Time Machine Trip to December 1958

Hello Fellow Time Travelers,

It’s that time again to fire up the old “Time Machine Chair” and make a trip back in time.

Today Barb Langman is sitting in the driver’s seat. The big wheel is spinning and the years are clicking back. In no time we are back to Kaukauna’s south side.  We are out front of the Kaukauna Times on the corner of Third Street and Main.

We are now in December of 1958.    

·         Six young children die in Kaukauna house fire.

·         Bomb threat closes high school.

·         Weyer’s Implement torn down

For the music lovers, the top song on the Hit Parade this month is:

Tom Dooley – The Kingston Trio

 Carl Hansen, the publisher, has left the newspapers for us by the front door of the Kaukauna Times. Let’s see what’s in the news this month. 

Your old news man – Lyle

PS: Lyle’s Laughs - The weather man says “Expect lots of sunshine during the daytime tomorrow” - - I guess that means night will be dark again.

December 3, 1958

Arliss French, former manager of the Red Owl store here, left Tuesday for Mars, following his big “Trip to Mars” contest in the supermarket he manages in Appleton. French departed by plane but since the planet Mars is difficult to reach this time of the year the trip will be to Mars, Germany, a town of 78 persons. French got the idea when he saw a highway sign: Free trip to Mars for 900 empty jars of Burma Shave. He advertised and collected the 900 jars needed.

Kaukauna recreation director James Gerrits this week announced under all probabilities, at least three ice rinks will be flooded about December 18 so that the youngsters will have the recreation access available throughout the Christmas holidays. One of the ice rinks will be located between 10th and 11th St., west of crooks Avenue. Another adjacent to the tennis courts on the library grounds on the island and a third rank is still in question. 

December 5, 1958

The Post office didn’t need the Army to deliver all the many parcels this Christmas season but they used the army light truck as well as several extra helpers. George Vanden Hogan of Little Chute is one the extra helpers on the corner of Third Street and Main Ave.

Kaukauna’s Mayor, Joseph Bayorgeon, has been honored by appointment as chairman of the utility committee of the Wisconsin league of municipalities. Kaukauna has gained a great deal of statewide recognition and praise for its consistently low rates for power and water which also accounts for the nickname given to Kaukauna “The Electric City”. At present the utility rates in Kaukauna is lower than any other city in the state. 

The St. Mary's grade school cagers will be playing their second Catholic conference game Sunday at 2 PM as the entertain the precious blood parochial school of the London at the St. Mary's gymnasium. The St. Mary's squad is piloted by coach Bill Knapp.

A building permit for the construction of a new $30,000 addition to the foundry of the Roloff manufacturing company was issued December 1 in the office of the city engineer. 

December 10, 1958

Thomas Verhagen, student at KHS is the Junior class Pres. this year. Besides being the Junior class Pres., Tom participates in various school activities. He is the treasurer of the Latin club, is on the debate team and is in forensics and B.A.A. “My future plans,” Tom said, “are to go to college in business administration so I can own a store. I am considering the field of mathematics too.”

KHS students are invited to a dance at the record hop to be held Saturday night at the youth center. admission will be $.10 per person.

Carol Niesen was chosen as the safe- driver for November by the local police department and is the first student selected in the ‘58- ‘59 term at KHS. Carol was picked for the award as she was riding through town on her way home. Police chief Harold Engerson, watched her driving, reported her as an excellent candidate for the award.

Keith Roberts, 16, Kaukauna, sustained a fractured left thigh in a one car accident Friday afternoon. The auto in which he was driving at the time of the accident was severely damaged. Roberts was driving north on Crooks Avenue when he apparently lost control of his car, jumped a curb, ran across the driveway, travel some distance before striking the corner of a home. He was transported to Kaukauna community hospital by the city ambulance.

December 12, 1958

Kaukauna high school students received an unexpected half-day holiday on Wednesday morning, when an anonymous call was received at the police station shortly before classes were to start, stating that a bomb had been placed at in the building. When the school was notified superintendent of schools T. H. Boebel immediately cleared the building of all students and teachers as did D. J. Bordini, director of Kaukauna Vocational School.

December 17, 1958

Kaukauna children this Saturday will be the guest of Kaukauna Chamber of Commerce and the managers of the Rialto and Vaudette theaters as the annual pre-Christmas theater party for the young fry is held.  There will be two showings at each theater according to the theater managers, Clayton Van Dyke and Walter Holt.

Featuring Tony Bettenhausen, a veteran of the Indianapolis 500-mile race, the Teenage Safety Council in Kaukauna will offer a special program for the Kau-Hi students on January 7

One of the oldest landmarks of Kaukauna’s south side passed into history this fall when the former Weyer’s Implement building on Dodge Street was torn down. The site was purchased by the Farmers and Merchants bank.

December 19, 1958

Thus far in the month of December, the Kaukauna fire Department is answered eight calls, twice the number received during the entire month of November, according to figures released by fire chief William Haupt.

Army Pfc. Ronald J. Weyers, Kaukauna, recently participated in a tactical training parachute jump with them 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. The 19-year-old soldier is a 1956 graduate of Freedom High School.

George E. Greenwood was promoted to the rank of captain in the Army reserve Tuesday evening. Capt. Greenwood is a company commander of the 84th division quartermaster Corps stationed at the Menasha Army reserve center.

December 24, 1958

A defective cord on a lamp table has been singled out as the cause of a fire that took the lives of the six little children of Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Weyenberg early Sunday morning according to a statement made by Kaukauna Fire Chief William Haupt. Mrs. Weinberg stated she had turned on the lamp in the living room Sunday morning before leaving the house to attend mass with her husband.

A Mass of Angels was sung at Holy Cross Catholic Church this morning at 10 o'clock in final services for the six children who perished in a fire that swept their home early Sunday. Dead are Lynn, 7; Douglas, 6; Margaret, 5; John, 3; Barbara, 2 ½; and Michael. 1 ½. Burial was in Holy Cross Cemetery. Boys from Holy Cross school served as pallbearers a large crowd of mourners and friends attended the service at the church and cemetery.