History

Old Fashioned Fourth Celebration Delightful

By Lou Richardson
Staff Writer

The Great Depression may not have been that much fun to live through, but it was delightful to revisit at Moorhead State College's Old Fashioned Fourth of July Thursday.

Leaning heavily on nostalgia, the events committee, headed by Louis Selberg, coordinator of special events at MSC, provided bingo, contests, food at depression prices, plays, movies, hay rides, bands and near perfect weather.

The sky was sunny, the temperature in the mid 80s, and more than 2,000 persons obviously enjoyed the slight breeze and shade trees at the MSC mall.

Non-stop eating was popular early in the afternoon with some families bringing picnics, but most people bought from stands that featured hot dogs (25 cents), donuts (5 cents), ice cream cones (5 cents), pickles (5 cents), and lemonade (free).

Although the food was cheap, and although almost everyone strolling around the mall in the early afternoon appeared to be eating something, there were no lines at the stands and food seemed to be holding out well.

Only one complaint was heard. One family, attending for the second year, recalled that last year the celebration was even cheaper when all food and entertainment was free.

Booths and services were attended to by MSC students, faculty, staff, alumni, and Women's Club members.

Virtually the only fireworks at the celebration were furnished by the American Legion in a display at 9 p.m. at Nemzek Field. Fire crackers, a usual part of every 4th of July, were conspicuous by their absence earlier in the day.

In the grand tradition of 4th of July political speeches, Moorhead Mayer Dwaine Hoberg presented his opening speech as he campaigns for lieutenant governor of Minnesota.

Improving on traditional two and three-hour Independence Day political speeches, Hoberg limited his to 20 minutes. He sounded an optimistic note, calling these the best of times and predicting that recent unethical practices in government would cause people to demand higher standards from their politicians.

The crowd, which consisted largely of family groups, sampled from numerous entertainments, many reminiscent of the 1930s.

Two teams of Clydesdale horses provided by James Hoaglund of north of Fargo pulled wagons for hay rides around the MSC campus. The children's decorated bicycle contest was won by David Wagner, 7, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harvey R. Wagner, rural Moorhead.

The children's costume contest was won by Karen and Sara Johanson, daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Johanson, 503 10th St. S., Moorhead, and Elizabeth Eagan, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Eagan, 506 10th St. S., Moorhead.

Awards for the most comical costumes went to Chris Nelson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Steve Nelson, 1614 6th Ave. S., Moorhead, and to Karen Hunt, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas G. Hunt, 1520 5th Ave. S, Fargo.

The Johnny Flag Band and the Ambassadors Barber Shop Quartet, both local groups, entertained at different parts of the mall.

Two plays were presented, a melodrama, "Love Rides the Rails," by the High School Theatre Group in the afternoon and early evening, and "Count Dracula" by the MSC Straw Hat Players at 11 p.m.

The Old Fashioned 4th celebration is the second of four to be presented as part of bicentennial observances.

It took its theme, the Great Depression, from the MSC's summer program, of which it is a part. Other activities, including lectures and seminars, will also use this theme.