on State Street in the business section and created quite a little excitement, until it was found that Mat was not more seriously injured, although this accident was bad enough and would lay him up for several weeks.
According to an article shared from The Pierce County Leader, most of Pierce would celebrate [July 4] in Osmond in 1925. Plans were being made to have as many as possible come here in a body. Badges would be furnished to all who asked for one and agreed to wear them on the Fourth. In another article, it said that Frank Pilger, president of the Pierce Commercial Club, informed the paper that he had visited Osmond and learned that this city intended to put on a big celebration and that it had raised more than $1,000 to defray expenses, which was “more than Pierce usually raises for such an occasion.”
Four of our Osmond young men had the good fortune to see the real Tom Mix and Tony in Omaha. Raymond Schroerluke, Ed, Herman and John Hoffman drove to Omaha on purpose to see the screen celebrities. And they were not disappointed, for on the train, Tom and Tony arrived and were greeted by an immense crowd. The boys said it was worth the trip, and Tom and Tony were the center of an immense throng all during their stay in Omaha.
75 Years Ago. . .
A home talent play with a cast of over 40 was given here at the city hall. The comedy was entitled “All Star Wedding” and was produced by mostly members of the local post of the American Legion. Some of the cast included: Butler, Junior Stamper; Aunt, Jim Stratton; Uncle, Bob Rosburg; Eddie Duchin, Leonald Warneke; Miss Knowall, Gerald Moore; Aunt Jemima, Delmer Gansebom; Ima Jilt, Art Koehler; President Truman, Otto Schumacher; Miss America, Francis Liewer; Bing Crosby, Delno Fuelberth; Harry James, Jim Rice; Flower Girl, Irvin Schneckloth. As each distinguished guest arrived, they performed shortly. Bing Crosby sang, Harry James gave a cornet solo and President Truman campaigned on the coming election, and so on.
The Osmond Community Club was host to 12 Boy Scouts of the Osmond troop, 10 of whom had entered planes in the contest sponsored by the club for the purpose of selecting boys to attend Camp Cedar at Fremont. First-place winners in the various divisions were Byron Stratton, Don Liewer, Gary Rodgers and Jim Windeshausen. Second place went to Dan Beckwith, Gerald Thomsen and Neil Thomsen. A third prize in the solid model division was awarded to Don Brummond. Model plane kits or hunting knives were given by scoutmaster P. J. Stanosheck to those boys whose planes did not place.
65 Years Ago. . .
Mr. and Mrs. V. Glaze Reed of Osmond announced plans for immediate construction of a highway drive-in on lots purchased from A. G. Swanda in the southeast part of town. The couple operated Reed Lockers here. Mrs. Reed was a school teacher at Brunswick and with a daughter, Alaska Reed, an instructor at Pierce High School, was going to conduct the new business during the summer months. Other employees would be engaged to operate the drive-in in other months.
The Osmond school board authorized the purchase of four school buses. The new four, together with one on hand, would be used to transport children to the Osmond schools beginning with the 1960 fall term. Ford power units and chassis would be purchased from Pittack Ford Sales at Plainview and would cost approximately $2,300 each. The board decided to buy two bus bodies from each of two manufacturers: Blue Bird bodies from Misle Bus of Lincoln and Wayne bodies from Badger Equipment of Omaha.
More than 400 graduates of Osmond High School or their spouses converged on Osmond for the fourth alumni reunion since 1954. Activities took place in the locations: the American Legion hall, auditorium, and Catholic church basement. Miss Catherine Goeres of Osmond was honored for her many years of faithful service to the teaching profession.
50 Years Ago. . .
The Osmond men’s softball team defeated Wausa by a 19-9 score. Poor fielding and errors were reflected in the score, according to the coach.
Osmond then defeated Randolph 9-3.
Randy Jochum helped the Osmond effort by hitting a home run. On June 19, the team bombed Coleridge 11 to 1 in five innings with five home runs: Randy Jochum had two, Terry Storm, one, and Dwaine Hoffman, two. After defeating Verdigre 10-8, during which Jochum hit another home run, Os- mond was in first place in the Pioneer League with a 7-1 record.
Women and girls of St. Mary’s Church and their guests were invited to spend a “Holiday in Holland” at the first mother-daughter banquet spon sored by St. Mary’s Guild. The ham dinner was served by men and young boys of St. Mary’s Guest speaker was Joan Burney of Hartington, author of the “Offer It Up” column in “The Catholic Voice” and columnist of other newspapers. Those honored included: oldest mother, Mrs. Mary Pochop, 92; mother with most daughters present, Mrs. Robert Kratochvil, six daughters; four generation motherdaughter group, Mrs. Anna Schmitz, Mrs. Eugene Liewer, Mrs. Duane Weber and Tanya Weber.
Members of the Osmond High School band and pom-pon squad traveled to Rapid City, SD, for the 1975 International Dakota Days Band Festival. During the stay, they attended a concert by the Regina Saskatchewan Junior A Lions Band, a swing dance, and concert by Roger Williams, and participated in the band festival parade. Their last day, they visited Reptile Gardens, Keystone, Mt. Rushmore, Deadwood and Spear- fish for the Black Hills Passion Play.
25 Years Ago. . .
Northeast Community College released the rosters for the annual Northeast Nebraska All-Star basketball games. Playing for the girls’ Black team, coached by Joe Ortmeier of Osmond and Steve Colfack of Butte, were Tracy Manzer and Mary Aschoff of Osmond. Playing for the boys’ Black team, coached by Randy Jochum of Osmond and Jim Morrison of Howells, was Matt Jochum of Osmond.
Gabe Gansebom was a member of Team Nebraska in the four-state Senior Spotlight Track and Field Meet in Dubuque, IA. Osmond track coach Joe Ortmeier was a member of the coaching staff.
10 Years Ago. . .
Persons traveling downtown on State Street noted the addition of a windmill to the landscape. The prairie windmill and railroad tracks took one back to the beginning of the community which became known as the “child of the railroad.” The windmill was a two-year project of Eric Wattier, owner of Wattier Windmills, for Osmond’s Q125 celebration which was being held in 2015. Also decorating the landscape on State Street for the Q125 celebration, held June 26-28, was a gazebo owned by Dr. David Johnson, which was built for Osmond’s centennial in 1990 (now located at the Osmond Orchard).
