Looking back:FHS graduated 15 students 100 years ago, 46 students in the 1937 ceremony

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25 years ago

From the May 27, 1987

edition of the

Farmington Independent

School board accepts election results and gives out honors

The Farmington School District School Board election last Tuesday night returned two incumbents to the board and added a former Minnesota legislator to the ranks of the board.

Incumbents Kimberley Harms with 514 votes and Bob Shirley with 468 votes prevailed over Robert Brownawell for the two three-year seats.

Former State Representa-tive Walter Klaus with 331 votes, beat Jack Jolley with 265 votes and Ron Heard with 97 votes for the two-year seat left vacant with the resignation of former board member Eugene Hildreth....

Much of time was spent honoring different outstanding students and staff members from within the district.

These included from the high school valedictorian Carmin Pluntz, salutatorian Ginya Truitt and the remaining eight of the top ten graduating seniors John Goodman, Barbara Otte, Shelly Saffle, Jacquelyn Schmeling, Andrea Thram, John Tonsager, Patricia Van Cura and Crystal White.

Arlene Schmidtke named Farmington teacher of the year

Farmington School District has named third grade teacher Arlene Schmidtke as its Teacher of the Year.

In discussing her career, she said she probably gets the most enjoyment out of seeing the students starting the school year in the fall not being able to do a particular subject very well, such as reading, and then after a year of hard work, having mastered the subject....

The reception for her award was held in the gym in the elementary school building....

Schmidtke’s hometown class drew pictures of her to comemorate the event.

50 years ago

From the May 24, 1962

edition of the

Dakota County Tribune

Widespread storm downs buildings, disrupts wires

A widespread wind storm came roaring through Dakota County Tuesday about six p.m., and flattened buildings, disrupted electric and telephone communication, uprooted trees, and caused a great deal of damage.

There were at least five buildings at the Dakota County fairgrounds which were either destroyed or damaged.

Completely flattened onto Farm Equipment Store’s machinery and miscellaneous equipment was the old tile horsebarn, directly east of the VFW club stand....

One of the hardest hit farms was that of Lyle Ehlers, Castle Rock Township, residing about four miles south of Farmington on the Nike road. The barn was demolished, and a piece of roof wrecked the machine shed doors. A farm truck was smashed by debris....

Barney Langold’s Plumbing firm had the metal awning demolished.

Arne Nelsen, radio-TV repairman, noticed his two-way radio aerial as undamaged, but the chimney was missing, part of it landing on a neighbor’s car.

Mary Ellen Feely to girls’ state

Mary Ellen Feely, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Donald Feely, has been chosen to represent Farmington High School at Girl’s State, sponsored by the Clifford Larson American Legion Auxiliary.

Girl’s State will be held at the 4-H Building at the State Fairgrounds in St. Paul from June 7 through June 14.

New telephone books issued

A new telephone directory for Farmington, Lakeville, Orchard Gardens and Rosemount is just off the press. Patrons should have received copies by now.

The directory contains over 300 more names than last year’s issue. It also has a section in DDD (Direct, Distance, Dialing), and complete instructions for the new dial system at Orchard Lake which is soon to go into service.

Commencement next week

Commencement exercises will mark the termination of senior high school students in the variuos schools in Dakota County, starting Thursday, May 31. Graduation exercises will be conducted as follows:

Farmington will observe bacalaureate services at the high school gynasium Sunday evening, May 27 at 8 p.m. Rev. Mr. Everett Lord will present the sermon “Preparing and Making Our Way.”

The 79th annual commencement exercises will be Friday evening, June 1 at 8 p.m. at the high school gymnasium. Guest speaker for graudation will be Dr. Eugene H. Kleinpell who will speak on “Thoughts for Tomorrow.”

75 years ago

From the May 28, 1937

edition of the

Dakota County Tribune

Memorial Day to be observed with rites

Memorial Day services at Corinthian and St. Michael’s cemeteries, Farmington, will be held Monday morning, May 31st.

School children will gather at the city hall at 9 a.m. and citizens with extra room in their cars are asked to give them rides to the cemeteries, where they will decorate soldiers’ graves.

Rev. Th. Henningsen will be the speaker and music will be furnished by school children. A firing squad will assist at the services according to Henry Hanson, commander of the Legion here. Taps will be sounded by Wendell Johnson.

These services are under the auspices of the Legion and auxiliary, also the Chas. Van Campen Relief Corps.

Farmington has only two Civil War veterans remaining, Levi Day, age 99, who served in the 4th Minnesota regiment, and J.P. Kirkham, age 93, who served in the 1st, 5th and 11th Minnesota regiments.

Poppy Day

”Poppy Day” will be Saturday, May 29, in Farmington. Poppies will be sold under the auspices of the American Legion auxiliary, with Mrs. Tim McGuire and Mrs. Fred Curtis as chairwomen. The work of selling the poppies has been divided between the local 4-H club girls under the direction of Miss Erma DeMersseman.

These poppies are made by disabled war veterans and most of the proceeds is returned to them. A small portion remains here for welfare work.

Schools to graduate eighty-six seniors

The Farmington high school will again graduate another large class of seniors on Thursday evening, June 3rd, at 8:00 p.m. in the high school auditorium....

The 46 seniors being graduated are: Pearl Ives, Audrey Pietsch, Irvin Danielson, Robert Price, Myrtle Clemens, Daniel Sullivan, Etta Helkenn, Phyllis Vanderschaegen, Donald Harmer, Vivian Erickson, Marjorie Birdsall, Devola Rich, Robert Whittier, May Rietz, Clarice Shirley, John Turek, Jr., Dorothy Phillips, Inez Johnson, Charlotte Gramsey, Andree DuTiel, Ruth Hazel, Mary Klaus, Enier Johnson, Eleanor Johnson, Carthea Gleason, Esther Ehlers, Eunice Duff, Claire Martin, Harold Reisinger, Francis Anderson, Dale Smith, Lauritz Kulstad, Virgil Hoffman, George Sypal, Thomas Feely, John Barger, Ralph Johnston, Dalton Rich, Roy Hodges, Bernard Petterson, Edward Siebold, Arne Ulvi, William Reschke, Jr., Virginia Sorflaten, Mary Streefland, Morris Teachout.

100 years ago

From the May 24, 1912

edition of the

Dakota County Tribune

Fifteen in ’12 class

In the class to graduate from the Farmington public schools this year there will be fifteen, four young men and eleven young ladies, as follows:

Walter LeRoy Amidon, Bernice Marjory Brown, William J. Cahill, Nellie Cathryn Collins, Henrietta Louissa Dodge, Evelyn Annette Etter, Lillian Anna Hoff, Nettie Elizabeth Hazel Kraft, Pearl Evelyn Larson, Dorothy Quincy McGuiddan, Hazel Luise Roche, Lewis C. Shepley, Rudolph Gerhard Shirley, Sophie Clarice Warweg and George Herman Hoffman.

The baccalaureate sermon will be preached by Rev. I. D. Seager at the M.E. church next Sunday evening.

The class motto – “Climbing Through the Rocks Be Rugged.” Class colors – old rose and old gold. Class flower – Lily of the Valley.

The high school faculty are Miss Elfie A. Rowe, principal; Miss Laura G. Dulbendorf and Mr. Joy S. Burrell, superintendent.

The exercises will be held at Music Hall on Friday evening, May 31, at 8 o’clock.

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