Hubert Minderman

By excerpt from essay by student journalist, Valorie

Hubert Minderman

During that time [Great Depression], the Mindermans lived on a farm. In their backyard they had the Ottertail River at which Hubert and his brothers entertained themselves with ice fishing.

One day, at the age of 14, Hubert and a friend were ice fishing in the hut they had along the river. His friend briefly left and soon a huge fish launched itself out of the hole they had made in the ice. Hubert “bailed out” in utter terror. The fish did get away. Hubert said, “I made the mistake of telling my uncle later that week about the incident and I never heard the end of it.”

Young Minderman also liked to ice skate. He lived in the “Land of 10,000 Lakes,” and there were about 420 lakes in a 10-mile radius of Frazee. He usually skated on a choice four lakes. “I could leave early in the morning, skate all day, and come back late at night, and not go to the same place twice.” 

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