Clinton High School - Builder Yearbook (Clinton, MN)

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home-talent play. One of these plays. The Last Loaf, given in 1914, in- cluded the following characters: James Green, Karl Beaty, Art Erick- son, Ray Beaty, Karl Erickson, Josie Olson, Lillie Erickson, and Mildred Crane. School notes were given every week in the local paper and in the Decem- ber 9, 1915 issue, was found the follow- ing article: An innocent mouse ran across the floor when the pupils were either whispering or studying in the assembly. It just made the Freshman girls jump. Merlyn eyed him coming along the wall and slugged him with a giant pencil and the poor thing de- parted from this world forever. We take it that it was Merlyn Shannon who did this heroic deed, because Merlyn always was one to protect the girls. At a council meeting in May 1916, the village council decided to take electric power from the Fergus Falls Power Company. The plant was bought by the city so that there would be no misunderstanding between the village and the power company. In 1917 war broke out and many of the local young men enlisted in the army or navy. More and more men went at every call until there were very few left. When the news of the Armistice reached Clinton there was a great celebration with a big parade led by the Long Island band and a program held at the park consisting of music, songs, and speeches. In February, 1920, Clinton organized a band and the following officers were elected: President, Carl Olson, vice president, Courtney Krookg sec- retary, Laye Englundg and treasurer, Clarence Condit. R. M. Beaty was ap- pointed leader and conductor of the band. The annual county fair held Sep- tember 1920, had its record crowd of 7.500 people. During the year 1922 the village council had tile placed on main street and the people planted flowers in them, In 1923 a 325,000 fire occurred in Clinton, and four buildings were razed. The fire started during a terrible blizzard and it was impossible to get it extinguished. In the period from 1920 to 1940 there were few changes in our com- munity. The one thing which probably changed Clinton more than anything else, was the drouth which reached this vicinity in 1933 and continued until 1936. The lawns, fields. and pas- tures were like barren roads covered with Russian thistles. Large groves of trees perished. Not until this time did we really appreciate grass and green foliage. All feed had to be ship- ped in, and it was a common sight to see a farmer taking home a couple bales of hay for his cattle. We Wish to pay tribute to the farmers and to the people of Clinton who, despite all obstacles, kept on and never gave up. Clinton has experienced a great many fires in its time, but probably the worst ones occurred in 1937 and 1939. In 1937, the Odd Fellows build- ing burned. The fire was caused by a movie machine which -caught fire. The fire spread quickly and the hall was a complete loss. Then in 1939 our schoolhouse, a S100,000 building, was almost completely destroyed. The old part of the building, built in 1913, was burned completely and the new addition to the building was damaged by fire, water and smoke. The school is now being rebuilt and will be ready for the next fall term. For the remain- der of the 1939 school term school was held in various buildings around town. This last year school has been held in the Masonic Hall, and the rooms above the Ross Hardware Store. The music room is located in the Mickelson building. Clinton and the surrounding terri- tory has grown to be a thriving com- munity. The present Council consists of: Mayor, Dr. J. L. Fjeldeg Clerk, Ed- ward Gustafson, Alex Ringness. Her- man Anderson. and Ralph Moore. The following business places are now found here: one drug store, three restaurants, two hardware stores two pool halls, one beauty parlor. three barber shops, one state bank. one bakery, four garages, one creamery, two blacksmith shops, one liquor store, one physician, one dentist. one butch- er shop, three grocery stores, a de- partment store, one 1'eal-estate office, a post office, a hotel, two lumber yards, several produces, a radio shop, feed mill. several insurance agencies, a public library, three churches, four elevators, a local newspaper, an effi- cient fire department, a tailor agency, the Milwaukee railroad, a jail and five filling stations. Clinton is centrally located. not only in the geographical heart of Big Stone county. but in the heart of the richest agricultural land in western Minne- sota. Clinton has grown considerably since its incorporation in 1890, and great things are expected to come from this community in the future.

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