Time Machine Trip to May 1938

May 4, 1938

Clifford Kalista, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kalista Taylor Street, will be King of the Kaukauna High School Junior Prom on May 20 at the high school auditorium.

 (Suit from Berens Clothing). 

Miss Patricia Mayer has been chosen by Clifford Kalista, prom king to reign as his queen. Patricia, a Junior, is very active in extracurricular activities and has rated a high scholastic standing during her three years at high school.

John Coppes, who had been mixed in baseball around these parts since the turn-of-the-century, is looking forward to one of the best seasons for his club in the Northern State league. The electric city mogul still likes his diamond victories just as much as the days when Stormy Kromer ran the club and one J. Coppes was the catcher. There have been a lot of baseballs over the fence since that time, but Coppes continues to get a lot of fun out of the game while serving as the executive. It was said that Coppes never worried much about paid admissions at the park just as long as the fans stop in his tavern before and after the game. Coppes runs a place of business right across from the ballpark.

Paul Casey, 28, of Seventh Street received a back injury and bruises and in an automobile accident here early Monday morning. Ruben Wendorff, 24, received a fractured jaw and cuts and bruises in the same accident. Wendorff and Casey were injured when the car being driven by Harold Hildebrandt, 25, Oviatt Street went off Highway 41 at the junction of 96 north of Kaukauna. Hildebrand reported he was blinded by the lights of another car before sliding into the ditch. The three were coming from the Nightingale Ballroom.

May 6, 1938

The cost of poor relief for people was reduced $1319.29 over the previous month. The cost for this month was $1807.62. Joseph V. Krahn relief director said the reason for the reduction was a large number of cases taken off relief and placed on WPA projects. There were 44 cases closed during the month and seven cases open.

Sixteen arrests were made by the police department during April, the monthly report of James E. McFadden chief of police reveals. Disorderly conduct and drunkenness was the chief causes for arrest. 

May 11, 1938

The theme of this year's Junior prom which will be held in the gymnasium Friday evening, May 20, is the Big Apple and the committee is hard at work repairing the gymnasium for the social event of the year. 

Citizens of Outagamie County and Wisconsin were called upon Friday to wage a five-month campaign against highway deaths. Plans for the drive, which will extend through the high travel months that cost 424 lives in Wisconsin last year, were announced at the annual state safety conference in Madison. 

The per capita adult beer consumption in Wisconsin last year was approximately 37 gallons each adult person.

Clifford H. Kamp, boxing and wrestling instructor, distributed letters the following Wednesday: boxers J. Duffy, D. Keil, J. Meyer, R. Lauer, K. Siebers and R. Niesen. C. Femal received a manager's letter, G. Vandehey, A. McDermid and P. Keil received letters in wrestling.

May 13, 1938

Eyes were opened wide fingers pointed and voices were raised in exclamation in Kaukauna Thursday when James McGinnis, C. & N. W. brakeman, was in town. McGinnis is a perfect ringer for the late Will Rogers. He spent the day here with relatives. McGinnis was in California in 1936 where he posed as the late actor -humorist for the Will Rogers Memorial fund. McGinnis displayed pictures of himself with Rogers.

Chief of police James E. McFadden, announced yesterday that a check is being made on driver's licenses. Every person who drives a car must be able to show his driver’s license. In the checkup which was started this week it has shown that many people in Kaukauna have no driver’s licenses and that many have never applied for a license.

President Roosevelt has approved a $30,000 WPA project for Kaukauna. The project will cover city construction of sidewalks and curbs and gutters as well as construction and installation of streets name signs. 

May 18, 1938

The banks of the stone quarry pond were lined with almost 100 fishermen young and old Sunday, the first day of fishing season. Game wardens were present to inspect the fish catch and to see that only those legal size were taken from the pond. 

The Electric City Brewers open the home season by scoring an 8 to 5 impressive win over Little Chute before a good-sized crowd of fans here Sunday.  The opening of the game which saw President Vande Yacht of Little Chute tossing the first ball to Dick Oudenhoven, sponsored of the Brewers. Nothing much happened in the first inning but Little Chute scored the first run. The Brewers came right back and scored five runs and sent Little Chute's Dago Schuler to the showers.

 The Chicago and Northwestern pay roll in Kaukauna amounts to approximately $20,000 a month and there are about 125 to 250 on the payroll, taken into consideration those in active service as well as those on pension, according to Mayor L. F. Nelson. It is estimated, Mayor Nelson said, that the railroad tax in the state pays about 45% of the rural school tax and undoubtable a similar amount is paid toward the city schools indirectly. City official have asked them to increase employment at the shops and they have promised to do so as soon as conditions are better.

May 20, 1938 

The first issue of the "Alumni News," a publication of the Kaukauna High School Alumni Association, will be ready for distribution the first part of next week. The paper, intended to create more interest in the association, will contain news items concerning persons who have graduated from the high school in recent years and also those who graduated many years ago. This is the first attempt to publish a paper of this kind, and it is expected that the paper will be received with approval from the alumni. The paper will be issued yearly.

May 25, 1938

The Junior Promenade had a large turnout for the affair. Happy faces were seen all about the gym Friday evening along with all the dresses in the new pastel shades and light suits of the boys.

May 27, 1938

Green Bay – “Say Mister, where's the knothole gang going to sit?” That's the question that a short pants youngster asked one of the carpenters working on the enlargement of City Stadium, home field of the Packers.  The carpenter went out of his way to show the juvenile just where the kids were going be parked during the games. The youth was all smiles at the location saying “Gee that will be swell as we will be right close to the touchdowns made at this end of the field.” 

Arthur H. Mongin, Jr., was elected president of the Kaukauna Lions Club of their regular meeting held Tuesday.

Kaukauna high school will enter six boys in the state track meet at Madison Saturday conducted by the WIAA. Kaukauna will compete in the Class B events as representatives of the entire state of Wisconsin. The six Kaukauna boys are Capt. Lee Lambie, will compete in the 440; Elmer Vandenberg, mile; Robert Cooper, half-mile; Andy Meitner, broad jump; Ralph Schubring, high hurdles and Bill Alger discuss.

The formal opening of the historic Grignon home for the summer months will take place Sunday May 29 according to an announcement made by the Outagamie County Pioneer and Historical society which has complete charge of the home. The home has been completely cleaned and decorated as the historical society has been working at the home during the last two months and has completed a thorough job of putting the home in shape for thousands of visitors expected this summer.  The grounds surrounding the home have been put in excellent condition. This work being done by the WPA employees. The fence in the front of Grignon yard will be rebuilt by WPA labor under direction of Mr. Wolf within the next few weeks.