Articles

Column: Planting the seeds for another Memorial Day

WORTHINGTON — There were people who feared their lilacs would bloom in February, or early March. Buds emerged, to be sure, but the lilacs held back. They know their time. It is only now that lilacs are really beginning to blossom.

Column: Often-overlooked muskrats are part of our history

We never gave real muskrats a choice. We — people long before our time — decided, “Those are muskrats.” And so they continue to this day.

Column: Local residents made their community college possible

WORTHINGTON — Thirty years after Worthington Junior College began classes in its 14th Street wing of Worthington High School, the college moved to its location on Lake Okabena’s north shore. This was 1966. This time — unlike the first time — there was community hoopla.

Column: Long ago, chickens were a part of city life

WORTHINGTON — Who would have guessed? If you own property or a house at Sioux Falls, you can keep chickens. Maybe you can’t have a penned chicken yard. This point is being discussed. But no question, you may have chickens. You always could.

Column: Calling our readers! Put down your cell phones, please

WORTHINGTON — The boy was maybe 8 or 9 years old and he was talking to his dad on a cell phone. I know this because I heard him say, “Dad?” We were standing in the aisle of a supermarket in front of — I don’t know — perhaps 40 feet of bags of candy. Lifesavers and gum drops and chocolate kisses.

Column: Happy 100th birthday, Fred Manfred

WORTHINGTON — Two carloads of us drove to Blue Mounds State Park one Saturday last October. The sky was blue as 300 robins’ eggs, the way it is in October. I suppose the temperature was 70, maybe 75. We were trying to soak up heat because, of course, we knew an arctic winter was just ahead of us. Everybody went on a hike along one of the trails but I stayed at the park headquarters, once Frederick Manfred’s house.

Column: Spencer, Remsen incidents should teach us lessons

WORTHINGTON — There is a story which, not too long ago, would never be told in a newspaper column because everyone knew it. By this April of 2012 that story needs telling perhaps because there are so very many who do not know it, possibly to their disadvantage.

Column: A great thing that came out of a difficult year

WORTHINGTON – The year 1935 was notably depressing for America. Unemployment was above 20 percent. April 14, 1935, Black Sunday. The worst dust storm of all moved over Worthington and blew all the way to the east coast, blurring views from the White House and blocking views of the Empire State Building

Column: Popcorn! Get your hot, freshly popped, buttered popcorn!

“Do zombies eat popcorn with their fingers?” The answer is, “No. Zombies eat their popcorn first.” This got me thinking about popcorn.

Worthington’s Thompson Hotel: 100 years old and counting

WORTHINGTON — In the sweet was and was — yet still not a great long time ago — Worthington residents, along with residents of every community in America, went to their downtowns day by day to climb stairs. They climbed stairs to second-story offices of doctors and dentists, attorneys and insurance agents. There was as much business and activity in the second levels as there was at the ground level.

• Thompson Hotel in 1912
• Thompson Hotel today

Columns

Columnist: A valentine to women who served our country

Ann Johnson was (I believed) a striking woman. Ann was tall. They use that word, “statuesque.” She was Scandinavian without challenge. Blonde hair. October sky-blue eyes. Rosy cheeks.

Trick or treat - Nobles County has fair share of ghost stories

WORTHINGTON — Ruth Hein has been ailing lately. Every Wednesday through many years Ruth wrote a column of local history for the Daily Globe.