T-Shirts and The Big Woods

The Norseland Community 150th Anniversary Committee met this past week. Here is an update.

1. We have interesting historical data on “The Big Woods”. This will be used in the introduction of our book which will be entitled: “Norseland: Where the Big Woods Meets the Prairie”.
2. Financially we are looking good with a cash balance of $12,675.75 in our treasury. We are grateful to the Schmidt Foundation of St. Peter for a substantial part of these funds. Committee members will be calling on area businesses and asking them to donate. We are registered as a non-profit through the Nicollet County Historical Society so donations will be tax exempt. If you care to donate make checks to Norseland 150 and mail to Myrna Schoeb, 37658 410th Street, St. Peter, Mn. 56082. Your donations are much appreciated.
3. We will be ordering small refrigerator magnets with our logo and the date of the event on them. These will be distributed at the Nicollet County Fair. A magnate advertising our event on your refrigerator door is always a good way to remember a special celebration.
4. Norseland 150 T shirts are being ordered and are expected to be available at the Norseland Lutheran Church’s Syttende Mai dinner on May 17 and Scandian Grove’s Memorial Day dinner which is May 28.
   
   Historical Bits of Information
   During the years of 1874-1876, the farmers in the Norseland area suffered the scourge of grasshoppers. The plague was so bad that one farmer wrote to his relatives in Sweden that he would give up everything and return to his native land if things did not get better. During this time the Minnesota legislature allowed county auditors to pay grasshopper bounties from 3-10 cents a bushel.
   School District 4 residents decided to build a 26x38 foot frame building for a school in 1876. The low bid for the building was $822 by Swan Johnson.
   Country schools were eliminated in the late 1940’s. The state legislature passed a law asking counties to set up school-survey committees to examine the strengths and weaknesses of their local school systems. This was the impetus for consolidation of districts and the end of rural one-room schools. Read more about all of these subjects in our book to be published in 2008. end