Part seven of a series (part six published a year ago in February 2022) Houston County and Fillmore County were established, broken off from Wabasha County in 1854. An 1882 history of Houston County reviewed some newsworthy events in the county during its first three decades. For additional historical perspective, the following – except for editorial notations in parentheses … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Children warned about peril in the sand pit
In one respect, sand saved the city, but it could be deadly. Houston, located just west of where Highway 76 meets Highway 16, was first located east of that intersection. Starting in the 1850s, the village prospered with a flour mill, a sawmill, a shingle factory and a cooper who made barrels for the flour mill. However, with the proximity of the Root River, high water and … [Read more...]
Take that job and shovel it—the song of the snowbound
I knew him a little, but not a lot. “How are you doing?” I asked.He responded by telling me he was all bound up. I didn’t think it had anything to do with being snowbound and I was right. He went into excruciating detail. Some people shouldn’t be asked how they are doing. My family didn’t tell fishing stories, brag about golf scores or go on about the cabin. We fished some, … [Read more...]
The temple of the Lord
Rev. Peter J. Haugen St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church The glory of the Lord was once found in the pillars of cloud by day and of fire by night. That glory filled the temple, but that glory departed from the temple in judgement before the Babylonian Captivity. That glory did not return when the temple was rebuilt, not as it had been. And that glory is now found in … [Read more...]
Journal Writing Project Why standardized tests don’t work
By Jensen Krosch Standardized tests are widespread in the United States, nearly every day students are required to take an exam to measure their intelligence. Although, what is the point of standardized tests? Most tests focus on the more logical end of people’s minds, completely ruling out critical thinking, creative solutions, and other knowledge. In the real world, most … [Read more...]
Journal Writing Project Why it’s time to drop the hat rule
By Ellie Halverson The hat rule. It’s a rule in the dress code implemented in almost all public schools in America. The rule explains that a student cannot wear a hat on school grounds during school hours, but why? What could be so bad about a student wearing a hat? A few teachers from Spring Grove Public Schools participated in an interview, giving their answers to this … [Read more...]
Do I love my wife like cheese?
I love you! What am I talking about? What does that mean? Today, the word “love” has been pretty watered down. I LOVE pizza, sunrises, milk, hamburgers, and babies. I also love flying, mountains, indoor plumbing, and my wife. Here’s a problem: Should I say that I love cheese in the same way that I say I love my wife? How do we use the same word for food that we do for a … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Smoke in your eyes meant meat on the table
As the boy crawled on his stomach with his face near the ground, there were about four inches of clean air below the smoke. No, he was not escaping a burning building. The building was not on fire, but it contained a fire. It was just one of many chores for young Warren Lange during the early 1930s on the family farm on South Ridge in Houston County. In the smoke house, there … [Read more...]
Spiritual affective disorder
By Rev. Deanna Woodward Maple Leaf Parish United Methodist Churches of Cherry Grove, Fountain, Preston and Spring Valley You may have heard of “seasonal affective disorder,” a condition in which the shorter hours of sunlight during the winter months may affect a person’s moods and ability to cope with life effectively. I had an uncle who suffered from this disorder and … [Read more...]
I’ve decided to stop dancing on marbles and kicking snard
New Year’s Resolutions are something we hope other people make. There’s another year in the past. A riotous New Year’s Eve filled with hot and iced tea caused me to fall asleep before midnight. As my wife woke me for a kiss, I heard a crunching sound. That’s seldom a good thing. My wife mumbled she’d stepped on a cat toy. The cat toy turned out to be my eyeglasses that the new … [Read more...]