History of New Rockford: Oct. 14, 2024

On April 25, 1907, Mrs. Forbes visited her daughter Ida at Phillips Academy. Walter Immel returned from a business trip to Courtenay. P.C. Peterson came up from Barlow on business and to visit. State’s Attorney R.P. Allison returned from a business trip to Jamestown. William Coville, who had attended Phillips Academy during the winter term, came over from Sykeston to visit his friends. Miss Carrie Waters went to Sheyenne to see some friends. Miss Marie Peterson went to Manfred, N.D., to visit her parents; she returned on May 6. Miss Eva Hawthorne left for Minot; she would teach a term in a school near there.

The April 26, 1907, “Transcript” had the following “School Notes”: Maud Adams had to leave school the previous week due to the illness of her mother; on the evening of April 25, the eighth graders elected the following: Clifford Gardner, president; Elmer Gronvold, vice president; Edna Stanton, secretary; Lydia Hylton, treasurer; the NRHS sophomore English class members were writing poetry; the Geometry class was studying the uses of pi; gases produced in the lab by the Chemistry class proved “disastrous to the botanical specimens in the basement”; eighth graders Florence Schwoebel and William Dresser were out with the mumps; juniors Jennie Hersey and Merrille Pike were absent due to the mumps; Sarah Johnson and Elwin Beardsley were ready to return to school after being absent due to illness; high school student George Hawthorne was back in school after recovering from the mumps and the measles; around 50 grade students were going to raise flowers and vegetables during the summer with over a thousand packets of seeds to be distributed to the children.

“Mumps and measles are the fad. Had ’em yet?”

Two new ads: John G. Johns, M.D. Physician and Surgeon. New Rockford Cement Works, Davies & Son. William Wilson of Sheyenne had 11 registered English setter puppies for sale at $10 and $15.

Peter Dodds was building a new residence on his farm southeast of town. Baker Frank Allmaras had ground broken for his new 29x40, two-story, cement block building to be constructed just north of the Farmers & Merchants Bank. The Hotel Davies had closed and the first floor had been remodeled. Mrs. F.M. Stinehour would have a confectionary and ice cream parlor in the north half where the office and billiard room had been, and A. P. Russell would run a restaurant in the former dining room in the south half. Former landlord J.W. Hedges was undecided as to his future plans.

“Transcript” editor A.C. Olsen had quinsy. E.S. Severtson had the mumps.

L. Hutchinson of Eden Valley, Minn., was visiting his friend Mark Williams. Miss Georgia Hersey had resigned from her position as an operator in the Oberon telephone company and returned to New Rockford.

The Phillips Academy basketball girls were practicing outdoors. Mr. Foster, principal of the Harvey school, and two of his teachers had recently spent a day observing the Phillips Academy model school to help them in their teaching; Mr. Foster also spoke at chapel. The Academy Botany class was experimenting with growing various seeds. Mr. Mattson of Sheyenne had recently visited the Academy. The new officers of the Academy student government were Charles Campbell of Valley City, president; Edward Cox of Valley City, judge; Buel Carr of Leal, attorney.

The New Rockford School Board had engaged the following teachers for 1907-1908: Principal E.S. Youngdahl; Assistant Principal, Miss Lillian Lund; Grammar Department, Miss Rose C. Wagner; sixth and seventh grades, Miss Belle Hutchinson; fourth and fifth grades, Miss Nellie O’Connor; second and third grades, Miss Gertrude Buck; primary grade, Miss Mae N. Greenwood.

During the week, the cases of Powers Elevator Co. vs. F.J. Pottner, and R.A. Wenzin vs. Pottner were argued before the N.D. Supreme Court in Bismarck, both over the constitutionality of the 1901 mechanics lien law. C.J. Maddux represented the plaintiffs and S.F. Ellsworth of Jamestown appeared for the defendants.

The previous week, Miss Effie Dafoe and her mother went to Mohall, where Miss Dafoe would be a stenographer at the First State Bank.

On April 26, the Phillips Academy debate team (Gertrude Buck, Ralph Beebe, and Monroe A. Wilder) went to Minnewaukan for a debate with the high school team there that evening; in the opinion of the judges, the Academy team won. Clarence Covell, Miss E.K. Chapman, Miss Lena Breck, and a few others accompanied them. Theodore Quam came down from Sheyenne. Ed Martin went to Barlow on business. Dr. Charles MacLachlan left on a business trip to the Twin Cities; he returned on May 2. Albert F. Dix left his studies in the Phillips Academy commercial department and went to Fessenden to assist his father in the county auditor’s office. A daughter was born in Minneapolis to Mr. and Mrs. Otho T. Lathrop.

On April 27, a carload of trees arrived from a Minnesota nursery and were distributed for planting to residents and a few farmers.

On April 29, Albert F. Dix returned from Fessenden, but fell asleep on the train and was awakened just in time to grab his suitcase and drop off at the last crossing. Asa Hylton left for Seaside, Ore., where he would work in a lumberyard owned and managed by A.H. Wilson. [Wilson was the agent for the Powers Elevator in New Rockford, Jan. 23, 1903-March 5, 1904.]

On that day, Clinton Kennedy had a painful abscess under his right jaw operated on and removed by Dr. John G. Johns. About 10 days prior, Kennedy had several teeth extracted and a swelling developed. The swelling and pain got progressively worse, necessitating the operation. Later this diagnosis was changed: doctors told the “Transcript” that the abscess was caused by a piece of chaff lodged in the young man’s throat, which irritated the sensitive throat membranes.

On April 29 and 30, a bird dog case, A.J. Clure vs. A.N. Tomlinson, was heard by Justice J.L. Kinnaird. The ownership of a pointer was in dispute, and it took two days, two lawyers and around 30 witnesses before the jury found for Clure. The jury placed the value of the dog at $50; court costs were over $150. The “Transcript” opined that the verdict would be appealed.

On the morning of April 30, the Johnson & Magee dray line wagon was transporting a 740 lb. piano with four men steadying it in the wagon box. A wheel struck a rock, the piano slid to one side overturning the wagon, all four men fell out, and the piano crashed to the ground. It came to rest partly on the abdomen and shoulder of Albert Corey, who was lucky just to have some severe bruising. The piano was badly damaged.