To the Editor:
Hi, Sue.  What a neat tribute to a long time servant of the Lord, Fr. Landelin Marvin Robling, OSB, as published in the September 2006 issue of the Victoria Gazette.  It did bring back some mem-iories.
In 1936 Hank Fossum Sr. drove the school bus that picked me up as well as others, including the Robling kids.  I had to walk about a quarter mile but the Robling kids certainly had to walk much further.
The bus would go no further than the Grimm Road and turn around on the road that led to the Robling farm.  I can re-member the Robling kids running across the field and under a fence to catch the bus.  It would be great to hear from the Robling kids regarding their experiences in catching the bus.
Hank Fossum's bus in 1936 was a 1920's something, and some of the seats ran alongside of the window like a long bench. 
At that time Victoria Public School, Consolidated School District 16, used two buses.  Hank Fossum's bus had the area generally west and north of Victoria.  The other bus was owned by Frank Schneider Sr.  His bus was a late 1920's or early 1930's Chevrolet, and I believe it had a blue trim.  His area was east of Victoria, including Park Drive where the Hedtkes, Rippels, and Goldschmidts lived.
Soon after, both buses were con-demned by the State of Minnesota and in 1938 Hank Fossum bought a bright new orange 1938 Ford bus and we got to sit in seats that are like those in the buses today.  His bus was then used for both routes.
Uncle Ron Holtmeier
Victoria, Minnesota

To the Editor:
We are having a commemorative photograph on September 22^nd at 11:30 a.m. for all the people involved with the rehabilitation of the Notermann Building in downtown Victoria. 
There will be somewhere between 40 and 50 people there including many of the original Notermann family, city council-members and city staff, contractors, new building tenants (including the first public announcement of the first floor retail tenant), and anyone else that was involved in the project.  In addition, the School of the Wise will be catering in a lunch after the photo shoot.  We have mailed you an invite, but I would also like to personally extend an invitation to you to this event as well.  Thanks.
Matt Crowe
CEI Ventures

To the Editor:
What do you value in regard to the education of the children in our district?  Is it smaller class sizes, or preparing them for a global job market?  Maybe it's involvement in extra-curricular activities.  Perhaps it is creating a learning communi-ty, or facilities that are safe and secure.
My children have grown up in this school district and have benefited from nurturing teachers, a progressive curricu-lum, and forward thinking leadership.  I believe this referendum will institute many of the values I hold dear for the children of this district.  What do you value?
Please join me in voting YES on November 7^th for the District 112 Bond-Levy Referendum.
Marilyn Syverson
Chaska, Minnesota

To the Editor:
Hello.  My name is Pastor Dean Mahlum.  I am starting a new Lutheran church in the southwest metro area and I would like to submit an article and pur-chase advertising space for the next issue of the Victoria Gazette.
I think the article would be interest-ing to people as this new church is born of my missions experiences and is an entirely new kind of church.  Rather than having as much program and building and staff as possible, which is the typical way to do church, this is designed to have no more of those things than is absolutely necessary.  This frees up the majority of the people and resources to be out in the field, with an emphasis on serving the poor and sharing the gospel, and interact-ing with people of other cultures.
I would like to share in the Gazette the story of how I was led to start this new missions-focused, culturally interactive, servant model church.  I was wondering if you would be interested in publishing such an article and when the deadline is for the October issue of the Gazette.  I would guess it is very soon.  Thank you.
Pastor Dean Mahlum
via email

To the Editor:
I am supporting the District 112 bond-levy referendum.
As a retiree, I am careful about the use of our limited resources and watchful of our family's living expenses.  As a homeowner, I am protective of my home and its value. 
As a parent of two ninth graders, I want excellence in the schools they at-tend.  As a former product development professional for a large consumer pro-ducts company, I have seen firsthand the necessity for long range planning and the success of data-based decision making.
I believe our school board has done its homework. 

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