Karl D. Everett of Duluth spent part of last weekend cleaning out files. It had been a while, apparently. He came across a Duluth Herald from Wednesday, June 8, 1968.
Leafing through the old broadsheet, Everett realized immediately the newspaper may as well have been published this week.
On page 19 was a story about Dr. Arthur Aufderheide of Duluth and his adventure to the Arctic. Aufderheide was associated with the famed Plaisted Expedition, the first confirmed to reach the North Pole. The headline read, "Arctic Trek fascinating, exciting for Duluthian." A story in Tuesday's News Tribune was headlined, "It's getting crowded at the North Pole." It told the story of Lonnie Dupre of Grand Marais and his recent trek to the top of the globe.
Everett noted that throughout the old paper there were ads similar to those found today.
With the exception of the prices. "Bananas were 10 cents per pound, tuna [was] four cans for 98 cents ... and sirloin steaks were
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88 cents per pound," Everett wrote in a note to the News Tribune editorial page. "A golf jacket was listed at $16."
The 1968 Herald also contained a story about a Hermantown schoolteacher embroiled in controversy. A headline on the second page of Wednesday's Local section read: "Retirement closes book on Hermantown principal complaint."
Finally, "there was also a story about the approval of the site selection for the new Central High School," Everett stated. The story reported that "construction for the $3.3 million school is expected to begin by the fall of 1968." On the front page this week was a story about Denfeld, East and Central high schoolers getting together to talk transition because Central is closing.
So what can we take from all of this? The old cliche is that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Naysayers could argue that Duluth never really fixes its problems or adequately addresses its issues.
But more, Everett's find is another reminder of just how important it is to look back, to study history, to know where we've been and from where we come. We can avoid repeating mistakes. We can duplicate what works.
And that goes beyond bananas at 10 cents a pound.
