The End of Bank Notes

I have been writing these bank notes for 71 years every week for the bank and for the Brooten newspaper. In 1951, I began writing to tell our customers of current news and happening here in the bank. One week after another I kept going and even though l planned to quit when I reached 60 years old I never did. I just kept going. People seemed to like it and I received many compliments and remarks. I kept saying that I would quit but I never did. l reached 80 years old, then 90, and now at 100 I am still writing them. I know why I am doing this…. It’s because I enjoy doing it.

The problem is something always comes up that is so interesting that I feel I should write about it. However, I am having a problem with my hand. I broke a middle finger some time ago and keep hitting the wrong keys. Besides that, old age is catching up with me and writing bank notes becomes a larger problem. I used to write the notes in about a half an hour but now it takes me half a day to write it and correct all my mistakes.

We have accumulated the best of notes since 1952 for quite a few years and published a 500-page book called “Best of Bank Notes”. They are very interesting and have a lot of “OLE” jokes. Ask for one when you are in the bank. For a book of 500 pages the price is a bargain. The book contain many good stories of people, of buildings, and of Brooten history, and it will make a good souvenir to remember me and the bank by, and to have in your home.

I enjoy writing stories about good people and good Brooten history and I am sure you enjoy them. But it is getting harder and harder to write about these stories so I have decided to quit and this will be one of my last bank notes. I want to thank you for all of your help, for your interest, and for the comments you have made about them.

I may occasionally write future notes about special people or occurrences but not on a regular schedule.

I thank you for being faithful readers and for your loyalty to the column and to our bank. Your comments have been very important to me.

So it is with a sad heart that I have decided to quit.  We love you all. Right Dave?