History of New Rockford: November 13, 2023

On the evening of June 6, 1906, a son was born to Rev. and Mrs. F.L. Gehrs of the Emmanuel Lutheran Church.

That evening, the First Annual Graduation Exercises of the Phillips Academy took place in the Opera House. There was a large audience. The hall was decorated in the class colors: white and red. The program consisted of Prof. L.J. Aldrich making a few remarks; Invocation, Rev. J.R. Beebe; Cornet Duet “My Creole Sue,” Messrs. Erickson and Comer; Oration “The Three Martyrs,” Ethel Treffry; Essay “The Advantages of An Education,” Minnie O’Neill; Vocal Duet, Miss Waters and Mr. Burt; Essay “Woman’s Advancement,” Effie Dafoe; Oration “Government and Railroads,” Alvin Keime; Piano Solo, Margaret “Maggie” VanScholach; Oration “Oratory,” Harry Burt; Essay “Dux Femina Facti,” Gertrude Buck; Vocal Solo, Guy Thompson; Oration “The Value of Athletics,” Ralph Beebe; Cornet Solo, Claude Comer; Essay “Souvenirs,” Olive Couch; Presentation of Diplomas, Rev. J.R. Beebe, president of the Board of Trustees; Benediction, Prof. L.J. Aldrich.

The graduates were Ralph Beebe, Gertrude Buck, Harry Burt, Olive Couch, Effie Dafoe, Alvin Keime, Vera Keime (not present since she was under a doctor’s care in Fargo), Minnie O’Neill and Ethel Treffry.

With the graduation exercises Phillips Academy closed for the summer. Enrollment had been between 80 and 90.

On June 7 and 8, George Setz was over from the McHenry country. On the evening of June 7, there was an outdoor band concert.

The June 8, 1906, “Transcript” had a Notice to the Public from Dr. Charles MacLachlan denying a rumor that he was leaving New Rockford for a long trip abroad. Contrary to the rumor, he was bringing Dr. Fred A. Douglas, formerly of the Red River Valley University, in as a professional partner about July 1.

E.H. Martin had clean ice for sale at the Creamery.

William Blow was building a 75’x100’ barn on his property at the corner of Gregory Avenue and St. Paul Street to be used as a livery and feed stable. P.H. West had purchased the B.C. Larkin property opposite the Mr. and Mrs. S.N. Putnam residence on Lamborn Avenue East, consisting of four lots and a large barn, and would build a house there. The foundation was finished around July 4.

Sgt. T.P. Morris had been confined to his bed with pneumonia, which he had contracted at the Decoration Day program.

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Clure had arrived from their California home the previous week to visit Mr. and Mrs. A.J. Clure and their many friends.

On June 8, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Reed returned from their trip to the western United States and Canada. William Erdelbrock returned from York, Neb., where he had been for three months. Miss Elizabeth K. Chapman, the preceptress at Phillips Academy, left for her home in Maine, where she would visit before heading to the Pacific Coast for the rest of the summer vacation. At 2:45 p.m., there was a parade of thirty people announcing Mahara’s Big Minstrel Carnival, which appeared that evening in the Opera House.

At 3 p.m., Sunday, June 10, Rev. S.F. Beer preached in the Tiffany School. That afternoon, the New Rockford Band played a concert from the bandstand. Larrabee school teacher Miss Hazel Hall visited in New Rockford and left that evening.

On June 10 and 11, Mr. and Mrs. J.N. Kunkel visited in Fessenden; Miss Agnes, who had been there for a week, accompanied her parents home.

On June 11, Miss Gertrude Buck began her teaching duties for the summer at a school in eastern Eddy County. The Phillips Academy baseball team went to Barlow and came home with a 14-0 victory. That evening, Mr. and Mrs. E. McLean were in town visiting friends. That night, Ed Starks’ brother and sister arrived from Wisconsin to visit the family.

On June 11 and 12, Mr. and Mrs. Hjalmar Dinnetz of Flora, N.D., were in visiting friends and relatives.

On June 12, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Adam were in shopping. Mrs. Olof Lundquist returned from a visit with her parents at Valley City. Leonard Roffler was in on business. Tiffany merchant George Fields was in on business. John T. Morris came down from Minnewaukan to see his father Sgt. T.P. Morris, who was quite ill. Philip Ackerman came in from eastern Wells County on business and to visit. The New Rockford School Primary teacher, Miss Edith Schmidt, left for her Jamestown home, where she would spend her summer vacation. Mrs. Charles Lyman went to Carrington to visit relatives. That afternoon, a few women from the community’s Protestant churches met at the home of Mrs. H.W. Clark and organized the “King’s Daughters.” Mrs. H.W. Wilson was elected secretary. From 4 to 5:30 p.m., there was a 3rd birthday party for Miss Florence Couch, with eight of her little friends as guests.

From June 12 to 15, Rev. J.R. Beebe and William Bucklin represented the NRFD at the Firemen’s Tournament in Minot.

On June 13, Mrs. O.W. Bauer left to join her husband on their farm near Bowdon. Mr. and Mrs. Valentine Fertig left on a visit to their old home, Arcadia, Wisc.; they returned on July 10. Mrs. S.F. Beer and Miss Pearl returned from their visit to Oberon. Miss Sarah Johnson of New Rockford won first place in a silver medal oration contest in Minnewaukan, sponsored by the W.C.T.U. There were seven contestants.

On June 14, Freeman Shoemaker was in town. Mr. and Mrs. Barney Engberg were in shopping. Otho Lathrop returned from a trip in which he represented the O.W. Kerr Co. Frank Bailey was in from Tiffany to do some business and to visit. Ned Morris came in from Medina to visit with his friends. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Hays and family went to Fargo to visit for a few days. That evening, Mrs. A.J. Clure, Mrs. A.H. Crawford, Mrs. Henry Schuster and Miss Bertha Spillman were initiated into the Royal Neighbors’ Lodge. Also that evening, John Kennedy and Hazel Kiehlow were married by justice of the peace R.M. Kennedy at the home of the bride’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. August Kiehlow, 14 miles northeast of New Rockford. The couple would live on a farm four miles northeast of town. That evening, the New Rockford Band played an outdoor concert.

The June 15, 1906, “Transcript” mentioned the “Courtenay Gazette,” “Mayville Tribune,” “Fargo Call,” and “Tower City Topics.”

Frank E. Hays of the New Rockford Hardware Store was selling J.I. Case Separators. S.F. Crabbe of Fargo had purchased James MacLachlan’s two-year old filly, sired by High Noon, for $250.

During the week, B.M. Leonard had a cement sidewalk laid in front of his building on Villard Avenue East, occupied by Mrs. H.C. Tarbell’s bakery. The interior of the Bank of New Rockford had been fixed up with a steel ceiling and new wallpaper and paint. John Wiemals was putting up a building next to Frank Hays’s hardware store which he would use as a soft drink establishment. [It was probably where the south half of the Rockin’ Fitness building is today.]