Time Machine Trip to September 1968

By Lyle Hansen

September 4, 1968

Captain Jerome J. Hagens, 27, First Street Kimberly, completed the medical service officer basic course at Brooke Army Medical Center, Ft. Sam Huston, Tex., August 9. Capt. Hagens received his B.S. degree in 1963 from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

The total Kaukauna public elementary school system enrollment figures show an increase of 212 of last year's figure 1619 students. The large increase has necessitated a search for an additional classroom in the city's elementary system for the coming year. Park school showed the largest enrollment jump over last year with a total of 641 students this year compared with 469 one year ago.

The Hollandtown Golden Raiders open their 1968 football slate with a victory over St. Peter and Paul's of Green Bay Sunday defeating the Green Bay team on their home field by a 19-0 margin. Jerry Van Dyn Hoven scored the first touchdown for coach Bob Wurdinger's charges on a 6-yard jaunt off tackle. The second score came in the second period when Jerry Kerkhoff rambled 67 yards on a sweep. In the third period quarterback Reed Giordana collaborated with Jerry Driessen on a 55-yard touchdown pass play for the final score of the ballgame. Wurdinger had special praise for his defense which allowed just three first downs during the entire game.

September 6, 1968

The Kaukauna high school cross country team enters its second week of practice with 15 candidates currently taking part in the drills under coach Don Jensen. The squad is the current Mid-Eastern champions and placed 6^th in the state last year. Returning from last year’s team are seniors Carl Haack and Don Kerkhof along with Junior Bob Kneepkins.

The Kaukauna high school gridders will take the field Saturday for the opening of the 1968 season. The Ghosts with a new look and a new coach have Abbot Pennings on tap for their initial head-knocking this fall. Kaukauna head coach Ken Roloff expects a tough opener for his boys as the Orange and Black take the field on enemy ground at De Pere.

September 11, 1968

Wilfred Van Abel was crowned the “Schut King” Sunday at Hollandtown in the 119^th running of the affair by the St. Francis Society of that community. Van Abel downed the bird on the 808^th shot. 64 shooters took part in the event. Van Abel succeeds Lyle Fink as the King.

The count has reached the 100 mark for the second straight year in the program of Dutch Elm Disease testing for the city of Kaukauna according to city forester Victor Luedtke. Based on about 5000 trees in the city Kaukauna has had about a 2 percent loss each of the past two years.

September 13, 1968

Kaukauna voters gave their approval by a 2-1 margin in favor of the school construction referendum which now clears the way for construction to begin on a new elementary school located on the city’s north side.

Jeffrey P. DeBruin of Kaukauna receives his commission as second lieutenant in the Army Reserve artillery. Pinning on his insignia are his wife, Ellen and Col. Edwin G. Pike, professor of military science and commandant of the ROTC program at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. 

September 18, 1968

Five medals, two of them for heroism in combat have been received by Army Captain Thomas A. McAndrews of Kaukauna. The awards were presented recently in ceremonies near An Khe, Vietnam. Capt. McAndrews earned his second Silver Star for heroism last March 25 while serving as commanding officer of Company A, 1^st Battalion, 8^th Cavalry Division. He received the Army Commendation Medal for heroism in action last January 15. He entered a Viet Cong tunnel and captured an armed enemy soldier. The Bronze Star Medal was awarded for meritorious service in combat August 1967 to August 1968.

Marine Lance Corporal James B. Ardinger, 20, of Kaukauna, has been presented his combat aircrewman insignia by the commanding officer of the Marine Observation Squadron serving in South Vietnam. The insignia is awarded for completing in excess of 20 combat missions.

Four Kaukauna young men were among the Outagamie County inductees into the U.S. Army on September 12. They are Robert W. Reetz, David Appleton, Merlin Van Asten, Mark J. Farrell.

September 20, 1968

A bid of $7,570 was accepted Tuesday evening by the Kaukauna common council for the necessary soil and sod for the new softball diamond in the Doty Bayorgeon Recreation Area.

September 25, 1968

Like grandfather, like grandson, Military tradition runs deep in the family of John W. Deno of Kaukauna. It was May 28, 1918 when the first Deno donned the “olive drag” of the U. S. Army and a little more than a month and fifty years later his grandson, Dale Deno of Menasha did the same thing. The first Deno served his country in World War I (the war to end all wars) from May 1918 to August 1919. His grandson entered service June 1968 and graduated basic training at Fort Campbell, Kentucky in August. Dale was on leave visiting his parents and grandfather and is now stationed at the Red Stone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama.

September 27, 1968

Airman James W. Stadler, Little Chute, has completed basic training at Lackland AFB, Tex. He is now assigned to The Air Force Technical Training Center at Sheppard AFB, Tex. 

The Wisconsin State patrol increased its number by one third Friday when 90 Troopers were sworn-in at graduation ceremonies last Friday. Among the graduates was Gerald Kappmeyer of Kaukauna. The feature speaker for the event was governor Warren P. Knowles.

Kaukauna Homecoming 1968

  

Queen Barbara Peebles

Attendant Jennie Schuler                         Attendant Donna Zobel 

Time Machine Trip to September 1928

By Lyle Hansen

September 5, 1928

A notice of quarantine for rabies has been posted in the town of Buchanan this week against dogs running at large because of the distract being infested by rabies.  The quarantine was ordered following the loss of several head of cattle in the town of Buchanan as the result of rabies infected canines.  

A crew of workmen of the Wisconsin Public Service Corporation are busily engaged in removing the tracks of the Green Bay-Kaukauna interurban line the service onto Kaukauna is now a thing of history. Saturday evening the last street car operated on the tracks. The company has been losing money for some time now and asked permission to discontinue the service.

Sherwood – Gordon Cornelius, 6 years of age, son of Mr. and Mrs. August Heiman, suffered fatal injuries when a seeder ran him over on his father’s farm Friday afternoon. The child had been riding on the seeder with his father, when the father got off and had left the vehicle. The horses started ahead suddenly throwing the boy to the ground and the seeder passed over him.

September 7, 1928

Hugh O’Connell

An item from the New York Times of August 28^th tells about the successes by Hugh O’Connell, former Kaukauna man, who has made a success on the big stages throughout the United States. Mr. O’Connell recently played in “The Rocket,” as a newspaper man to great reviews.

September 11, 1928

Bernie Abrott, Kaukauna hurler, iron man of the loop, who pitched every inning of every game played by the Kaukauna club in the Fox Valley loop. In the twenty games Abrott hurled 179 innings. He allowed few hits and pitched a no hitter against the pennant winning Kimber-Little Chute squad.

Double funeral service will be held at Little Chute tomorrow morning from St. John's Catholic Church for Mr. and Mrs. Garrett Janssen who died four days apart. Mrs. Janssen, 68, died at her home very suddenly of a heart attack last Thursday morning while her widower Garrett, 78, died following a stroke early Monday morning. A couple are survived by six daughters and six sons.

Arthur Schmalz was named post commander of the Kaukauna Post No. 41 of the American Legion. He succeeds Ed Haas who held the position for the past two years.

September 14, 1928

A warning by John Hyde, local night patrolman, was the cause of the capture of John Harris, Brooklyn, New York, by Appleton police Tuesday evening. A call came out from DePere of the robbery of the gas station attendant at gunpoint. Notice to be on the lookout for a Chrysler sedan bearing license of the state of Ohio as the suspect in the robbery. Officer died had received a warning to the corner of law until her Street driving there as a car which had been described down the street. He notified the Appleton police who stopped the car after a wild chase and arrested the driver.

Will Rogers Says – A Democrat is naturally windier than a Republican. He is out of office more and has more time to think of things to say. All a Republican has to say is “I'm in try and try to get me out.” While with a Democrat he only has to say something that'll get the Republican out and will also get him in. 

     The voters now go to the polls in an automobile, but they don't carry anymore in their heads than the old timer who went there on a mule, so the old bunk that you cannot fool the voter is the biggest bunk there is; he has been fooled all his life and he always will be fooled. 

September 18, 1928

Ten men of this vicinity, who had assisted in the treatment of cattle suffering rabies, are taking the Pasteur treatment to control any possible infection. This is an outgrowth of the mad dog scare in this section following the loss of several head of cattle as a result of rabies. 

The total valuation of the Hollandtown is as follows:

Horses, 542 …………. $52,175

Cattle, 2883 ………...$113,275

Sheep, 85 ……………….$815

Swine, 502…………….$6230

Wagons, sleigh 233…...$2555

Merchants’ stock ….….$1700

Motorcycles, 1 …….……$50

Automobiles, 231.…. $49775

All other personal prop. ..12,735

Personal property … $242,680

Rent estate …………$1,884,980

Total valuation…….$2,366,970

September 21, 1928

De Pere – Struck on the head with a heavy board and robbed of $20 by two men who waylaid him Tuesday night is the story told the police by Omer Pagel, 24, Wrightstown deckhand on the tug Jane, Fox River navigation company. Pagel said he left the tug and was walking east on James Street when one of the men rushed out from between buildings and grabbed him, the other hit him over the head with a piece of board. He was found by Robert Van Den Heuvel of the power plant who notified police. He is currently in a Green Bay hospital with injuries to his head and the back of his neck.

The Kimberly-Little Chute baseball team. Fox River Valley league champions for the 1928 season. The players left to right top row, Kotal, Len Smith, Hammen, and G. Pocan. Second row, Schell, Thein, and “Boots” Lamers. Bottom row, Lemmers, M. Lamers, Vanderloop, C. Pocan.

Time Machine Trip to September 1988

By Lyle Hansen

September 1, 1988

Thomas Jansen, presently a captain with the Kaukauna Fire Department, has been selected as the new chief as of the beginning of January. The decision was made Tuesday by the Fire and Police Commission. Jansen was picked to succeed Chief Thomas Roberts, who will be retiring. Jansen is a 22-year veteran of the Kaukauna department.

The statue on its way to Neillsville is part of what will become a memorial for all the Wisconsin’s veterans made it to Kaukauna Wednesday. The sculpture, “Fragments,” is the Wisconsin Vietnam Veterans Memorial Project. About 100 people were on hand, including members of veteran’s groups to view the memorial.

September 7, 1988

Kaukauna’s Kate Kulas does not mind talking about the time she came close to abandoning her career as a vocal performer. She does not mind because she owes her current success, in part, to that difficult period in her life. Kate, who recently captured first place in two divisions of the annual vocal competition sponsored by the Greater Miami Opera and Young Patronesses of the Opera Inc., will be the feature performer in the September 14 benefit musical at the Lawrence University Chapel. The program to benefit the fund drive for the new addition to the St. Paul Nursing Home in Kaukauna.

An early morning accident Sunday in the town of Freedom resulted in fatal injuries to a Little Chute man. Thomas Evers, 27, Canal Street, was pronounced dead at the scene of an accident, on Highway C and E. Evers was a passenger in a car which was eastbound on Highway E and which apparently left the road and rolled over a number of times.

September 9, 1988

Airman Roberta L. Jansen of Little Chute has graduated from Air Force basic training at Lackland Air force Base, Texas. She is a 1988 graduate of Kimberly High School.

8/8/88 Gil Frank of Kimberly recorded his first hole-in-one on the eighth hole at Mid Valley Golf Course. The feat occurred on August 8, which is the eighth month, the eighth day, in 1988. It was the eighth hole and was the eighth time a hole-in-one was made on the hole. 

September 13, 1988

The Outagamie County district attorney's office will look into charges that some members of the Board of Education violated the state's open meeting law by taking action on matters not officially noted on the meeting agendas. The Kaukauna Police department filed a complaint this week in which board members John Mau and Ken Kavanaugh alleging that the Board President Walter Schmidt had not listed action on lifting probation against three high school coaches on the board meeting agendas. Kavanaugh said not listing the action was illegal and that a vote was taken to eliminate the probationary status was illegal because it was not properly listed.

The Kaukauna football team couldn't have picked a better time to stage a comeback. Trailing 15-0 in the middle of the second quarter, the Ghosts rallied for eighteen unanswered points to slip past Menasha 18-15 at Doty Bayorgeon field Friday night. Junior fullback John Lamers and senior halfback Ezell Evers led the Ghost offensive charge throughout the second half.

Carol Ann Alger Frank, businesswoman and member of the Kaukauna high school Alumni Association Board of Directors for the past thirteen years, has been elected president of the KHS alumni organization. Carol will replace J. Scott Schuler, retiring president.

September 20, 1988

The 170 or so people who sat in on the open meeting of Kaukauna's Greyhound track advisory panel were generally favorable of the committee's report and several people spoke in favor of the plan. Questions did arise over the possibility of traffic congestion, noise and litter around the site of the proposed track at highways 41 and 55.

September 29, 1988

Queen Sara Wolf and King Eric Koller, going up the steps on left are Shawn Thorson, Terry Fink, Kurt Vander Velden, Tiffany Brick, Judy De Coster, Jason Morris, Robin Kromm, Bob Huss, Mike James and Bridget Lamers.

Thilmany Quarter Century Club - 1988

Time Machine Trip to September 1880

By Lyle Hansen

It is customary in the first issue of a new journal or newspaper for the editors and publishers to announce to the public their intentions in establishing the paper, and also to outline policy which will be pursued. To the editor of THE TIMES this is a simple task. In the first place, our primary object in establishing a paper in Kaukauna is to make money. Not that we expect to grow rich at the business, now or hereafter, for newspaper men are proverbially always poor; but to earn an honest living by hard work and close attention to the interests of the community in which we have cast our lot is, for the present, our aim and desire. In the second place, our every effort, consistent with truth and justice, will be given to the building up of Kaukauna and the development of our unrivaled water-power. In this direction we shall find ample material at all times for the editorial columns of our paper. No other point in the lower Fox River Valley equals us in respect to natural facilities, or a condition of general desirability for the   location and establishment of manufacturing institutions. But more of this hereafter. Politics and religion will not be discussed in these columns. While we shall endeavor from week to week to furnish our readers with the latest news of all kinds and from all sources, we shall eschew all partisan bias, leaving each and every one to choose his own course, politically speaking, uninfluenced by us, and while THE TIMES will always and under all circumstances advocate morality and all kindred virtues, we shall leave for the clergy and the religious press the inculcation of the principles of religion, and the propriety of attending to its duties. With this brief declaration of principles, the proprietors of THE KAUKAUNA TIMES make their best bow to you, the citizens of Kaukauna and vicinity, and respectively ask your support and cooperation in our new enterprise.

C. H. Hopkins and L. A. Gates: Publishers

September 16, 1880

They will come to Kaukauna!  A man arrived in town last week with a team of mules all the way from Kansas. He had heard of our famous little town and the chance here for working men and drove across the country to find a home with us. He and his mules are now employed on the new canal and of course are happy.

The poorest girls in the world are those who were never taught to work. There are thousands of them. Rich parents have petted them; they have been taught to despise labor and depend on others for a living and are perfectly helpless. If misfortune comes their case is hopeless. Every daughter should be taught to earn her own living. Well-to-do parents must educate their children to work.

September 24, 1880

Farmers, if you want The Kaukauna Times for a year and haven't the money to spare, bring us a good load of hard wood, a few bushels of potatoes or almost any kind of farm produce and we will make a "riffle" with you.

Two thousand tons of steel rails have been laid this season by the Wisconsin Central company on its line between Kaukauna and Menasha. The company will continue laying steel next year.

Time Machine Trip to September 1955

By Lyle Hansen

September 2, 1955

After more than a month’s closing for the recent polio epidemic in Kaukauna, the city’s two motion picture theaters, the Rialto on Lawe street and the Vaudette on Second street will reopen on Tuesday evening according to both managers. The theaters both closed on July 27 in cooperation with the Kaukauna health department. During this time, they were restricted to persons 17 years or older.

The final prizes and awards for the recent “Fun at Home” recreation program which took place during the siege of polio in the city were distributed by college students who assisted in bringing the fun to the shut-ins during the restrictions. In all there were 6,642 prizes given to youngsters who took part in the month-long program. 

September 7, 1955

If the remaining four months of 1955 continue to be as busy as they have been this year Kaukauna will have 60 or more home building permits issued by the end of the year. 50 permits have been issued to date by the city engineer’s office. 

September 9, 1955

The new building of the Farmers and Merchants Bank has been completed and the bank will have an open house tomorrow from 1 to 6 p.m. Visitors will be able to observe the latest in banking, and all the conveniences that the new bank possesses. The new bank is located at 301 Dodge Street.

Rev. John Scheib, pastor of the Immanuel Evangelical and Reformed church in Kaukauna will mark his twenty-fifth anniversary in Kaukauna. A clergyman who had endeared himself to all his parishioners and has won the respect of people of all faiths during his ministry in Kaukauna will be honored this Sunday by the members of his parish. Rev. Scheib was presented with a new automobile from the members of the congregation.

September 16, 1955

Look Drug stores have a heritage in Kaukauna that goes back to the first drug store here. The original proprietors of the south side business were Kamps and Sackstedter, whose pharmacy was on the southeast corner of Second street and Main avenue. Otto Look, 32 years old moved to Kaukauna in March of 1901 and entered the employment of Dr. Tanner who operated the business. In 1911 Mr. Look purchased the pharmacy from Dr. Tanner under the name Kaukauna Drug company. In 1922 Mr. Look moved the company into the present location of Verfurth Shoe store. A year later he died in 1924. The management of the store fell to his son Arthur. Art Mongin Jr. came to Kaukauna in 1932 as a pharmacist. This began an association of the two Arts. Mongin became a partner in 1948. Two fires in 1937 and in 1944 struck the business but each time they emerged from the ruins. The 1937 fire resulted in their move to the present location on second street. In April 1952 the Looks Drug store expanded to the north side of Kaukauna on Wisconsin avenue. Only eight months later Art Look died suddenly, and Art Mongin took over the management with Mrs. Look.

September 21, 1955

Dick Oudenhoven, Appleton contractor was awarded the general contract for the construction of the new St. John’s High School at Little Chute. The low bid of $416,000 was accepted by the building committee.  

September 23, 1955

The permit for the first new home in the new Glenview Acres subdivision in the southwest corner of Kaukauna was issued on Tuesday.  Wilfred Siebers will erect a new $13,300 ranch-type home on West Thirteen street.

“Highways Are Happy Ways” is a happy melody when traveling under fifty miles an hour. However, when the speedometer registers somewhere between 80 to 90, you’d better change the tune to “When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder, I’ll Be There”.

A flag was  presented to the Trinity Lutheran school Thursday afternoon by members of Post 41 of the American Legion. Shown left to right Legionnaires Sherman Rogers, Fred Mason, David Specht, Harry Treptow, Art Kromer, Jr., Steve Andreske, Al Martzahl and Frank Busse and school representatives, Fred Bartel, teachers Miss Cynthia Lehman and Miss Elizabeth Buss. 

September 28, 1955

Robert Vanderloop, Sunday afternoon, became the 1955 king of the annual Schut at Hollandtown after he shot down the final portion of the bird on the 746^th shot. He along with 69 other men began “banging away” as the marksmen began shooting at 10:00 in the morning.

September 30, 1955

Five-year-old, Karen Van Elsen barely escaped serious injury Tuesday afternoon when she was struck by an automobile as she was crossing highway 41 near Ducharme street. She was struck by Richard Kimball of Chicago. The driver attempted to avoid the child but hit her with the left rear door. She suffered only minor injuries.

Ken Roloff, of Kaukauna, has been quite a football player in his colorful career at Stevens Point. Now he could be on the threshold of making his biggest contribution. Coach John Roberts switched Roloff, the outstanding end to quarterback this week. 

The unique situation of having eight set of twins enrolled at one time at the Holy Cross school this year. Left to right seated behind each other Jane and Mary Seif, Tom and John Vandehey, Charles and Richard Heindel, Kay and Karl Waters, Delores and Dennis Coffey. Back row Nancy and Mary Schouten, Mary and Margaret Geurtz, Patricia and Thomas Berg.

1955 Chevrolet Corvette

Time Machine Trip to September 1918

By Lyle Hansen

September 6, 1918

In order to conserve gasoline for war purposes the U. S. government has requested owners of automobiles to omit all pleasure riding on Sundays. Patriotic citizens are expected to cooperate with the order and those who are so unpatriotic as to place their own pleasure above the national need will be handled without gloves.

The family of Floyd L. Hawkins, of Kaukauna, has received official notice that their son had been killed in action on the French front last July. That there is clearly a mistake is evident from the fact that the notice states Floyd was kill in July, whereas his parents received a letter from him August 21 which was written August 4 saying that he was wounded but not severely and at the time of writing was in a hospital. The sympathy of the community is with the parents in their anxiety.

Mr. and Mrs. Al. Schubring of Desnoyer street have received a telegram form Washington stating that their son, Arthur has been severely wounded in action in July.

The lives of Martin H. DeBruin and Harry DeBruin, deliverymen for the Herman T. Runte store, were imperiled when their motor car was struck and badly wrecked by the Green Bay Interurban car. Both occupants received cuts and bruises, and the auto was put out of commission. The accident happened on Lawe street at the intersection of Tobacnior street.

Eugene Nagan sent a picture from France and a letter saying he is doing fine. “Little did I dream a year ago that today I would be in France. “    

September 13, 1918

Herman Hoehne manager of the Hoehne Machine Works received the largest order for Thistle Machines since starting his business. The order amounted to $20,150.00. The machines to be delivered by December 30, 1918.

William Weyenberg of Kaukauna has been officially reported by telegram a being severely wounded in action July 19 while fighting the Germans.

September 20, 1918

Martin Vandenbroek who is with the U. S. Infantry in France is reported as missing in action on July 20^th a telegram from Washington reported to his parents. The family have received no further word to the present so it is not known whether Martin is a prisoner or not.

The war exhibit train, one of eight trains touring the country, was in Kaukauna on Tuesday in accordance with the Liberty Loan committee. An immense crowd gathered at the south side depot eagerly waiting its arrival.  People arrived by street cars, railroad trains and autos.

September 27, 1918

The Board of Education met in regular session Wednesday evening and adopted a recommendation to the city to increase salaries of high school teachers for the ensuing year $100 per year.

Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Bodde, Town of Kaukauna, received a telegram from Washington Thursday morning stating that their son, Private George Bodde, had been killed in action on Aug. 6 in France.

Sergeant R. E. Bulger writes home. “Thank heaven for a bath and a change of clothes!” A week’s rest in billets back of the line was great. A Highland regiment relieved us and as they took our place we gave them advice. “Be careful of that gap. A sniper caught three of our fellows there yesterday.”