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Wyndmere School ReunionNewsletter
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Wyndmere High School Alumni Association Volume 2, Issue 1 April 10, 2008
Contents
CLASS OF 1968 PLANS 40 YEAR REUNION
I don't know about the rest of you, but I have been excrutiatingly
busy! Getting the alumni
newsletter to press has been a real grind.
While I love to write and love to talk even more...there is a
time and a place for both ~ and a new job put my loves on the back
burner. Sorry about
that. I'll try to do
better in the future.
The WHS All School Reunion is looming closer
and closer (June 25, 26 & 27, 2010) and there is a lot of
work to be done to ready ourselves for the auspicious occasions of
both the WHS Reunion & Wyndmere's 125th Anniversary.
We're looking for a few good men ~ and women!!
If you're ready, willing and able ~ please contact me or Jim
Huseth ~ you can use info@wyndmerereunion.com and
several will get the email.
Do you have a particular talent for bringing people together
~ do you have "connections"?
We love people with connections.
It makes life so much easier.
We're looking for bands, people who love a parade, people who
love to take pictures and people who can take orders and fulfill
their commitment.
That's probably the tallest order of all.
Let us know & VOLUNTEER!
"To forget ones ancestors is to be a brook without a
source, a tree without a root." --Chinese Proverb
As I thought about my topics for this newsletter, my own obsession,
of course, came to mind.
I love genealogy. It
isn't an old love ~ it is rather new-found, but I have totally
embraced the procedure and have found that I am not alone.
In this issue, you'll hear from a few more obsessives!
Enjoy. A Case of “Be Careful What You Ask For"
Dick Lekang
(WHS 1956)
After I retired from paid employment in 1995, I started gathering
ancestral information on my mother’s ~ Erma ‘Springer’ Lekang
Dotzenrod (WHS 1932) ~
family. I started by
working with a ‘Wyndmere Centennial’ book, which mother had given
each of us children, the ‘A History of Richland County’ book that my
mother had purchased, the Elk Creek Cemetery record book, Census
data in the Fargo Library, information in the County Court House and
the Wahpeton Leach Library.
As the family information started to take shape my mother
loved to review the data, and we would discuss what I was finding,
and she would correct and add to the information.
I believe she really enjoyed our discussions.
During the early years of my research, I was over to James “Mike”
Mashek’s home at least three times looking through the Elk Creek
Cemetery record book for new information and verifying data.
I am not sure how it happened, but I asked if there was some
way I could get a copy of this book.
If I had a copy, I would enter this information into an Excel
Spreadsheet, which could be sorted.
Well, the next time I was in Wyndmere, Carol Dotzenrod made a
copy, so now I had a big job in front of me.
With this information and a copy of Edna Dahlman’s Tombstone Report,
I created an Elk Creek Cemetery Excel Spreadsheet.
I gave this information to Carol Dotzenrod, and after
receiving the Elk Creek Cemetery Committee’s approval, I submitted
the data to the Richland County Rootweb web site.
Now people from all over the world can check the Elk Creek
Cemetery record book for their ancestors.
After this task was completed, I went to the Leach Library in
Wahpeton and copied fifteen other Edna Dahlman Tombstone Reports,
and entered them into an Excel Spreadsheet and submitted them to the
Richland County 'Rootsweb' web site.
Edna Dahlman had walked each of these Cemeteries and recorded
the information off the tombstones.
This must have taken many hours.
Another person that helped me was Jack Bailey (WHS 1950).
He gave me a Farm & Home Plat & Directory book for Richland
County. This book has
helped me help a number of person locate the land their family owned
and maybe point them in a new direction in their search for
information.
Genealogy research is very time consuming detective work and the
Internet has allowed data to be examined and shared like never
before. I found myself
spending hours searching various database and articles.
It was on the Internet that I found the ‘Rootsweb’ web sites.
In searching and writing to volunteers that created these web
sites, I found them to be more than generous with their time in
helping a person with their search for family information.
That is when I decided that I could help people looking for
family information in Richland County.
I had a ‘Wyndmere Centennial’ book, so I would read the
inquiries posted on the Richland County website, and if I could not
find any information the Wyndmere Centennial book, I would call my
mother and have her look through her ‘Richland County’ book.
She enjoyed these conversations, but she said “why don’t you
take the book home”, so now I have two books, the Wyndmere
Centennial, and the History of Richland County.
As time went by I had an opportunity to purchase a Hankinson ND
Centennial book and a Lidgerwood - Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
book. With these four
books I have been able to respond to over 325 inquiries with
articles on their families.
From this exercise I have gained a greater respect for what
our early North Dakota families endured and accomplished through
their hard work.
Ione (Kjos) Eckre (WHS 1958)
As far as I know - once contracted - “genealogy fever” is
incurable!! I, for one,
have ‘suffered’ from it since I was about 10 years old ~ which is a
long time ago!
The first step is to gather information about your parent’s
families, which would include their respective siblings, as well as
your grandparents. Often
times there is an older family member that is considered to be the
“gate keeper” - in other words - recalls events and dates, as well
as names and relationships within the family and would be happy to
share them with you.
There will always be some that have no interest in your work and see
no value to going into the past.
Ignore them!!
After visiting with relatives, it is time to check out birth/death
records, as well as marriage licenses at the courthouse(s).
Frustration usually follows a direct path to this project, as
correct names become an issue.
Certainly, some information can be researched using the computer,
but expect that you will be prohibited by some sites that go only to
a certain search point and then refer to their fee schedule.
(ancestry.com would be an example - often two week free trial
and then a fee per month etc.)
Adding to the difficulty of finding relatives, often the spelling of
the last names were changed when immigrants arrived here.
Some elected to change their entire last name upon
immigration. Also - the
custom in Norway, was, for example, that the boys took the father’s
name and added ‘son’ to it (e.g. father, John, became Johnson for
the son) and the girls added ‘datter’ (daughter) after the father’s
name (e.g. father, John, became Johnsdatter. for the daughter).
The Scandinavian’s have fantastic records - nearly everyone is/was
baptized shortly after their birth and usually the birth date is
listed on those baptismal records.
There are professional genealogy researchers in Norway, for
example, and they may or may not help you out somewhat, however,
there can be and often is a charge per hour for the search - it
could get expensive.
My interest “spilled over” into our local church records.
Myself, Lenora (Borud) Jensen (WHS 1953), and Beverly (Manstom)
Brosowske (WHS 1947) have worked on and completed “deciphering”
baptismal and confirmation data for Wyndmere Lutheran Church.
It is a challenge to read the writing and insure that the
data is
correct - very time consuming ~ however the “rewards are
priceless” in the sense of accomplishment in preserving history.
When your “detective work” pays off, and you find that missing piece
of your
family history - there are no words to describe it except
satisfaction!!
"Happy Hunting & Happy Trails to you!"
CLASS OF
1968 PLANS 40 YEAR REUNION
Judy (Rudolph) Peterson
WHS 1968
The Class of 1968 reunion will be held at the Otter Supper Club on
Ottertail Lake on Saturday, August 9, 2008. A letter will be going
out soon to class members.
There will be a Social at 6:00p.m., with a buffet dinner to follow
at 7:30 p.m. There is
also a band playing that evening, so there will be entertainment at
no extra cost.
We plan to have some door prizes for some of the fun statistics that
the group might come up with.
If some want to golf on that Sunday, it is usually planned the night
of the reunion, and we just hope that groups can get on the course.
The class always has a great time when they get together.
By Kathleen Leinen, Daily News
Portions of article reprinted with permission
from the Richland County News Monitor
Wyndmere students portray principal Dave
Hanson as a man who takes an active role in their education.
They knew he was the best elementary
principal in the state and were thrilled he was recognized as a
National Distinguished Principal.
The National Distinguished Principal award is
the highest award any principal can achieve. Each state will select
one outstanding elementary principal and the honorees will travel to
placeCityWashington, StateD.C., in October to attend celebrations
and a formal presidential ball.
“I’ve had the best job for 23 years,” Hanson
told students during a surprise ceremony held in Wyndmere Thursday.
“I work in the best school district in the State of North Dakota,
have been blessed to work for two super superintendents and have
wonderful teachers.”
Although Hanson earned the distinguished principal award on his own
merits, he said the most important part of his job is the students.
He told them he would work hard to keep them safe and help provide
them with a great education. Hanson
walked into the gym to see a group of elementary students standing
on their feet cheering. He had a seat of honor in front of them on
the floor of the gym and was given a crown because he is a “king to
them.”
All classes in grades kindergarten through six wrote something
special. Master of Ceremony, Superintendent Rick Jacobson, pulled a
number of students out of the audience to read their short stories
about Hanson.
From the youngest to oldest, each of their words went straight to
the heart of the man of the hour. Their inspirational thoughts
showed a man sensitive to the needs of a young child. He is the man
they turn to with problems, the one who enjoys playing with them on
the playground and their occasional teacher.
During his 23-year career at Wyndmere, Hanson has helped many young
children start their formative education. He earned the
Distinguished Principal honor for all the reasons stated by Wyndmere
children, but more.
The criteria used for this award were: professional activities,
awards and honors, community service, balances management and
leadership roles, sets high expectations and standards, demands
content and instruction that ensures student achievement, creates a
culture of adult learning, uses multiple sources of data as
diagnostic tools and actively engages the community.
Some of the professional organizations he belongs to and offices he
has held, include the Elementary Principal Association’s treasurer
in 1998, vice president in 2000, president elect in 2001, president
in 2002, past president in 2003, state editor 2003 to present;
National Association of Elementary School Principals credentials
committee, Spring 2007/Spring 2008, and the nominating committee
from 2007-2008.
In 1989 and 2005, Hanson was awarded the North Dakota Association of
Elementary School Principal Bell Ringer Award and in 1996 he was
awarded the Golden Apple Award for his outstanding contributions to
the association as well as the students he serves.
Winning this high honor was as much a surprise as the special
ceremony conducted in his honor. The awards and honors are
thrilling, but being a principal means more to him.
“Listen to all the things these kids wrote. Any of the long hours I
may have put in were completely worthwhile. I do this for them,”
Hanson said.
Lenora (Borud) Jensen
(WHS 1953)
What really got me started in genealogy was my uncle asking me to
assemble some stories he had written about his life.
One thing led to another, and soon I was gathering
information from a variety of sources. My grandfather's sister had
done the recording of ancestors, and I had her info previous to the
request.
Family reunions, which included my dad's cousins and their families,
added to the interest I have in ancestry.
In '95 or '96, some cousins came over from Norway, having
discovered us through some obituary searches of relatives in the
U.S. They had been in
the US before - performing with a dance troupe at the Hostfest in
Minot...I could go on for pages about coincidences!
I gave them a copy of the book I had put together.
Our great-grandfather's were brothers.
She did a lot of searching and wrote a book more complete
than mine.
I have searched gravesites, VA records, newspaper files and
courthouse records. It's a great puzzle and very challenging. Once you're hooked, it's fun, but can be overwhelming at times.
Your Donations Saved Our Newsletter
Herman Ovind WHS 1940
Catherine(Kay)(Staber) Schram WHS 1934
Ida (Goerger) Volesky WHS 1977
Jeannette (Jensen) Nagel WHS 1948
Karel (Johnson) Holten
WHS 1951
We welcome any donations to the
It is our constant
endeavor to keep our alumni database as concise and up-to-date as
possible. We can only do
that with your help. If
you are aware of an address change, email address change, WHS Family
death, or would like to submit an article for the next newsletter,
please write:
Renee Sander
3834 Kensington Drive
West Fargo, ND 58078-7907
(Renee Stallman Sander '74)
or email us at:
info@wyndmerereunion.com
I'd love to hear from you and welcome any information
that you might have!
Please send us your email addresses! We can email our
newsletters to you for free! |
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