This Week in Freeman's History

Jan. 4-10, 1933 – Jan. 6 Plane Crash

As reported by editor J.J. Mendel in the Jan. 12, 1933 issue of the Courier. 

The whole town went out Friday (Jan. 6) when the sad news reached town that two men were killed in an airplane crash about seven miles north of town. The two men killed were H.C. Davis of Winner, the pilot, and his brother Vernon Davis of Beresford. They left Winner in the morning for Sioux Falls. On the way back home, they faced that big wind storm from the northwest. Henry T. Kehn, near Silver Lake, said he and several others watched them when they reached Silver Lake and it seemed they had a hard time flying against the wind. Neighbors said they tried to land when all at once the plane fell down. When neighbors rushed over to the scene, they found one was still living, but only for a short time.

Alvin Waltner of this community, who owns a plane, said, “I would attribute the accident to adverse weather combined with some carelessness. I flew from Pierre to Aberdeen Friday afternoon, and this was the roughest weather that my experience remembers. I managed to land and proceeded the next day. There is no doubt in my mind that this plane was stalled in mid-air.”

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Jan. 11-17, 1888 - Jan 12 Blizzard

In the Jan. 15, 1925 Freeman Courier, editor J.J. Mendel recalls the 1888 blizzard and offers a personal perspective. Here are excerpts.

January 12 of each year always reminds the older people of the most disastrous blizzard that the Dakotans ever saw. It was 37 years ago in 1888. 

The storm came during the school hour. You could not open your eyes, much less see anything. Consequently, those caught outside found themselves lost. With a storm like that and 45 below during the night, 148 were frozen to death in Dakota; most were school children who tried to walk home.

“That night is remembered by us as though it was in 1924. We spent the night four miles northeast of Olivet in a 14 x 18 schoolhouse with a 10 x 14 edition used for a barn. D.J. Mendel, our teacher, had sense enough to not allow anybody to leave for home.

P.R.M. Hofer was teaching in the Paul Glanzer school eight miles northwest of Freeman. He gave strict orders not to leave the room and saved all his scholars.

In the Christ Kaufman school, Dr. Glocker was the teacher. Tobias C Kaufman went to school and, with the teacher, made an attempt to get the pupils to a close farmer. But after walking a short distance, they returned to the school where the teacher stayed overnight with the pupils. Mr. Kaufman walked home and it was only by luck he got home

John L Wipf taught the Reverend John Hofer school west of town and the teacher and scholars were taken to the Reverend Hofer home for the night.

A.A. Wipf taught the Michael Hofer School. He went home for dinner, about a mile away. When he sat down at the table, his sister came with news about the storm. He left without eating and risked his life to walk over to the school to save the children by keeping them in the school during the storm.

In the A.A. Ratzlaff school northeast of town, the teacher tried to take the pupils to the Peter O. Graber place close to the school. Five children were lost and, after three days, found dead close to four miles away.

Chris Graber was at a straw pile in the storm and the notion struck him that cattle will find home easier than he, so he started the cattle and held onto a cow’s tail and reached home.

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Jan. 18-24, 1946 - The death of Fred Haar on Jan. 19

As reported by J.J. Mendel in the January 24, 1946 Freeman Courier.

Another of the few remaining early pioneers of this community was taken when Fred Haar died on Saturday (Jan. 19) at the age of 89 years. Mr. Haar came to this territory from Russia (in 1875 at the age of 19). 

Those were the days of sod houses and ox carts. (In 1882) he bought out a hardware and implement business, one of the few business places in Freeman at the time. Thus was established the Fred Haar Implement, which is still here today. 

When a man’s heart stops beating, when the warmth of his body is gone and his eyes are closed in eternal sleep, we say he is dead. But a poet says great men never die because their works live after them, and become an inspiration to their fellow man long after.

It would surprise you to know how many people came to Mr. Haar for advice and his advice will be remembered, even after he has gone. He was one of the leading men of the state for half a century. 

He was honest and people knew it, and then confided in him. Feel like relating an incident for a practical explanation how his life was a blessing to others. More than 50 years ago, a farmer northwest of town came in for repairs and because of a thunderstorm, Mr. Haar took him (to the Haar) home overnight. In the morning at breakfast, Mr. Haar read a few verses and prayed. The farmer went home and told his family that this devotion so impressed him that from now on it will be their program too. And it was.

Addendum: His obituary (in that same issue) notes he was a charter member of St. Paul Lutheran Church where he was a deacon for 42 years. In 1922, Mendel wrote, “Mr. Haar is a very influential man in the community … and has done more than any other person in organizing the St. Paul congregation.”

The Fred Haar John Deere dealership remained in the Haar family for five generations; it was sold to C&B Operations in 2011. Today, the implement located on Highway 81, is the oldest retail business in Freeman.

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Jan. 25-31, 1969 - The winter of 1968-69

Excerpts from January 30, 1969 Freeman Courier .

Inconvenience and hardship are words that describe the effect of the weather in the Freeman community this winter. 

Every plan and activity is made with one eye open to the latest developments on the weather scene and forecast for the next 24 hours. All kinds of meetings, athletic games, school activities, church services and meetings have been postponed or canceled the past six weeks due to the weather. Even weddings and funerals have been postponed because of weather conditions. For some funerals, the snowplows were there ahead of the procession to open the road. 

With approximately 60 inches of snowfall on the ground since the start of winter, many instances of extra effort and service to the public have been rendered.

No doubt, the people with the greatest problems due to the heavy snow are the farmers. They have to worry about getting feed and fuel to their farm and hope that electric power will not fail. Many farmers spend two to four hours or more every day just opening up driveways and the farmyards, only to have it blown shut by the next day.

At the hospital, staff workers have been juggling hours and working extra time to keep the hospital manned when roads are impossible.

Classes at Freeman Public School were dismissed early last Wednesday afternoon and no school was held Thursday, Friday or Monday of this week. Classes resumed Tuesday with many of the students from the country missing. Buses have had difficult times. 

There has been school at Freeman Junior College and Academy most of the time because many of the students stay in the dorm or elsewhere in town, but many students were missing. Mail service has been irregular due to road conditions. Services have been called off at many rural churches again and again because of the blizzards and blocked roads.

Yet hope springs eternal in the human breast and folks are not giving up because of a little snow. Although we did hear of one fellow who said he is going to tie a snow shovel on his car hood and start driving south and not stop until someone asks him what that thing tied to his hood is used for.

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Feb. 1-7, 1988 – George Bush comes to Freeman

Excerpts from the Feb. 10, 1988 Courier.

George H.W. Bush, the vice president of the United States and Republican presidential candidate, came to visit Freeman on Friday, Feb 5. South Dakota’s new early presidential primary is on Tuesday, Feb. 23. 

About 1,200 people, including nearly 500 students, braved bitter, cold subzero temperatures and crowded into the Freeman High School Gym. Vice President Bush received a warm welcome as he stood in the center of the gym, which had chairs set up on all sides of him. Bleachers on both sides of the gym were full. 

Former Governor of South Dakota Bill Janklow gave a rousing introduction of Bush describing him as “a man who knows what it means to be part of this country.”

Bush told the audience that Janklow “got me all hungry when he was talking about the Schmeckfest. I am now trying to figure out how I can get invited back to attend that in a few weeks.”

Janklow also introduced him to Kirk and Troy Wollman, both students at Freeman High School who have gained notoriety through their excellence in wrestling. Bush greeted them and gave them each a shirt.

In his opening remarks, Bush said he want to be known as the “education president” by improving the quality of education in the United States.

The format was an informal question-and-answer session. Bush’s answers were general, and none of his comments sent shockwaves into the audience or press corps.

Freeman Elementary Superintendent Laverne Diede said that the students who nearly filled one side of the gym had a “real wholesome reaction to the visit.”

Ann Waltner, a Freeman High School senior, was impressed by the visit, particularly the Secret Service and by having the opportunity to see the vice president answer questions from the audience.

“It was an honor to have the man who’s second in line to be president and could very possibly be president be here,” she said. “I thought he did a pretty good job of answering the questions,” she said.

Addendum: Although he won the GOP nomination that summer and defeated Michael Dukakis (426-111) in November to become the 41stPresident, Bush lost the South Dakota Primary Election to Bob Dole three weeks after his visit to Freeman.

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Feb. 8-14, 1939 - Freeman gets a library

From the Feb. 9, 1939 Freeman Courier.

For some time, several organizations have seen the need for a free library in Freeman and have planned to establish such a library. However, the cost of the books plus the rent of a building proved too big an undertaking. When the Friesen Cream Station (a small single-story building adjacent to the south side of City Hall on Main Street) became vacant, the idea of using it to house the library arose. 

The town board was approached on the matter and generally consented to the idea. The board is to be highly commended for their generosity in their willingness to cooperate and provide things which make our community a better place to live and give our boys and girls an opportunity to make good use of their leisure time. 

In many homes, there are good books which have been read and stored away. These books could well be used in the library and if anyone wishes to donate such books, they will be given an opportunity to do so. Next week’s paper will carry a notice telling you where to leave them.

Addendum: The following week, the Fred Haar Implement was identified as the location to drop off books. The Feb. 23 issue Courier reported the library building had been cleaned, painted and was ready to be occupied. The April 6 issue reported that the Freeman City Library would open on Saturday, April 8 with 200 free books and 10 books on the pay shelf, noting “the books are best sellers and a fee of five cents a week will be charged. All books are on loan for two weeks and a fine of two cents a day will be charged for each day overdue.” In September, the Courier reported that the library had increased to 664 books and in the five months that it was open, 300 people had read 2,964 books, 1,192 of which were children’s books and 1,772 adult books. 

The library transitioned from a club library to a city library in 1943 and remained in that location until moving into the new city hall in 1972. The library moved into its present location at 401 Main in 2007.

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Feb. 15-21, 1956 - Voters OK new FHS gym

Excerpts from an article by John J. Richart, Freeman Public School Superintendent in the Feb.16, 1956 Freeman Courier.

Today is election day in Freeman to decide the question that concerns our public school. There has been a great increase in our grade school enrollment during the past three years. (A chart shows an increase from 71 in 1945-46 to 133 in 1955-56.)

Last year, to make room for this increased enrollment, it was found necessary to move the shop equipment to a building off the school grounds and use the room for grade school instruction. Our music department is hampered because we have no music room and rehearsals have been held on the stage of the auditorium from 8:15 to 9 in the morning. 

(The school gym/auditorium was located in the center of the lower portion of the three-story classroom building at Third and Wipf that served grades K-12 starting in 1925.) 

Instrumental and vocal rehearsals are held throughout the day in the music room on the stage and they interfere with classroom instruction. Play production always interferes with activities of the music department. Our physical education program, which is very limited, also interferes with grade school instruction.

The space now occupied by the gymnasium and stage could be converted into several classrooms. 

We need additional space for our high school. Our science room, in addition to serving as a laboratory, must also be used for regular classroom instruction. The typing room is too small.

Lack of space also prevents us from operating a hot lunch program.

Educational needs and practices change. Our building was constructed in the 1920s. Our town has grown since, but we have not enlarged our public school system. We need the new structure for our boys and girls.

Addendum: Voters approved spending $80,000 to build a new gymnasium; 566 for and 385 against. It was built that year; today it is the Freeman Community Center. But the music room and IA departments were not included until 1965 when a $75,000 addition was built to the east. The gym itself remained the school’s sole gym until 1992 when a new (current) gym was added to the jr.-sr. high school, built on the present campus in 1976.

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Feb. 22-28, 1989 - Kirk Wallman goes out 201-0

Excerpts from the March 1, 1989 Freeman Courier.

It ended the way it began. 

An unprecedented era in South Dakota high school wrestling started in the fall of 1983. That year, Kirk Wallman, a seventh grader from Freeman, embarked on an unbeatable season capped by an overtime win to take his first state championship, the 98-pound state title. 

Last Saturday night (Feb. 25), Wallman now a senior at Freeman High School, closed the book on his prep career with another overtime win, this time claiming the 152-pound state championship. 

That historic win earned Wallman his sixth state wrestling title and his 201stwin. He completed his six-year prep career without losing a single match. 

Wallman was highly favored to win in his final bid for a state title. He faced Chad Lammer, a sophomore from Tri-Valley. Wallman scored first, with a takedown worth two points in the first period. Lamer scored with a reversal worth two points. 

Wallman was starting an escape near the end of the first period and awarded one point to take a 3-2 lead. Neither wrestler scored in the second period. But with time running out in the third period, Wallman was penalized for stalling, evening the score 3-3. Neither wrestler scored in the remaining seconds of regulation time sending the match into overtime. 

Wallman scored two points with a takedown in the first period and two points with a reversal in the second. No one scored in the third and Wallman won the match with a 7-3 decision. When the referee raised Wallman’s hand in victory, the arena crowd was on its feet, giving Wallman a thunderous ovation. Wallman embraced Lamer, shook hands with the Tri-Valley coach, officials, and then returned to his corner and exhausted physically and emotionally, rolled out on the floor, laying on his back as a crowd continued to cheer. 

Addendum: Kirk attended the University of Minnesota for a year, and then Iowa State University, where he wrestled for a while. "Wrestling felt more like a job in college," he said in a 2025 interview with the Yankton P&D. "I lost interest because I wasn't around my father." His father, Gary (“Smokey”), was his coach through his entire prep career.

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