• May 23, 1946

Graduation exercises marked the end of high school for 44 seniors. Arthur M. Pardee, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of South Dakota, was the commencement speaker.

The pupils of Hartley No. 2 and their teacher, Pauline Houston, planned a creative program on Iowa’s centennial birthday. The scene of the program was that of a special meeting of the Junior American Citizen’s Club. Reports on Iowa’s history, early life, involvement in the Civil War, religion and capitals were planned by the students. The climax of the program was a presentation of the old-time game of “The Miller Boy.”

Harry Williams, delegate, and Rev. B.H. Romanowski, of the Trinity Evangelical and Reformed Church, were attending the spring conference of the Nebraska Synod of the denomination, which was being held at Plymouth, Neb.

• May 20, 1971

Four Hartley Masons received 50-year Grand Lodge certificates and pins from Beacon Lodge. Those who were recognized were Harry Nielsen, Sr., A.F. Hansen, Bill Bumann and D.C. Boles, who was honored posthumously. Dick Thorson, Grand Master, made the presentations.

The plea to “blow the top” off the fundraising thermometer was responded to wholeheartedly by friends of Buddy Arnold. When the figures were tallied, $1,060.51 had been received. The total assured that Buddy would have his electric wheels. Students and faculty of the Hartley Community School contributed $240 to the wheelchair fund.

Many of the display windows in downtown Hartley were filled with mementos of Hartley and Iowa’s past, in the hope of encouraging area residents to join the newly reorganized O’Brien County Historical Society.

• May 23, 1996

Hartley graduate Terry Muilenburg, Melvin graduate Rosalie (Remmers) Holsclaw and Sanborn graduate Merle Vander Woude were inducted into the H-M-S Athletic Hall of Fame.

The Hartley Threshing Bee board presented a check for $600 to the park board. The funds were to be used to replace boards in the park bleachers, which were in poor condition.

Sixty-one seniors were to receive their diplomas during commencement exercises at H-M-S High School. The commencement speaker was Del Brockshus, of Spencer, who was a 1957 graduate of Hartley High School.

A key component of the economic development policy for the Hartley Industrial Park was the requirement that a prospective business had to guarantee a minimum number of jobs within five years of locating in the park.

“From Our Files” is compiled by Sentinel-News sports editor/staff writer Mike Petersen.