In April 1977, South Dakota State University and the University of South Dakota participated in a joint men’s basketball delegation to Cuba. The initiative developed after U.S. Senator George McGovern’s 1975 visit to Cuba, which prompted discussions about the potential for academic and athletic exchanges. South Dakota State Sports Information Director Dave Martin contacted Senator McGovern to explore the feasibility of a basketball exchange. With the support of Senators George McGovern and James Abourezk, arrangements were finalized for a combined delegation of players, coaches, and university representatives from both institutions.
The delegation traveled to Cuba from April 4 to April 8, 1977. During the visit, the South Dakota team played two exhibition games against the Cuban National Team. In addition to competition, participants toured Havana and met Cuban athletes, including members of the national boxing program, providing opportunities for cultural and athletic exchange. Later that year, the Cuban National Team traveled to South Dakota and competed at Frost Arena on November 13, 1977, before a public audience. The exchange represented one of the early athletic visits by American citizens to Cuba following the suspension of diplomatic relations in the early 1960s and reflected the use of collegiate athletics as a channel for international engagement.
Charles Louis Sewrey, a native of St. Paul, Minnesota, joined South Dakota State College in 1947 after graduating with high distinction from the University of Minnesota. He held Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees from the University of Minnesota, where he also gained teaching experience. In 1955, he earned his Ph.D. from the same institution.
At South Dakota State University, Dr. Sewrey served as professor of history, teaching courses in American political, economic, cultural, and diplomatic history. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, he published extensively in national intellectual magazines and authored A History of South Dakota State College in 1959. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
Dr. Sewrey retired in 1974 due to declining health and passed away in 1979. In 1981, a memorial endowment fund was established in his name. The History Department at South Dakota State University is the principal recipient of the fund, which supports student scholarships and faculty development initiatives, including the Sewrey Faculty Colloquium.
Cecile Irene Welch Sexauer was born on January 18, 1888, in Huron, South Dakota, to Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Welch. The family moved to Arlington, South Dakota, and later to Brookings in 1903. Cecile graduated from Brookings High School and South Dakota State College and attended the Boston Conservatory of Music for one year. She taught piano at South Dakota State College and was a member of the First Baptist Church in Brookings, where she played piano and organ for about 25 years. Cecile was actively involved in music organizations at the local, state, and national levels, including serving as president of the National Music Organization. She was also a member of the BA chapter of PEO and the Sorosis Club. Cecile passed away on October 7, 1973, at Brookings Hospital, after being hospitalized for four weeks.
Elmer Harrison Sexauer was born on July 13, 1888, in Winona, Minnesota, to George P. and Elisa (Ulrich) Sexauer. The family moved to Volga, South Dakota in 1891 and later to Brookings, where Elmer attended public schools and South Dakota State College. In 1911, he joined his father in managing The Sexauer Company. Elmer served in the U.S. Army during World War I and held leadership roles in several organizations, including president of the SD Seed Dealers Association, the Western Seedsmen Association, the American Seed Trade Association, and the National Grain and Feed Association. He was also involved with the Board of Directors of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, First Bank Systems, and Northwestern Bell Telephone. Elmer received the Distinguished Service Award from the University of South Dakota for his business achievements. He was a member of Gamma Sigma Phi at SDSU, the Brookings Masonic Lodge No. 24, and the El Riad Shrine. Elmer retired in 1977 as chairman of The Sexauer Company, which had offices in Brookings, Des Moines, West Fargo, and Norfolk. He passed away on November 15, 1986.
Harold W. Shunk (1907-1998) was an educator, public servant, and historian, born on July 25, 1907, in Philip, South Dakota. He married his former Colome High School classmate, DeLilah E. Wood, in 1929. After earning a degree from Southern State College, he taught in Tripp County before working on the Rosebud and Cheyenne River Indian reservations. During World War II, he served in the South Pacific as a tank driver.
In the 1950s, Shunk began his career with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, serving as superintendent at the Sisseton, Turtle Mountain, Standing Rock, and Rosebud agencies. He retired in 1968 and subsequently focused on public service, actively participating in civic and fraternal organizations. His roles included serving on the governing boards of Rapid City schools, South Dakota State University, the University of South Dakota, and Black Hills State University, as well as holding positions with the South Dakota Board of Pardons and Paroles, the Lower Brule Irrigation Board, and the Pennington County Housing Board.
Deeply interested in history, Shunk contributed to the South Dakota State Historical Society and hosted radio and television programs in Rapid City, sharing his knowledge of local history. He passed away on April 18, 1998, in Rapid City.
Oscar and Alice Simonson were married on June 11, 1938, and made their home in Day County, South Dakota, where they farmed for forty years. They planted their first crops in the spring of 1939. Over the decades, they witnessed significant changes in rural life and agriculture, including the transition from horses to tractors, the adoption of crop hybridization, and the introduction of electricity and indoor plumbing. They practiced diversified farming, rotated crops, planted shelterbelts, and saved seed annually for the next year’s planting. Alice maintained the financial records for the farm.
In 1957, they purchased the 1890 homestead of Lars A. Sand in Union Township, Day County, from Alice’s father, Elmer Bakken. The Simonsons lived on this farm until 1978, when they sold the property and moved to Webster, South Dakota. They also acquired Oscar’s family farm in Union County, which had originally been homesteaded by Alma Smoots and later passed down through his grandfather, Ole Simonson, to his parents.
Oscar and Alice enjoyed traveling by plane and bus, including a trip to Norway to visit the birthplace of Oscar’s mother.
Oscar E. Simonson was born on August 14, 1913, in Bristol, South Dakota, to Simon and Annie (Skudal) Simonson. He attended country school in Union Township and graduated from Bristol High School. In the 1930s, he worked with the Civilian Conservation Corps in the Black Hills before returning to farm with his family. After retiring from farming, he worked for ten years at the Farmers Elevator in Holmquist and served on the board of Sun Dial Manor in Bristol during the 1980s. Oscar Simonson passed away on March 5, 2014, at Bethesda Home in Webster.
The Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees) Summer Track Program began in 1969. It was part of the ""1969 Junior Champ Track Program,"" held in ten cities across South Dakota and sponsored by the South Dakota Jaycees and the Spader Camper Center of Brookings. Stan Jensen of Brookings served as the program’s chairman.
The program aimed to give youth the opportunity “to run, jump, or throw” and to experience the enjoyment, recreation, and sense of well-being associated with physical activity and fitness. It culminated in a state championship for boys and girls aged 15 to 18, with winners qualifying for the 6th/5th Annual U.S. Jaycee Junior Track and Field Championships at the University of Minnesota. Food, lodging, and transportation were provided by the sponsors.
From 1970 to 1973, the South Dakota Jaycees and the American Dairy Association of South Dakota continued supporting the Junior Track Program, with state meets held in Brookings.
The Sioux Falls Jaycees Developmental Meets, affiliated with the Sioux Falls Recreation Department and directed by Rich Greeno, were held from 1974 to 1976 and had reached their eighth year by then.