Andrew Alexis Varvel

On this date in 1925, the University of North Dakota's student newspaper, The Dakota Student, ran this article about the university library: “At one time classed as one of the largest collections of its kind in the country, the collection of Scandinavian literature in the University library now consists of 4,500 volumes, and includes all kinds of Norwegian, Icelandic, and Swedish books and magazines, according to A. D. Keator, librarian.”

On this date in 1913, The Student, UND's student newspaper, reported on the installation ball of Phi Delta Theta, a new fraternity.

This date in 1989 was a day of anticipation for school teacher Lola Gellner from Perkett Elementary School in Minot. The next day was Saturday, when she would demonstrate a new educational video game at Dakota Square Mall called, “Where in North Dakota is Carmen Sandiego?”

This week in 1886, readers of the previous day's Bismarck Weekly Tribune were treated to a glorious tall tale.

On this date in 1968, the University of North Dakota's student newspaper, The Dakota Student, revealed a bombshell – “Iron Mask exists.”

On this date in 1897, the Fargo society column in “The World,” a Black newspaper in the Twin Cities, printed the following: “The H. P. C. met Friday and gave a fine entertainment at the [residence] of Mrs. E. Hayes on Front street and the program was well rendered by all who took part. The H. P. C's are going to have a banquet on the evening of [February] 20, and a good time is anticipated.”

This month in 1891, “The Student,” the monthly student publication of the University of North Dakota, printed this story: “We had visited the soldiers' quarters, wandered around where the soldiers parade, and even visited the store, which is just outside the fort. Then longing for new fields to conquer we wondered what we should do next. At length someone suggested that we visit the Council Room of the Indians, and having learned that they were holding a council that afternoon, we sallied forth."

On this date in 1930, Edward Robertson, president of Wesley College, sent this typed letter to Vernon Squires, dean of liberal arts at the University of North Dakota: “Dear Friend of Thirty Years: This is a love letter. It is a bit unusual for one man to write a love letter to another man. I am not sure of the correct form or phrasing of it, but I am sure that no other sort would suit my idea of a letter that I wish to have bound together with writings of other friends in a Blue Key testimonial."

This week in 1882, the Virginia Star, a black newspaper in Richmond, Virginia reprinted an article from the Conservator, a black newspaper from Chicago, that read: “A number of well-known colored men of this city have united to establish a colored colony in Dakotah. Their pronunciamento is as follows ..."

The November 1888 Student, the University of North Dakota's monthly magazine from that era, reported: “[Professor Henry] Montgomery … during the past five years has devoted considerable time to the exploration of artificial mounds in Dakota. The greater portion of this work ... has been in the neighborhood of Devils' Lake, Fort Totten, and Inkster.”