The Daily News

Robert Thomsen made what may be his final trip to Wahpeton this week to visit his alma mater, North Dakota State College of Science. Thomsen was born and raised in Wahpeton, graduating from Wahpeton High School and NDSCS.

After graduating from University of North Dakota in 1934, Thomsen, better known as “Tommy,” came back to Wahpeton as a teacher at the high school.

“Leo Dominick had two positions open but there were three of us [applying],” Tommy said. “He said he’d give us each a job, part-time.” Dominick was the superintendent of Wahpeton Schools in 1934. Tommy recalls making $50 per month that first year as a part-time teacher. “That was a lot then,” he said.

Robert ‘Tommy’ Thomsen visited NDSCS this week and received the surprise of visiting with former high school students, from left, Pauline Worner, Vernon Hektner and Jack Pfister. photo submitted Advertisement

Tommy spent three years as a math and science teacher and assistant football and basketball coach at Wahpeton. Then he moved on to Olivia, Minn., and started the football program.

Now, at 95, Tommy lives in Walla Walla, Wash. His son, Tom Thomsen, traveled with him via train to North Dakota this week to visit NDSCS and UND during the graduation ceremonies. Tommy even got to see some of this former Wahpeton students — Vernon Hektner, Pauline Worner and Jack Pfister.

NDSCS Alumni Director Brad Barth and Alumni Coordinator Kim Nelson arranged a lunch with Tommy, his son and Cliff and Donna Hermes, Hektner and his wife Leona, Worner and Pfister and his wife Barb. They discussed many things, among them the tuition in 1932 at NDSCS, which wa $14 per quarter.

Tommy said, as a final comment, his favorite times in North Dakota were spent in Wahpeton. “I grew up here, I was born and raised here,” he said. “I’ve always loved this town,” he said Friday.

Comments