For 63 consecutive years, the Faribault County District Courthouse has opened its doors for 18 to 20 young students each year to tour the inner workings of the county seat in Blue Earth.

Started in 1952 by then county treasurer McRea Willmert, Boy and Girl County Day is a special day for selected juniors from every school district in the county.

Sponsored by the Legion Posts in Faribault county, Legion members work with school counselors to choose the 18 students to attend the day’s special events.

Juniors from Blue Earth Area School District and United South Central School District come together to obtain a better understanding of the inner workings of their local government.

“I think the main purpose here is to give the students an overview of how their county government operates and what it really does for the citizens,” says Clara Vereide, senior technical clerk for Faribault County’s central services.

The students began in the early morning of April 7 by being welcomed by the Board of Commissioners chair, Bill Groskreutz, Jr.

Afterwards, students met up with the county recorder, Sherry Asmus, for a historical tour of the building.

On the tour, Asmus discussed many fascinating bits of information in the courthouse tour, including the tile floor.

The courthouse’s beautifully patterned tile floor once held river sand from Blue Earth’s own river underneath it.

Unfortunately, after some time, the sand in the floor began to act as riverbed sand again, creating a thin powder, which started to shift and buckle under the tile.

The powder was so prevalent that it sifted down through the floor to the ceiling below, filling the light fixtures and shorting them out.

In 1987 a new four-inch concrete subfloor was put in to house the tiles.

“The original tile pieces were preserved and re-used,” revealed Asmus. “Pictures were then taken of the tile floor so that the pieces could be laid back down in the same pattern.”

Students also learned on Asmus’ tour that if they ever wanted to purchase a farm in the county, they would need to talk to the county auditor.

If students ever want to leave the country, they are able to receive their passports at the county recorder’s office.

“Previously, you would have had to go out of the county to get a passport, but we are glad we are once again able to provide this service here in Faribault County,” says Asmus.

The young ladies and gentlemen also had the opportunity to sit in on court proceedings with Judge Douglas Richards. All eyes were glued and ears alert to the front of the courtroom as the students and visitors watched a handful of court cases progress through the courtroom. Students also were able to get a tour of the Law Enforcement Center, later on in the morning.

As the county commissioners met, students also were able to take a look at how one of their meetings functioned.

“This is a heck of a good experience for you guys to be here,” said county commissioner Tom Warmka. “This is something you will have to know throughout your entire adult life,” Warmka noted.

“It is great to see this many young people here and interested in local government,” mentioned commissioner, John Roper.

Students were able to sit elbow to elbow with Brenda Lubenow, the children and family supervisor from Human Services and county attorney Troy Timmerman over lunch at the Blue Earth Legion.

The student’s day ended by attending a more in-depth tour of other courthouse offices such as Court Services, Assessor’s office, Recorder’s office, and the Treasurer’s office.

This one-day learning experience, a tradition for the past 63 years, could have been a regular day in their classroom for these students but instead, their education took them elsewhere for the day thanks to the efforts of the Legion Posts in Faribault County, and the diligent organization between local school districts and their local government.