December 21, 2007

50 YEARS AGO

November 28, 1957 — Eldorado Township residents took the first step toward school district reorganization when they launched a petition campaign requesting all Eldorado school district territory be annexed to the Hillsboro Special School District. Three other rural school districts — Hillsboro Township, Norway and Bloomfield — also met to discuss annexation. Hillsboro PTA president George Sorlie was working with rural school districts, encouraging annexation to improve educational facilities and curriculum.

Hillsboro’s boys basketball team was set to open its season against East Grand Forks Sacred Heart.

The Hillsboro Fire Department offered its old fire truck for sale. The 1934 Ford has served the department for 23 years and had been replaced by a newer machine.

40 YEARS AGO

November 29, 1967 — An experimental piece of equipment was installed at the Harlan Diehl farm near Hillsboro. NDSU, Nodak Rural Electric Co-op and the N.D. Power Use Council planned to test how the unit removed salt from water using electrical principles, a permeable membrane and an ion exchange process. The Diehl farm was selected because its well had a very high salt content.

The City of Hillsboro bought a used boom truck for the utility department from Henning Construction, a Fargo company. It would allow the city to continue rebuilding its electrical lines after Henning quit doing that kind of work.

Traill County engineer Kenneth Schumar died after a brief illness. He had headed the highway department for nine years.

30 YEARS AGO

December 1, 1977 — More than 80 north Traill County residents petitioned the county commission to meet with Grand Forks County officials about paving County Road 25, an east-west road that doubles as the borderline between the two counties.

The Pre-Christmas Blitz at the Jack and Jill Food Center in Hillsboro featured hams for 49 cents a pound, two pounds of sugar for 49 cents and bananas for 17 cents a pound.

Buxton’s Town and Country Senior Center initiated a chore service to help senior citizens and the disabled with repair projects, yard work and snow removal. The service was funded by a federal grant.

20 YEARS AGO

November 30, 1987 — More than 50 players signed up for city league basketball in Hillsboro. The teams would play four games each Wednesday night starting Dec. 2 and running through March 2.

For sale in the Hillsboro Banner — a drum set, a blue tweed sofa sleeper, a 1963 Oldsmobile and 444 used theater seats.

10 YEARS AGO

November 29, 1997 — The Hillsboro community rallied around two-year-old Jake Ferguson as he battled acute lymphoblastic leukemia. A spaghetti benefit dinner was planned to assist his family with medical expenses.

The Central Valley girls basketball team finished their best season on record (23-5) and earned a first-time trip to the state tournament. The team placed 6th, losing 49-46 to Hazen in the opening round, rebounding with a 47-37 win over Midkota and battling to a 54-30 loss against Richardton-Taylor.

— compiled by Michelle McLean