The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on May 20, 1932.
 
Raccoons are Latest Addition to Park Zoo
 
Alderman Peschon Secures Pair from Arnold Schoon to be Exhibited with Deer and Bear at Park
An important addition to the zoo annex at Luverne’s public park was made the first of the week by Park Commissioner Frank Peschon, when he secured a pair of raccoons, which are now on exhibit there with the bear and the deer that have been domiciled at this popular recreation grounds for a few weeks. The latest addition was secured from Arnold Schoon, of Steen.
Mr. Schoon has had the ’coons in captivity since last fall, having purchased them in Iowa with the intention of raising a colony. They do not appear to be much inclined to cultivate an intimate acquaintance with the public and since they took up their new residence they appeared bewildered.
Mr. Peschon procured a securely built wire enclosure with the raccoons from their owner, and this is the only reason why they are still habituating at the park, for from the very outset they have shown a pronounced dislike for human associates and are inclined to crawl into their box and remain out of sight whenever anyone approaches. Mr. Peschon outguessed them, however, by attaching a wire to one end of the box that represents their home, and by raising this the little animals are prevented from remaining out of sight. As time goes by they will likely get used to being on daily exhibition, but so far they have persisted in showing a very unfriendly attitude toward everyone.
 
         Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, 312 E. Main Street, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.

The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on May 10, 1935.
 
Roller Skating Rink To Be Opened Here
 
Amusement Company Erecting Portable Floor and Tent on East Main Street; Formal Opening Next Week
The roller skating rink which is being erected on the vacant lot on East Main street just west of the B. F. Olberding filling station, by the Mott & Leach Outdoor Amusement and Concession company, of Dexter, this state, will be opened to the public some time next week. During the summer months it will be under management and supervision of Clarence Peterson, of Forest City, Iowa.
Last week’s rains prevented the rink from opening as soon as had been expected. Heavy timbers are being laid as ground joists, and over these a maple flooring is to be laid. Dimensions of the floor will be 44x96 feet. The entire lay-out will be covered with a canvas canopy.
The rink will be operated in the afternoon and evening, with roller skating lessons for beginners being conducted in the afternoon from 2:30 to 4:30 o’clock.
 
         Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, 312 E. Main Street, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.

The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on March 8, 1935.
 
Taking of Muskrats Unlawful this Year
 
State Game and Fish Division Issues Prohibitory Order After Dangers of Undue Depletion are Shown
Trapping of muskrats or taking of them in any other manner will be unlawful throughout this year, according to an official statement received by County Auditor Ray Koehn from Erling Swenson, director of the division of game and fish of the Minnesota department of conservation. This order was issued following an investigation in which it was shown that muskrats in the state are in danger of undue depletion.
It takes effect at once, and shall be in force until December 31st, 1935. Specification is made that “no muskrats may be taken in the state of Minnesota in any manner except as may be provided by orders issued pursuant to Mason’s statutes 1927, section 5544, during the year 1935.”
A survey of the muskrat situation was recently conducted by all game wardens in the state, within their respective districts. The nature of the reports sent in to the division of game and fish led the state department to issue its latest order, to protect these fur-bearers from possible extinction.
 
         Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, 312 E. Main Street, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.

The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Feb. 22, 1935.
 
Rock County Now in Drought Relief Area
 
Farmers in Dire Need of Feed for Livestock Can Secure Emergency Feed Loans to Meet Situation
Rock county is now included in the emergency drought relief area in Minnesota, which means that farmers who happen to be in dire need of feed for livestock can secure emergency feed loans. Official notification to this effect was made yesterday by Harry Alle, of Worthington, federal seed loan field representative.
A central office for Rock county has been established. In the office of County Agent Willrett, with Geo. Dunbar, of Ash Creek, a chief clerk. Mr. Allen was in the city yesterday assisting in making arrangements for the establishing of his office, from which the feed loans will be issued. A county committee composed of A. A. Anderson, Frank Peschon, Wm. Jacobsen and C. J. Martin has been appointed to pass on the loans.
Applications for loans may be made at any time at the central office. The amount to be loaned will be at the rate of $3.00 per cow, $4.00 per horse, $1.00 per hog and 50 cents per sheep. These loans are issued on a per month basis.  The loans will be due and payable on November 1st this year. The rate of interest is 5½ percent.
Farmers and stockmen in nine additional Minnesota counties, including Rock, were this week placed on the list of those eligible to obtain emergency feed loans from a part of the emergency drought fund appropriated last year. The other counties are Kittson, Mahnomen, LeSeuer, Pennington, Rice, Polk, Brown and Dakota.
Such loans are being disbursed from a part of the emergency fund appropriated by congress and approved June 19th, 1934, and are obtained only through the emergency crop and feed loan offices, and not from any of the permanent lending agencies under the Farm Credit administration.
While the need for these feed loans is by no means widespread in Rock county, undoubtedly some farmers may have felt the effects of the drought to such an extent that the loans will prove of considerable help. Efforts to have Rock county included in the feed loan area have been in progress for some time, particularly  on account of the hail storm which swept the northern part of the county last summer, but no definite action was taken until the supplemental list of the above mentioned counties was approved.
         Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, 312 E. Main Street, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.

The following appeared in The Rock County Star-Herald on Jan. 17, 1946.
 
Rock County’s New Extension Agent and Soil Conservationist Are Named
George Golla, 27, Shevlin, Minn., arrived this week to begin his duties as Rock county’s new extension agent. A native Minnesotan, he was graduated from Mahnomen high school in 1936, and from the College of Agriculture, University of Minnesota in 1942. He was an active 4-H club member and spent three summers serving as county 4-H club agent in Carlton county, which had a membership at that time of about 800 boys and girls.
He entered the armed forces, and served as a pilot of a B-24 with the 5th Air Force in the Pacific, flying 40 missions against the enemy in the Philippines, Borneo, Formosa and China. He was discharged on December 15, 1945, at which time he had the rank of first lieutenant.
He is married, and the father of one and one-half year old daughter, Vikki Jean.
He and his family will reside in the home in Beaver Creek vacated by the Fred Haverland family. Mrs. Haverland and daughter have gone to live with her parents until Mr. Haverland locates a place to live in St. Cloud. The Haverlands have sub-let the home, furnished, to Mr. and Mrs. Golla until that home.
 
Jerry Simpson, 34, will succeed Fred Haverland as county soil conservationist.
He will come here the first week in February from Rochester, Minn., where he is presently located, and he plans to move his wife and two small sons here as soon as living quarters are available.
Mr. Simpson has been in soil survey work for the past 10 years most of the time in Minnesota. He attended Kansas State college at Manhattan, Kansas.
Mr. Haverland, who purchased a business in St. Cloud in partnership with Kay Aanenson and Clifford R. Simon, will assist Mr. Simpson in getting started with the work here.
The soil conservation office will hereafter be located in the former Gildemann building, on Main street, directly across from Nelson Brothers.
 
 
         Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, 312 E. Main Street, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.

The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Feb. 22, 1935.
 
Birthday Ball Shows $157.15 Net Proceeds
 
Total Receipts From Sale of Over 800 Tickets, $215,10; Funds Will be Used for Health Activities
A financial report covering receipts and disbursements for the President Roosevelt birthday ball, held in Luverne on January 30th, was presented yesterday by F. A. Leicher, treasurer for the 1935 event. Total receipts from ticket sales were $215.10, more than 800 tickets having been sold, and net proceeds amounted to $157.15, after the various expenses had been met.
Items listed under disbursements were: Orchestra, $25.00; police, $2.00; announcement, $1.00; postage, cards, etc., $8.80; printing, $11.15, and use of the Armory, $10.00. Disbursements totalled $57.95.
Under the same arrangement that prevailed throughout the country, seventy percent of the net proceeds is retained to promote relief and rehabilitation work among persons in this community afflicted with infantile paralysis. The other thirty percent is being remitted to the national commission sponsoring research in the treatment of this disease, in which President Roosevelt is actively interested.
 
         Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, 312 E. Main Street, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.

The following appeared in The Rock County Star-Herald on April 7, 1949.
 
County Public Health Nurse Would Cost Residents Estimated 40 Cents Per Person
 
Maximum Annual Outlay For Program Would Be $5,000, According to Report
Cost of maintaining a public health nurse in Rock county will average 40 cents per person per year, it was announced here Friday night.
A meeting, arranged for by the Luverne Mothers Club, to discuss the question of a public health nurse, was held at the high school building here. In attendance were three members of the county board, representatives of various civic organizations, several school teachers, and a group of nurses and public health workers from Nobles county.
Speaker of the evening was Dr. B. O. Mork, Jr., Worthington, director of the state department of health. County Supt. of Schools Barrett presented the figures on the cost in the absence of County Auditor Koehn, whose records were used as a basis for the computation.
Cost of having the nursing program, based on costs in other counties in the state, was estimated to amount to between $4,800 and $5,000; the state will pay $1,500; the remaining $3,500 being the county’s share of the cost. Figuring on the basis of $10,000,000 in assessed valuation of Rock county property, the nursing program would increase the total tax bill for each taxpayer by .35 of a mill. For the average quarter section of land with an average set of buildings, taxes would increase $1.75 over the present amount now paid, Mr. Barrett indicated.
(The county board of commissioners hires the nurse if a public health program is adopted. Costs incidental in the nursing program are paid from tax funds.)
Benefits which the people of the county would derive through a public nursing program would more than offset the offset the cost, Dr. Mork pointed out.
“The cost of a couple of movies or a couple of haircuts shouldn’t be too great for the people to pay for this health service,” he stated.
Among the benefits derived through a county nursing home program, Dr. Mork pointed out are:
(1) Tuberculosis testing (mantoux) on a county wide basis. Dr. S. A. Slater, of the Worthington Sanatorium, hesitates to make Mantoux tests on a mass basis when there is not a public health nurse in the county, because a nurse is needed for follow-up work, Dr. Mork stated.
(2) Work in cancer control, with funds made available by the American Cancer Society. The Cancer Society, it was pointed out, will work though a nurse in educating the public regarding cancer in its early stages. Death from cancer can be prevented, in at least one-third of the cases, if cancer is detected early enough.
(3) Earlier detection of such diseases as tuberculosis. Each case of tuberculosis that requires sanatorium treatment costs the county at least $2,000 per year for case. For every death caused by TB, in its early stages, Dr. Mork pointed out, the saving to the county resulting from such a discovery, would almost pay the nurse’s salary for a year.
Duties of a nurse, Dr. Mork said, fall into three categories. She would provide nursing care and health guidance to school children and families. In Nobles county, he said, the nurse calls on all mothers of newborn babies to give them assistance and advice. Secondly, she participates in educational work, assisting in training home nursing classes, etc. Thirdly, she cooperates with the medical profession and citizen groups in putting the county health program into effect. This may include TB testing, mass immunization, health examinations of school children, etc.
In breaking down the cost figures, Dr. Mork said that the nurse’s salary would run from $2,800 to $3,000 per year, based on what other counties are now paying. A part time clerk would entail an expenditure of an additional $1,000; $700 would go toward travel expense, while another $300 would be required for office supplies and incidentals.
Mrs. Jerry Simpson, a member of the Mothers Club Public health nurse committee, said she had investigated costs of counties of approximately the same size population and area as Rock county, to maintain a nursing program. Cost in Stevens county last year was $3,575; Sherburne, $4,067.57; Houston, $3,832.61; Dodge, $4,281.51; Pipestone, .4,013.72.
Rock is one of 21 counties in the state which does not have a nursing program, yet there is not a county in the state which has a greater agricultural valuation than Rock county, Mrs. Simpson pointed out.
Dr. C. L. Sherman said that the medical profession as a whole was in favor of the nursing program, and Dr. O. W. Anderson said that everyone he had talked to felt the same way.
County Commissioner G. V. Carstens, Luverne, when asked how the county board felt about it, said that if anyone were interested in how that county board felt about it, they were welcome to attend the county board meeting, and the county board would express their views at that time. He said that since the county board tabled the matter last year, two new members had replaced two of those who had been on the board at that time, and the board’s views may have changed since then.
County Commissioner W. G. Perkins said no one in his district had spoken to him in favor of a nurse, and he had had some speak against it. “If I thought the people of my district favored a nurse,” he said, “I’d vote for it. But, it’s my duty to represent the people of my district and vote as they want me to vote.”
County Commissioner Harry Leslie did not voice his opinion. Commissioner A. H. Halls and L. J. Moeller were not in attendance.
         Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, 312 E. Main Street, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.

The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on March 31, 1949.
 
Monday Was Pay Day For National Guardsmen
They’re Not Phoney So Don’t Pass Up $2 Bills
Some over 1,000 two-dollar bills will be in circulation here during the next few days and weeks. And there’s nothing phoney about them either.
The bills represent the quarterly payroll to members of the Luverne National Guard unit, who received their “paychecks” in two-dollar bills Monday night.
Big Annual Payroll
Two-dollar bills are rather unusual in this part of the country and their appearance at this time will serve to stress the role that the national guard plays in the local business picture, says Capt. Lester U. Tollefson, commander.
During the year March 1, 1948 to March 1, 1949 $27,075.11 was paid to members of the unit. Full-time employees at the armory received $15,780; $8,564.86 was paid to the 67 men and officers for regular drills, and $2,730.25 was paid to the local men who attended national guard camp at Camp Ripley last summer.
Camp Dates Announced
National guard camp at Camp and field maneuvers will begin June 12 and continue through June 26 at Camp Ripley. The 135th Regiment of which Headquarters Company of Luverne is a part, will be the only Minnesota regiment in camp at that time. The other units will come from South Dakota this year for this period of training, Capt. Tollefson said.
 
         Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, 312 E. Main Street, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.

The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Aug. 17, 1877.
At a meeting of the St. Paul board of education held recently, a contract was entered into with Wilson, Hinkle, & Co., of Cincinnati, by which text books are to be furnished the city schools at one-half the rates formerly paid for the same books. The Superintendent was duly authorized, and directed to furnish an estimate to parties handling them of the probable number of each kind that will be needed during the first term in the ensuing year.
The following is a schedule of the books, with the prices at which they will be furnished by agents appointed to handle them. It is proper to add that all but two of the series of books named in the contract are at present in use in the city schools, so that no extra expense will be incurred by pupils.
       Schedule:
Harvey’s first reader - 14c,
Harvey’s second reader – 27c, Harvey’s third reader – 55c, Harvey’s fourth reader – 44c, Harvey’s fifth reader – 66c, Harvey’s primary speller – 14c, Harvey’s language lessons – 20c, Harvey’s elementary grammar – 30c, Harvey’s English grammar – 57c, Electic geography, No. 1 – 48c, Electic geography, No. 2 – 95c, Electic primary copy book – 7c, Electic copy book – 10c, White’s primary arithmetic – 20c, White’s intermediate arithmetic – 31c, White’s complete arithmetic – 57c, Brown’s physiology – 85c, Norton’s philosophy – 95c.
From the foregoing it will be seen that prices have been reduced to something like reasonable figures, bringing necessary text books within the reach of many people in very moderate circumstances and breaking up, so far as the city schools are concerned, one of the worst monopolies with which the parents of this country have to contend. It is altogether probable that other publishing houses will have to reduce the former exorbitant prices, in which even our public school officials should take the necessary steps to secure the benefit of such reduction. In this way, whether the law enacted last winter is carried out or remains a dead letter, parents of school children will be relieved in a great measure of a most unconscionable tax, and one for which there can be offered no reasonable excuse.
         Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, 312 E. Main Street, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.