April 28, 1898 —
Gus Borchert is still improving his Thompson property. This time it is a neat picket fence in front.
The new village board met and organized on Monday evening by electing Henry Friday chairman; John Hladik, clerk, and Philip J. Boyle, treasurer.
Eggert Klindt living east of town, is we are sorry to learn, confined to his bed with typhoid fever. In fact the whole family are unable to be around.
100 Years Ago. . .
Mrs. Jerry Sazama had a freak duck that she hatched from eggs bought from Mrs. Harry Thomsen Sr. The duck was four weeks old and had four legs, two in the usual place and the extra two legs next to the tail. This was certainly a curiosity, and if it lived would make a good side show exhibit for a circus or the county fair.
J. P. Book, one of Osmond’s well men, had completed a 150-foot well for Mr. Jeffries and one of 157 feet for Hans Hansen, both living northwest of Osmond. Mr. Book had some very fine wells to his credit in this country.
Wm. Eirinberg was holding 2 big Dollar Days at his store with the following items for $1: 25 bars laundry soap, 2 No. 10 cans of brown syrup, 10 cans of corn, 10 cans of peas, 6 cans of Alaska salmon, 10 cans of pork and beans, 5 cans each of peaches or apricots in heavy syrup, 5 cans of egg plums in heavy syrup, 25 lbs. oatmeal in bulk, men’s dress shirts, men’s blue denim overalls, 10 pair of men’s black or brown “sox,” men’s union suits, 2 pair of ladies’ silk hose, 6 yards of 36-inch percale, No. 10 gallon can cherries.
Postmaster Scott started out two of his sons to be druggists, as Dale had gone to work in the Rodgers Drugstore, while Woodrow worked in the Osmond Pharmacy.
John Hansen, originally of Osmond, won fighting honors in a fight at Aberdeen, S. D. They had a big fight billed there and John took part in the performance. John covered himself with glory and, in a fight scheduled for four rounds, knocked his opponent out in three rounds. The following account of the fight was clipped from the Aberdeen newspaper: “A little comic relief was added to the card in the four round preliminary between Al Taylor of Ludden, S.D., and Battling Hansen of Aberdeen. The North Dakota man was knocked to the canvass innumerable times before Hansen could obtain a knockout decision in the third round.”
A. R. Moats, proprietor of the Osmond Tire Shop, reorganized his business and put in a new $5,000 stock of auto supplies and accessories, which he purchased from the Standard Tire and Supply Co. in Norfolk. The business would now be known as the A. R. Moats Co.
75 Years Ago. . .
[An article I thought was real at first] - "Symptoms Would Indicate Attack of Fishing Pox” Warning, fishing pox, contagious to adults and children. Symptoms: Continual complaint as to need of fresh air, sunshine and relaxation. Patient has blank expression sometimes deaf to wife and kids. Has no taste for work of any kind. Checks tackle box frequently and hangs around busses more than usual. Secret night phone calls to fishing friends. Mumbles to self. One known cure: Go Fishing. Cure as further explained by John Loeding, Osmond bus operator: Medication useless. Disease not fatal.
Victim should go fishing by bus as often as possible. For charter bus fishing trips, see Loeding Bus Line.
Barbara Swanda, a graduate of the Class of 1951, received a scholarship valued at $100 to the University of Nebraska, a gift from the Sears-Roebuck Co. The scholarship was given to those who intended to major in home economics and was based on character references of the student, if she was in the upper fourth of the class, and if she would complete the four-year course. Barbara had also been accepted as a resident of Love memorial Hall at Lincoln. Only 32 girls were accepted for residence in that hall.
Every Monday morning was the day scheduled for Osmond’s pavement to be cleaned via the brush and arm method. That was the agreement made at the Community Club meeting. All business men were asked to sweep dirt in front of their business places to the center of the street every Monday morning. Town marshall would later pick up the dirt from the center of the street. During the discussion, it was voiced that this method would be better than washing the streets with fire hose since this method usually sprayed the dirt and gravel on the business places.
65 Years Ago. . .
George M. Luebbers, Osmond farmer with interests in irrigation equipment, steel buildings, chemical application and grain drying, was elected commander of American Legion Post 326. The Legion voted to purchase uniforms for the Osmond Midgets, a junior baseball team sponsored by the service organization. Among other matters of routine business, the group also voted to authorize construction of and payment for several picnic tables for the new Osmond park.
Officers of the newly-organized Senior Presbyterian Youth Fellowship were selected as follows: president, Margaret Beckwith; vice president, Gene Tacey; secretary, Carol Rohrberg; treasurer, Lillian Timmer; news reporter, LaVonne Koppelmann; historian, Linda Dempster. Lillian Timmer and Gary Enevoldsen were given special awards for perfect attendance over a period of six months. A group sang at the Leggat Memorial Nursing Home for the senior citizens. Mrs. H. J. Timmer accompanied at the organ.
The life of Donald Sukup, one of Nebraska’s better-known 4-H youths, was snuffed out in a farm accident at the farm of his parents northeast of Osmond. When the 17-year-old did not come home at the appointed hour, a younger brother, Charles, went to a field and found his brother, who had been working alone, dead in a hay baler.
Many pupils had not yet applied for free high school tuition for the school year 1961-62, according to a statement by County Superintendent Clara Parks. Pupils who were not 16 years of age by the date that school would begin were required to attend and had to apply for free high school tuition. All others who wanted to attend high school that year must also apply.
50 Years Ago. . .
In a unanimous decision, the board of education of District 42R voted to construct a 60x100-ft. steel building at its June meeting. The structure would house a new shop, music room, art room and rest rooms for use from the classrooms and also for outside activities. The board accepted a bid of about $33,500 which was submitted by Lind-Gubbels Construction and Petersen & Son, Inc.
Volunteer workers had undertaken the remodeling of the kitchen of St. Mary’s Church basement. Some 26 feet of birth cupboards with stainless steel sink and featuring a beverage center, had been constructed. A large work counter was being constructed around a pillar in the center of the room. Improvements were also planned for the area near the large commercial-type deep-bowl stainless steel sink along the east wall.
Osmond Library story hour participants, ages 3-12, enjoyed a picnic culminating a four-week program. The average attendance during the sessions held each Tuesday was 33. Helpers during the sessions were Mrs. Dale Lorenz, Mrs. John Boyle, Susan Boyle and librarian Winifred Record.
Gaylen Taylor began duties as Osmond Police Chief on June 25, 1976. The young law enforcement office was last serving as assistant police chief at Atkinson. He had 10½ years of experience in the law enforcement field.
25 Years Ago. . .
At the June city council meeting, Mayor Hank Schmit related that the pitching machine at the ball park — which dated to the early 1980s — no longer worked. The building was also no longer serviceable, having been the target of break-ins. Legion baseball coach Bert Wattier obtained one estimate of $1,787 for a new pitching machine. He also volunteered to lay blocks for a new housing facility. Council authorized purchase of the batting machine and constructing a housing facility, however, suggested that firms be contacted on costs of poured concrete walls.
At the Nebraska Association of School Administrators spring banquet, Dan Garner of Osmond was presented a Nebraska School Distinguished Service Award for 30 years as a board member of Educational Service Unit 8. Twenty-four of those 30 years, he was president of the board.
10 Years Ago. . .
A late night wind storm caused a lot of damage in the Osmond area. With winds reported at up to 60-70 miles per hour, many limbs were pulled from the trees and other damage was done. Area residents woke the next day to find the streets littered with branches. At the Jarod Thompson home, a large tree fell in front of the house - they said the whole floor shook when it came down. Just north of Thompson’s, at the Shane Beacom home, a trampoline was twisted and tangles in electrical wires.
