MAS and teachers reach a new agreement

From Pope County Tribune archives

April 19, 1962 – A Glenwood faculty member who admitted that he “loved teaching” was set to retire at the end of the year. Freeman Ramberg, Latin and German instructor since 1944, said that he hated to quit just as foreign languages were becoming important in schools’ curricula. “I don’t see how anyone can understand English without having studied Latin,” he said.

The body of a missing St. Paul man was found on a Pope County farm. The man, who had been missing since Nov. 3, had left St. Paul and was in the process of undergoing psychiatric treatment. His car had been abandoned east of Glenwood. In the fall, he had apparently been on his way to see relatives in Miles City, Montana.

Dr. J.G. Gilman and R.E. “Brownie” Brown announced they would not seek re-election for the Glenwood School Board. Both were veteran members of the board, each having served two, three-year terms. In their statement, they said they hoped one or two farmers would be elected to the Glenwood board to represent the rural interests.

April 20, 1972 – The Ruhr American Corporation had begun its expansion at its facilities as it started construction on a building for the manufacturing of clay targets. At full production, the company hoped to turn out 370,000 cases of targets a year and employ 18 or so people.

The Laker Band and the Laker Choir continued to win superior ratings at district competition. The judges called the band’s performance “excellent” and awarded them three stars. The choir’s performance, which rated a single star was termed “good” by the judging team.

Russell Torfin of Villard was about to be installed as grand marshal of the Minnesota Masons. Torfin was the first resident of the area to be elected to such a post. Torfin was the Villard high School principal and a former mayor of Glenwood.

April 22, 1982 – The Glenwood City Commission decided to develop a couple of alternatives to  the District 612 school board with regard to the flooding in the area of the football field. “This has been on the agenda since time began,” said Mayor Don Schaub. “We cannot ignore it any longer.” The commission would suggest Hansen Field as a holding area for water in northeast Glenwood.

The Langhei Aces won the annual county 4-H Share-the-Fun competition with its presentation of “A Broadway Salute to 4-H.” Second place went to the Wide Awake club and third place to the Pleasant Hill Troopers. Among those participating as planners of the event were Suzie Kobberman, Dan Sansness, Irene Sansness and Ida Forbord.

Pictured in the Tribune getting acquainted with the new chamber of commerce manager, Jim Quinn, were Ralph Meyer, Warren Schager and Chuck Bullock. Quinn had come ot Glenwood from Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

April 20, 1992 – Starbuck’s marina was enlarged and improvements were made in the campground and the city’s Lakeshore Park area. This was made possible through a $219,000 Land and Water Conservation state grant. The city of Starbuck had to match that amount in order to over the cost of the $437,857 project.

The second annual Pope County Earth Day was held on Sunday, April 26, at the Minnewaska Area High School. Activities were planned for the entire family.

Property owners questioned valuations for their homes at the annual Glenwood board of review. The county assessor, John Verlennich, told homeowners the rates charged for the square footage in every home went up after a 10-year lull.

April 22, 2002 – Minnewaska Area Schools continued to post (much) better-than-average passing marks on state tests. Eighth-grade students learned that 88 percent of the class passed the basic skills math test and 90 percent passed the basic skills reading test.

Christine Tvrdik leapt into the Minnewaska Area High School record book at the Long Prairie-Grey Eagle track invite. Tvrdik, a state qualifier in the high jump last year, jumped up 5-6 at LPGE, shattering the old MAHS mark by three inches and topping her nearest competitor by eight inches. Even more impressive was her long jump distance of 15-11-1/8, because she out-jumped her nearest opponent by 10 inches. To top it off, it was the junior’s first time long jumping since elementary school.

A total of 115 couples walked through the Minnewaska grand march for prom. The theme was “A Wonderful Night.” Justin Pederson and Christine Tvrdik were voted “best mixers.”

After almost 28 years of service, Joe Dorweiler closed Joe’s Auto on April 12. The shop had opened on Aug. 1, 1974, on East Minnesota Avenue in Glenwood.

April 23, 2012 – Minnewaska Area Schools (MAS) and the Minnewaska Teachers’ Association (MTA) had a new contract. The agreement included an early retirement incentive and new wording of the contract, which allowed more distance learning and a pay increase. Superintendent Greg Ohl said he thought the contract was a good one for both sides.

The Pope County board discussed options for reorganizing county districts. The redistricting process was done once every 10 years based on population census data to make sure each district had equal representation on the county board.

To celebrate national Volunteer Week and in appreciation from the Glacial Ridge Health System auxiliary, GRHS auxiliary president Lesely Hopline presented volunteers Joyce Volkmann and Doris Weispfennig with gifts of fragrant flowers. While Volkmann and Weispfennig help out in different ways, both said the volunteer experience had been a rewarding one.