Winter has always been a challenge in Grand Forks, and it has always been full of activity. January 1936 was at that time the coldest on record, according to the university weather station. The average mercury was 10 degrees below zero.
But there were all kinds of activities during that winter 75 years ago:
** The All American Turkey Show was held in January with 425 birds on display. Four South Dakota growers won honors at the show.
The grand champion award went to Mr. and Mrs. Frank Ralston of Crystal, N.D., who showed an adult tom of the Mammoth Bronze breed. And C. Dyke Page of Grand Forks was reelected president of the annual show committee.
** The Roosevelt Birthday Ball was scheduled in Grand Forks on Jan. 30, 1936. William Sandbrink was general chairman, and J. Earl McFadden was vice chairman for the event encompassing both Grand Forks and East Grand Forks and held in the States Theater.
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The officials requested that all other events for that night be cancelled.
** Daring ski jumpers of the Forx Club made their first appearance at what was described as "sporty" Lincoln Park Hill. They were contemplating another big season and were scheduled to take part in several area events.
Two new riders -- Allan Beebe and Philip Olson -- were going to furnish competition for Billy McGowan in Class C. Both had taken a class on the sport and were moving up from the smaller slides.
Young Olson was only 12.
** The Shrine Circus, the Winter Sports Carnival and the Winter Shows in Crookston rounded out events in February 1936. The Shrine Circus at that time provided one week of fun at the City Auditorium with 22 circus acts. Admission was 25 cents.
The Winter Sports Carnival included a dog derby with sleds driven by boys and girls and staged at the Northern Pacific warehouse on Third Street.
Mary Deary was named queen of the Winter Sports Carnival on the same day that Grand Forks recorded a temperature of 41 degrees below zero.
The annual Carney Sing at the university was postponed by a blizzard at the end of February. When it was held, the senior class scored a victory.
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Pages of the Herald, which was a morning paper published by M.M. Oppegard, reflect the life and times of 75 years ago. At that time, people were more concerned about the price of coal and heating oil than gasoline for their cars. When couples went out on Saturday night, it usually was for dancing at the Orient Ballroom, Eagles Hall or the States.
People were going to the library for books and books alone in 1936. The most popular non-fiction book was "North to the Orient." There were twice as many calls for it as for the most popular fiction book, "Anthony Adverse," according to Ruth Brown, city librarian.
The comics or "funny papers" in the Herald were Dick Tracy, Gasoline Alley, Little Orphan Annie, The Gumps, Moon Mullins, Winnie Winkle and Harold Teen.
And the UND basketball team was on a roll that winter. With Clem Letich as coach, they opened the season by beating Omaha University and went on to defeat Iowa Teachers, Morningside, South Dakota State and North Dakota Agricultural College. Then in the return game with NDAC, the Bison scored an upset victory over the Sioux.
Although the 1930s are remembered as the years of the Dust Bowl and the Depression, there were hopeful signs in winter 1936 for the year to come.
A dean at the NDAC in Fargo wrote that the farm outlook offered a greater sense of security because of the Farm Credit administration. And there were early signups of 2,500 acres in early reports from the East Grand Forks factory of American Crystal Sugar.
