This Week in 1973 – 50 years ago: The 12th annual Alexandria Area Technical Institute graduation class will receive its diplomas. A total of 662 students will be involved in the exercises this year, the largest graduating class ever. John Habermark of the JC Penney Co. will give the commencement address. Dr. Karl Bloomquist, chairman of District 206 Board of Education, will present the diplomas.
1973, 50 years ago: City engineer Harold Hall asked for and received permission from the city council to plant some 20 trees on city property along the Winona lakeside on Willow Drive in Alexandria. Hall will purchase and plant the trees himself – and said the trees will be of the pink flowering variety. “I think it will really beautify the area,” Hall said. The council accepted the gift and thanked Hall for his generosity.
Nearly 500 youths participated in a walk-a-thon to raise funds for the March of Dimes. The youths represented Alexandria, Osakis, Evansville, Villard, Garfield, Brandon, Kensington and Browerville and organizers estimate that nearly all completed the 15-mile route.
1998, 25 years ago: An agreement has been reached to sell the old Alexandria Clinic building to the engineering firm Widseth, Smith, Nolting and Associates of Alexandria. The purchase agreement between WSN and Allina Health Systems, which owns the clinic building, has been signed. The building drew some other offers, but this seems to be the best fit. The clinic building at 610 Fillmore has been vacant for about a year. WSN’s current building is at 2405 Aga Drive.
The Minnesota Department of Economic Security (MDES) wants women of all ages to take a second look at nontraditional career options. To draw women’s attention, the department will release a series of WWII-style “women’s workforce” posters intended to raise awareness of the higher wages, greater variety and enhanced quality of life a nontraditional occupation can offer. Nontraditional occupations for women are those skilled technical jobs which employ fewer than 25 percent of women.
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2013, 10 years ago: Theatre L’Homme Dieu (TLHD) held its third annual Run-for-the-Roses fundraiser earlier this month at the Alexandria Golf Club. More than 100 people attended the Kentucky Derby-themed party. Volunteer help was offered by 15 members of the Newcomers. Proceeds from the event went to support the programming that TLHD brings to the Alexandria area during the summer months.
Just for fun, 1948 – 75 years ago: Engstrom Furniture, at 607 Broadway, will open a 15-day sale in honor of the store’s twentieth anniversary in business. Five brothers first opened at the site of the present Chevrolet garage just 20 years ago (1928). After less than a year the store was moved twice before settling at its present site in 1930. Engstrom’s is owned and operated by Edgar, Oliver, Edwin, Clifford and Leslie.
1998 – 25 years ago: Temperatures soared into the 90s this week, hitting a high of 91 degrees officially in Alexandria on Monday, May 18, the hottest day in May in seven years.
Sports Trivia, 1973 – 50 years ago: Dave Harris Sports Editor wrote: “There isn’t a coach in Minnesota that sprouts more enthusiasm for their team members than Barb Lohrman, head coach of the Alexandria girls’ track team. The Cardinal girls are enjoying their first year in interscholastic sport and they are led by the person that enjoys it as much as they do. They have won all but one of their meets this season; the lone loss was a second to St. Cloud Apollo. Eleven Cardinal girls will be competing in the State Girls Track Meet at Rosemount. To say that this has been a successful start for girls’ track in Alexandria might be an understatement.”
Rachel Barduson of Alexandria is a regular contributing columnist to the Echo Press Opinion page.
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