Remember When 9-25-2019

CLHS 1969-’70 class officers - Elected by the Clear Lake student body as class officers for the 1969-70 school year at Clear Lake High School were front row (L-R):  Tim Schmidt, Cindy Cookman, Alan Gorkowski, Dan Schmidt, Peggy Oines.  Second row (L-R): Becky Thompson, Sally Kennedy, Steve Schick, Richard Chapman.  Third row (L-R): Sharyn Holstad, Marsha Erickson, Connie McDonald, Tom Hendricks.  Back row (L-R): Jill Jensen, Sue Ritter and Amy Modderman.

by Michelle Watson

25 Years Ago

September 1994

The Surf Ballroom has been saved!  The Surf Ballroom has been purchased by the Dean Snyder family of Clear Lake.  Snyder, along with his sons, Don, Dale and David and their respective families, plan to preserve the ballroom and ensure its future operation.  Plans for the Buddy Holly Tribute ’95 will progress as planned, with the Chamber of Commerce as sponsor.  The Snyders, longtime Clear Lake residents and owners of Snyder Construction here, said they bought the Surf because they believe it is an integral part of what makes Clear Lake special.  It is late in the season for major roof repair, said the elder Snyder, but work will be done this fall to stop the leaks in the roof.  During the winter months, crews will be working indoors to make the ballroom operational.

Ventura will be the new home of a Clear Lake propeller manufacturer.  Warp Drive, Inc., owned by Dale Kjellsen, has purchased 18 acres on the edge of Ventura and will begin building a new business location immediately.

Jamie Copley and Adam Secory were named as Clear Lake Homecoming queen and king at Friday’s coronation ceremony.  Jamie is the daughter of Herb and Lori Copley and Adam is the son of Jon ad Sue Secory.

Angie Bieber, daughter of Cindy and Ron Richardson and John Bieber, and Ryan Hiscocks, son of Kerry and Denise Hiscocks, were crowned as Ventura’s queen and king at Homecoming festivities.

John Glenn Brady, of West Des Moines, received the Doctor of Osteopathy degree from the University of Osteopathic Medicine and Health Sciences in Des Moines.  Brady is a Clear Lake High School graduate and the son of Glenn and Rose Brady, of Clear Lake.

Those traveling by the busy intersection of Main Ave. and 8th Street have noticed some great improvements to the small corner park there in recent years.  A crowning touch to the project was added this month with the addition of a unique sailboat sun dial.  Gene Madsen was the main organizer that turned the corner into a beautiful park.  The sundial is in honor of Arleigh and Margaret Eddy, longtime Clear Lake residents.

The Clear Lake “Head Start” Program has moved from the Galilean Church to Lincoln Elementary School.  For this school year only, the program will occupy a classroom on the east side of the Lincoln building until next summer, when it will move to a new site and building of its own.

Handicap Village, a Clear Lake business for 23 years, is changing its name to “Opportunity Village” with the start of its new fiscal year in October 1994.

The Ventura football team fell to 0-4 with a 36-6 loss to Alden at home Friday night.  The Viking’s lone touchdown was scored by Mike Menke’s one-yard plunge in the first quarter.

After two games of puttered opportunities and stalled drives, the Clear Lake offensive machine was firing on all cylinders in a 32-18 Homecoming victory over Waukon Friday night.  Nick Henningsen led the ground game with 102-yards on 16 carries.  Quarterback Mark Ebeling rushed for 73-yards on 12 carries and scored Clear Lake’s final touchdown.

After an emotional come-from-behind win over Mason City, the Clear Lake volleyball team didn’t suffer a letdown against Eagle Grove. The Lions swept the North Central Conference match 15-9, 15-10 and 15-9 to improve to 3-2 in the conference and 4-5 overall.

50 Years Ago

September 1969

Donald A. Boyer, superintendent of the Martin Luther Home, in Beatrice, Neb., has accepted the call to become the first full time director of Handicap Village.

Problems regarding tuition situations, transportation of handicapped students and a code regarding dress and hair length of students, faced the new Clear Lake School Board on Monday night.

Start on construction of a Mobil Oil Corp. service station on Highway 18 will depend on the progress of Interstate 35.  The proposed station will be located at 2200 Highway 18 East, Clear Lake.  Plans are for a frontage road to be built at this site.

North Iowa Area Community College has 109 students from Clear Lake registered for the first semester.

It was standing room only at Lions Field Friday night as Clear Lake opened its football season by beating a formidable band of Forest City Indians, 21-0.  The defense was anchored by linebackers Rick and Rodney Ott.  Rick Ott also provided a bulk of the offense, with 80 yards on 20 carries.

75 Years Ago

August 1944

Sid Halford announces the cafe will close for redecoration for two weeks.

Water has run out of the outlet all the month of August.  This hasn’t happened for several years.

The Danish Club packed two boxes for Danish Relief at the home of Mrs. John Eliasen, also 50 kit bags for the Red Cross.

Sam Kennedy needs more potato pickers.  They pay $5 per day.  Bring your lunch and catch the covered truck at the Lincoln School house every morning just before 7 a.m.

Mrs. Manila Neal announces the shop will be closed for several days so she and the employees may have a much needed vacation after a rushing summer.

100 Years Ago

September 1919

There are about 400,000 autos and trucks in Iowa.

Lost:  four curtains to Overland car.  Also, a crank for a vehicle.

Peter Knutson, a noble man, in business here for 39 years is dead.  He was born in 1844 in Norway.  He was in the hardware business.

J.C. Davenport, J.E. Patterson and Albert Halverson drove to Des Moines to the fair.  The trip was delightful and only took five and one-half hours to get there.

Rich Bros. have 80 acres of land for sale at $167.50 per acre.

Sugar has been scarce the past 10 days and stores have been limiting anyone to 25¢ worth.  Canning is out of the question.