100 Years Ago. . .
Nebraska’s much boasted California weather caught a very bad cold, and about midnight, Osmond was in the throes of a bad blizzard from the northwest, which lasted all day. The next morning, the inhabitants of our village spent the forenoon in clearing sidewalks of the heavy snowfall (between 12 and 18 inches) which was badly drifted.
There was no train service and the highways leading into town were impassable.
One of Osmond’s young ladies, who had recently gone to California, was making pictures in Hollywood.
Miss Adeline Dally had the pleasure and good fortune to have Mary Pickford pose for a snapshot while she was taking in the sights of Hollywood. Miss Dally was trying to get a snapshot of Miss Pickford while the latter was making a picture, and at the end of the scene Miss Pickford very obligingly came where Miss Dally was standing and posed while her picture was taken. “So you see, one of our Osmond girls is ‘in the pictures.’” On Dec. 28, 1923, the local Masonic and Eastern Star lodges gathered in the Masonic Hall for their annual Christmas party, a large number from both lodges being present. After a short time spent in visiting, a program of games, music and readings was put on by the committee in charge. Not the least interesting event of the evening was the fish pond which contained all sorts of inexpensive gifts, each person present drawing a gift.
Mr. and Mrs. James Cizek entertained the Bridge Club at a New Year’s Watch Party. The evening was spent in playing bridge. A delicious lunch was served at midnight. The elaborate caps and the musical flute and trumpets received as favors made a lively beginning for the coming year.
75 Years Ago. . .
Irvin Kratochvil, Osmond farmer, was chosen by the Osmond Gun Club to be its president for 1949. He succeeded Fred Schmitz who asked not to be considered a candidate.
New vice president succeeding Alva Theisen was L. S. Van Ackeren.
P. J. Stanosheck was reelected secretary-treasurer. The club was one of Nebraska’s largest. In 1948, it had more than 200 members.
Also in 1948, it relocated its club grounds a mile west of the city.
Eventually, it was to have facilities for day and night shooting, rifle shooting, archery, fishing, swimming, picnicking and clubhouse activities.
As the lights were darkened and the red and green glow of pep club flashlights appeared in a double row from the door of the Osmond city hall to the throne, Miss Amy Wiegert entered on the arm of Larry Galvin, Osmond High basketball captain, to sit on the honored seat — the throne — and be crowned 1949 Homecoming Queen of Osmond High by Mr. Henry Thomsen, member of the Osmond Public School Board.
The pep club members went through various drills, forming a “W” for the visiting team, Wausa, and an “O” for Osmond, a “V” for Vikings, a “T” for Tigers and a spiral and then formed the double line for the queen, attendants, princesses and the first five basketball boys to enter between.
Charlotte Schuttler, escorted by Jim Bowing, entered first, followed by Shirley Fuelberth and Robert Wortman, Joan Theisen and Delno Fuelberth and LaVern Weber and Billy Hixson, followed by the royal couple. Attendants to the queen were Steve Moore, who carried the crown, and June Stamper, who carried the gift. Train bearers were Jeffrey Cizek, Bruce Howard, Marvene Koehler and LaVeryl Nelson. The queen was attired in a white formal, Miss Weber wearing a peach gown, Miss Theisen blue, Miss Fuelberth green and Miss Schuttler pink. (See photo at right.)
65 Years Ago. . .
Connie Jensen, Osmond High School senior, was selected Homecoming Queen at a secret election by high school pupils. Princesses, also selected by high school ballot, were Barbara Aschoff, Barbara Broekemeier, Elaine Moes and Bernita Oltjenbruns. Miss Jensen was escorted by game captain Stanley Kumm. Escorts of the princesses were Darrel Steckelberg, Charles Timmer, Junior Bowling and Jim Brummond. The queens for the previous 10 years were listed: 1957, Jude Steffen; 1956, Grace Gutz; 1955, Sharon Hamer; 1954, Marilyn Huwaldt; 1953, Althea Schuettler; 1952, Georgia Herbolsheimer; 1951, Violet Klutman; 1950, Elaine Kumm; 1949, LaVerne Gansebom; 1948, Amy Wiegert.
A plea was being made to bring unused musical instruments in the Osmond area out of storage and into use. The request came from Superintendent of Schools S. N.
Westergard and Donald Weinand, OHS music instructor. The men said there was special need for cornets and clarinets. They urged the owners of such unused instruments to offer them for free use, rent or sale.
The coldest temperature in many a year arrived at Osmond on Jan. 4, 1959. The temperature was an official minus 24 degrees. A warming trend moved into the Midwest and this area two days later and the thermometer got above the freezing point for the first time in nearly a week. Tow temperatures for the first five days of the new year read like this: Jan. 1, -3; Jan. 2, -7; Jan. 3, -18; Jan. 4, -24; Jan. 5, -15.
The first round of basketball play for juvenile members of teams sponsored by local firms got under way at the auditorium. Stanosheck’s five nosed out Lyle’s Cafe 27 to 25 with Rodney Kumm making 19 points for the winners and Marty Hansen 18 for the losing five.
Wilson’s quintet made it a decisive 25 to 4 over Theisen’s club with Gordon Buchholz scoring 16 for the winners and Mike Squire making all of the points for the losers. Osmond State Bank’s team won from Chick’s 15-10. Earl Bahr tallied 7 for the bank five while Rollie Pochop had the same number for Chick’s.
50 Years Ago. . .
A group of between 45 and 50 area farmers met at the auditorium and took action that would result in the formation of a cooperative association. A spokesman for the group said the coop intended to be active in the farm fertilizer and chemical business and, as the need arose, in other farm-related fields. A board of seven directors was elected the seven were: John Schnoor, Orville Bahr, Martin Gutz, Everett Gansebom, Marvin Koehler, Lloyd Timmerman and Frank Kratochvil.
“15 stitches close lip wound after accident” — They were small, meaning the stitches in her daughter’s lower lip, said Mrs. Jack Squire when recounting a freak accident in which her daughter Peggy and the latter’s husband, Randy Clausen, who lived in Lincoln, were involved. They were at Osmond for the holiday season, and Mrs. Clausen had the 15 stitches taken in her lip at Osmond General Hospital following a snowmobile accident on the John Borgmann farm southeast of Osmond. They were part of a group of people tobogganing in the area and were using the snowmobile to transport people to the hilltops. The couple drove the vehicle over a sharp hilltop to discover, too late, a barbwire fence they couldn’t avoid.
A new tradition was started at Osmond High School. There was to be an annual Snowflake Dance with coronation of an all school king and queen. In 1973 it was held Dec. 28.
Each class voted on attendants and senior candidates. Those chosen were: freshmen, Patsy Rice and Kevin Engler; sophomores, Pam Warneke and Dave Fuelberth; juniors, Jann Stueckrath and Steve Christensen; queen candidates — Marcia Boice, Deb Lorenz and Sandy Padgett; king candidates — Mike Clausen, Robin Reed and Jim Schmit. Chosen as the Snowflake Queen was Sandy Padgett. Named 1973 Snowflake King was
Mike Clausen.
25 Years Ago. . .
A new police chief was to begin duties in Osmond, replacing Loren Trautman who was elected to the Cedar County Sheriff position. The new chief was Jeff Wallick, who held a like position at Wausa.
Winners in the annual Osmond Community Club Christmas lighting contest were named. Winning first place in the religious category was the Gary Schieffer family. Second place went to the Edith Aschoff family; third to the Dave Kruses and fourth to Jim and Theresa Rice. Chosen best overall display was that of Hank and Carolyn Schmit. Second-place honors went to the Merlyn Kuhls with third to the Marty Kruses and fourth to the Dwaine Ganseboms. In rural display competition, first place was won by the Dennis Schultzes. In second place was the Norm Bluncks, with Marvin Kumms third and Randy Pfanstiels fourth.
10 Years Ago. . .
Winners in the Christmas light- ing contest in 2013, in order of first through third and honorable mention for each category, were: Religious — Gary Schieffer, Jim and Margaret Broekemeier,Alan and Joanne Ekberg and Mike and Jane Schultz Family; Contemporary — Dave and Pam Buchholz, Duane and Annette Gubbels Family, Terry and Kayla Hoffman Family, Jon and Mary Miller and Bob and Dorothy Bauermeister.
