30 years ago THE WASHINGTON COUNTY BULLETIN February 3, 1993

Making a presentation to the South Washington County School board, director of pupil services Jan Shively, had news: district growth in the grade schools was leading to problems that weren’t going anyway anytime soon.

Reported by Chris Baldus, the move entailed shifting attendance boundaries, with a committee planning to take a look at Cottage Grove schools on Feb. 3. The same committee had previously looked at Woodbury and St. Paul Park before calling it a night around 10 p.m. to take the matter back up another day.

Down by the river, meanwhile, Chris Baldus reported that a golf course to be called “Links on the Mississippi” by William Doebler had received a conditional use permit the prior August, with the owner seeking an amendment to said permit that would allow for the use an existing house for temporary clubhouse purposes onsite.

Tabled for the present some 30 years ago, the planning commission would take the issue back up at the February meeting.

About 40 years ago THE WASHINGTON COUNTY BULLETIN February 3, 1983 

Receiving a 7.6 percent pay increase, the 18 principals in in South Washington County would soon take home more for a paycheck, per an an update by staff writer Doug Champeau. With the total package costing just over $700,000, district personnel director Perry Palin had a simple explanation.

“Money was set aside for salary increases,” they said. “We didn’t break the bank or anything.”

January 13, 1983

Taking place Wednesday Jan. 4, police patience paid off after a tense standoff with a 16-year-old holding a gun to his head ended with the minor taken into custody, rather than deceased.

“We knew within five minutes that he had ammunition in the gun,” Cottage Grove police chief Dennis Cusick said. Acting with this in mind, the teen who led police on a high-speed chase from Iverson Avenue was taken into custody without being harmed, or harming others.

Although unharmed the boy still faced charges in Washington County over the tense situation that began with the shooting of a relative, the charges carrying a possibility that he might be tried as an adult. 50 years ago THE WASHINGTON COUNTY BULLETIN January 25, 1973 The Grey Cloud Town Board rejects modifications to a rezoning request from the J. L. Shiely company after the initial request was denied.

80 years ago THE HASTINGS GAZETTE January 29, 1943 Speaking to the Kiwanis club on the need for soil conservation was Washington County farmer William A. Bennett, who spoke at the Gardner hotel in Hastings.

Making note that decisions made in the present could determine if future Minnesotans or their descendants had enough to eat when 1,000 years had passed, Bennett showed soil maps of Washington County with what each soil type could grow, the Hastings Kiwanis club members asking a number of questions on the topic. 120 years ago WASHINGTON COUNTY JOURNAL February 13, 1903

The Cuticura treatment is at once agreeable, speedy, economical, and comprehensive… The grandest testimony that can be offered Cuticura is their worldwide sale, due to the personal recommendations of those who have used them…The civilized world has rendered its verdict in favor of Cuticura.

Territorial Dispatches 168 years ago SAINT CROIX UNION Published at Stillwater.

Vol. 1, No. 13 F. S. Cable and W.M.

Easton, Printers a nd publishers January 30, 1855 JOINT CONVENTION Continuation of Wednesday’s proceedings> Wednesday, Jan. 17 Mr. Norris,* speaker of the House, in the chair.

After the Message had been delivered, the Governor withdrew.

Mr. Hanson moved the Convention to proceed to the election of a public printer of printers.

On motion of Mr. Brown, the officer officers of the House “be considered the officers of the Joint Convention, and the rules of the Council be adopted as the rules of the Joint Convention.

Mr. Hanson renewed his motion.

*The man who named Cottage Grove. 170 years ago THE DAKOTA FRIEND January 1852 Dakota Ball Play (The roots of lacrosse) Ball playing is a favorite amusement among the Dakotas, and is often attended with much excitement, as they sometimes stake a large amount of property on a single game.

A ball, is made by a “Medicine Man” or “War prophet” into which he infuses the spirit of the god by whom he is inspired. It is made of moistened clay, covered with leather, and painted to suit the caprice of the god; and is about two and a half inches in diameter. It is believed that the game depends very much upon the supernatural qualities of the ball. Each player is provided with a club which is a small stick about three feet in length, with the lower end bent in a circle, corresponding to the size of the ball, with strings tied across it, so as to form a holder, by means of which they can pick up or catch the ball, and throw it. It is not allowed one ordinarily to touch the ball with the hands. The play ground, in summer, on some even place on the prairie, and on the ice in the winter. The bounds are frequently near half a mile apart, and the game is, to carry the ball from the center of the play ground beyond the bounds, one party striving to carry it one way and the other in the opposite direction…It is a severe game, in which some of them always receive knocks and bruises from which they do not recover for weeks or months, and sometimes they are knocked down by blows from the ball or club.

On Sunday the 13th (last), Six’s band moved down to Oak Grove, previous arrangements having been made, to play against the three bands of Good-Road, Sky-Man and Grey-Iron. The next day the game came off.

Monday results: Six’s band won the prize, with two additional games before adjournment to next day.

Tuesday results: Game start at 11 a.m., with the ball set in motion, Property bet the first day and lost to Six’s band recovered by Good-Road, Sky-Man, and Grey-Iron. Success was attributed to the ball’s wakan virtues, having been made long ago by a war prophet from Wabashaw’s band. A young medicine man named Visible-Mouth was injured but soon revived, the teams retiring for the day to feast.

Wednesday results: Six lost twice, with the games ending in a fight after some of the property bet was kept back…“Thus ended the ball play of three day’s continuance, during which time not less than $4,600 worth of property had been bet…”