The following appeared in The Rock County Star-Herald on March 24, 1949.
Luverne Girl Wins County Spelling Crown
Margaret Fritz, who is a pupil in the eighth grade of the Luverne junior high school, won the county spelling contest Saturday of a possible 100 words correctly in a written test, also taken by pupils from 11 other Rock county schools.
Shirley Hawes of district 45, placed second, and spelled 80 out of 100 words correctly.
Third place was won by Mary Lou Wynn of Magnolia who spelled 79 words right.
Winner, parent, teacher and County Superintendent V. M. Barrett will go to Minneapolis April 10 where Miss Fritz will take part in the state contest sponsored by the Minneapolis Tribune. There, all county winners will participate in a written examination. Survivors of the written examination will compete in an oral spelldown for the state championship.
The words fiasco, effigies, beige, doggerel and typifies, were, according to Superintendent Barrett, the five words which gave Rock county students the most difficulty in Saturday’s contest.
Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, 312 E. Main Street, Luverne, MN 56156.
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