Ledger, Lafayette Band turn 100

Continue to thrive in town

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

LAFAYETTE -- Two heaping spoonfuls of small town Americana continue to thrive as the Lafayette Nicollet Ledger and Lafayette Band celebrated their first century of operation Friday.

Lafayette Band President Greg Bieraugel has been playing the tuba since he was seven and began taking lessons from Ray Meidl. Bieraugel has been in the band since age nine and how that happened is an interesting story.

The band was performing its weekly downtown concertin August 1954. The only tuba player walked into the liquor store during the band's intermission and didn't return in time to play again.

Bieraugel's father Edwin carried a tuba in the car trunk. He got it out for his young son to play, although the lad couldn't carry it himself.

Greg admitted he was a bit frightened to play with the band at such a tender age. He remembered his "clinkers" (wrong notes) when he didn't notice key changes in the music.

The experience spurred Bieraugel on. He studied under New Ulm school instructors Jack Strang and Curt Iverson. Bieraugel played in the U.S. Marine Corps Band for President Lyndon Johnson and at Andrews Air Force Base when kings and other dignitaries flew in.

Bieraugel wasn't the only band member to join as a youngster. Ron Albright began playing in the band at age 12. The band played concerts on Saturday night and on Sunday afternoon during home baseball games.

When World War II took many players, school boys and girls joined the "big" band.

The band marched in the Minneapolis Aquatennial Parade in 1950 and won a trophy. They performed at the Nicollet County Fair every other year.

Friday night concerts remain a regular downtown event. A bandstand on wheels was placed in the middle of the block. Cars would back up to the curb. Horns were honked at the end of each tune. Nobody moved their cars until the concert was over.

Concerts usually ended with marches like "Stars and Stripes Forever," or "Colussus of Columbia."

Concerts were so inclusive, they had an intermission. Popcorn, pop and ice cream cones were sold for five cents each. Two pieces of candy cost a penny.

Clarence Swenson directed the band for 51 years. He began his musical career in the U.S. Army where he played the slide trombone with the 345th Field Artillery in World War I in France and Germany.

Band membership continues to be a family affair. The current band's trombone section includes Tom, Steve and Dan Isenburg.

Years ago, a Ledger house ad read:

Telephone 53 if anyone...elopes, is ill, dies, has an operation, gets married, has an accident, has out-of-town guests, buys a home, goes away, wins a prize, has a party, receives an award, has a baby, builds a home, has a fire, holds a meeting or takes part in any other unusual event. We want all the news, all the time.

The locally-owned, hometown newspaper thrives thanks heavily to "Ramblin'" Ruth Klossner, aka the Cow Lady.

Growing up on a dairy farm near Klossner, she learned about hard work and it shows. She has collection of nearly 11,000 cow-related things including wallpaper border.

"I grew up milking cows," Klossner said. "You learn what work means. I wasn't afraid of it. I could throw (hay) bales with the best of them."

The newspaper has won many awards and she covers the western two thirds of Nicollet County, including Lafayette, Nicollet, New Sweden, Bernadotte and Klossner with a passion.

Klossner has been with the Ledger for 20 years. She began as a correspondent and developed film at home where she had her own photography studio. A decade ago, she became a full-time employee.

Klossner admitted her schedule can be demanding. While working on soft-bound books celebrating Lafayette Centennial City History in 2000, the fire department centennial in 2002 and the Ledger and city band this year, she wound up working as late as 3 a.m. at times, in order to meet deadlines.

There's more where that came from. Nicollet will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2006.

Her biggest story was the March 1998 tornado that tore through Comfrey, Courtland, Nicollet and St. Peter.

Among the most popular stores came from Nicollet native and U.S. Army officer Tim Rustad who e-mailed them in from Iraq.

"We try to concentrate on good news things that dailies often don't do," Klossner said. "People in Lafayette sometimes complain that there's too much Nicollet news in the paper while Nicollet people say there is too much Lafayette news, so I must be doing my job right."

Klossner said she gets to know the Lafayette and Nicollet school kids so well, they're almost like family.

"It makes is more fun when they do something big," Klossner said.

"It's her life," said newspaper owner Doug Hanson of Winthrop. "She lives it. We're very pleased with her."

Ledger correspondents included Violet Bode of Nicollet. Nearly 92, she wrote the "Nicollet Locals" and "Looking Back at Nicollet" columns until 1996. The late Maria Krueger wrote Courtland social events for 24 years, retiring at age 88.