Time Machine Trip to December 1968

By Lyle Hansen

December 4, 1968

Major Kenneth J. Krueger, Kimberly, has received his second award of the U. S. Air Force Commendation Medal at Randolph AFB, Texas. Major Krueger was decorated for meritorious service as a personnel officer at Oslo, Norway.

December 6, 1968

The Kaukauna Ghosts matmen took their second victory of the season Wednesday evening in a narrow 31-23 contest with Marinette High. Getting the points for Kaukauna were Dan Rogers, Don Bloy, Dan Romenesko and Steve Dreier.

The Kaukauna High School varsity squad. The Galloping Ghosts this year finished with a 1-1-3 record. Front row, Paul Fassbender, Pat Brautigan, Jay Kobussen, Joe Roberts, Bernie Van Zeeland, Gary Mathis, Don Heindel, Jim Mulry, Dan Romenesko, Dave Deering and Gary Effa. Back row assistant coach John Stock, manager Dale Nagan, Ken Hietpas, Dave LaBorde, Steve Dreier, Dennis Riemer, Neil Geiger, Phil DeBruin, Jon Hoffman, Dan Femal, Dan Egan, Tom Giordana, Jerry Dercks, Mike DeBruin, Jeff Van Asten, Dale Leitzke, Dave Bruehl, Jim Biese, Gary Weyers and head coach Ken Roloff.

Bay Packers were denied possession of first place by the San Francisco 49’ers last Sunday and with the defeat were dropped into third place in the Central Division a half game out of first.

December 11, 1968

Raymond E. Vils, Kaukauna High graduate, just had a book of poems entitled “Offshore Water Fishmen” published.

The Kaukauna High cagers rebounded strongly from their Friday night defeat at the hands of Menasha and played their finest game of the season Saturday and notching their initial victory of the campaign over New London in a 70-58 romp. Kaukauna lead in individual scoring by senior forward Dave LaBorde with 19 points. Jack Kemp rammed through for sixteen points Sean Rohan and Al Borchardt collected 12 points and Leon Franzke got 11 markers.

Gary Weyers, Kaukauna youth, was awarded his Eagle badge at the Sunday Court of Honor held by Scout Troop 31 of Holy Cross. The Eagle award is the highest attainable honor in scouting. Along with Gary are his parents Mr. and Mrs. Clayton Weyers, Scoutmaster Roger Hietpas and Assistant Scoutmaster Clayton McCabe. 

December 13, 1968

Marine Pfc. George W. Gast, Kaukauna, is serving with Marine air base squadron 16 a unit of the first Marine aircraft wing in Vietnam.

C. R. Seaborne, Sr., former executive vice president of Thilmany Pulp and Paper Company of Kaukauna has announced his retirement from the Board of Directors of the company according to J. E. Thomas Thilmany's president. Seaborne had started with Thilmany in 1918.

December 18, 1968

Jean Ann Alger, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Alger, Kaukauna, died Sunday evening following an auto accident on County trunk “Q” East of Kaukauna. Miss Alger, a passenger in the auto, was a sophomore at Kaukauna High School and a lifelong resident of the city. 

December 24, 1968

Airman 1st Class John J. Hoersch, Kaukauna, has been recognized for his outstanding accomplishments during the 1968 hurricane season as a member of the famed U. S. Air Force “Hurricane Hunters.” Airman Hoersch, and autopilot repairman, was assigned to the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, Puerto Rico.

Santa Claus arrived in the city to greet youngsters and discover what they want for Christmas this year. Shown above meeting Santa are Sara and Mark Hansen, children of Mr. and Mrs. Lyle Hansen of Kaukauna. 

Time Machine Trip to December 1928

By Lyle Hansen

December 4, 1928

Jay O. Posson, 46, wide known as head of the successful Kaukauna Electrical and Water department, died at home following five days illness of pneumonia.

The Kaukauna Boosters, playing their first basketball game of the season handed Wrightstown a 24-20 beating.

December 7, 1928

Herbert F. Weckwerth, electrical engineer of the local municipal electric and water department for the past two years was named superintendent of the Kaukauna Electric and Water Department at its meeting Tuesday evening. He will replace Jay O. Posson who died last week.

Green Bay – Twenty-six saloonkeepers and bartenders from Green Bay and vicinity entered the house of correction in Milwaukee at noon Monday, to start serving sentences of from two to six months for violation of the national prohibition act.

December 11, 1928

GREENLEAF – Not content with “drying up” Green Bay, federal prohibition agents raided two of Greenleaf’s soft drink parlors and arrested the proprietors. Mr. G. Binnings and Jack Sanders were arraigned before the United States Commissioner they pleaded not guilty and were bound over for hearing December 14^th. Agents seized two half barrels of alleged beer along with wine and gin.

The Holy Cross football team of this city received high tribute in a Milwaukee newspaper which mentioned the fact that Rev. F. J. Melchior, local coach, awarded letters to thirteen boys of the squad. The team scored 248 points against a total of 18 for their opponents. The school has undisputed championship of the elementary schools in the Fox River Valley. 

Emmett Rohan, of Kaukauna, is undefeated as a cross country runner in his first year at two different schools which he is the holder of the five Milwaukee city championships. He had entered Lawrence College in Appleton in the fall of 1926 and competed in the track program. He won the all campus championship in his freshmen year winning every event he entered. He transferred to Marquette University the following year where he was made captain of the freshmen track team and also won every event he entered. 

December 14, 1928

Little Chute – Rev. Paul P. Rhode, bishop of the Green Bay diocese assisted Rev. J. J. Sprangers along with a large number of visiting clergy, dedicating the beautiful new St. John’s Catholic parochial school here Sunday. There were over 1,000 people present to witness the event. There are eighteen classrooms and a large gymnasium.

December 18, 1928

Officer John Heid found a car Sunday evening belonging to Jerry Wheaton of this city which was reported stolen. When Mr. Wheaton claimed the machine there were two sacks of coal in the rear seat which were not there when he parked the auto.

December 21, 1928

Clem Hilgenberg, local agent for the New York Like Insurance company, delivered to Mayor W. C. Sullivan, three checks totaling $100,113.40, in full payment of the insurance policy taken on the life of the late J. O. Posson, by the city of Kaukauna. The policies on the life of Mr. Posson, who had been manager of the Kaukauna Electric and Water departments, were taken out just a few months before his death, and the city of Kaukauna was named as beneficiary.

Green Bay – Elan “Slim” Delancy, 26, member of the Green Bay police force, was arraigned here on the charge of complicity in the $40,000 bank robbery on the Farmers Exchange bank of Green Bay. He stated he was at a movie with his wife the evening of the bank robbery.

December 28, 1928

The dedication of the new St. Mary's Catholic School will take place here Sunday afternoon, beginning at 3 o'clock.

Time Machine Trip to December 1988

By Lyle Hansen

December 1, 1988

The Green Bay Packers (2-11) travel to Pontiac Michigan for a rematch with another hopeless team, the Detroit Lions (3-10), Sunday at noon. The Packers will attempt to break their six-game losing streak. The Lions defeated the Packers November 20 with a 19-9 victory.

December 6, 1988

Kaukauna native Mark Niquette sent the following message on a postcard from London England. Yep, I got to see Lady Di! I was walking home from the library one night when I saw a large crowd and walked over to see what the fuss was about. Lady Di was scheduled to appear at a London ceremony for a church fundraiser. A large motorcade and limo pulled up and out popped Lady Di wearing a beautiful pink dress right out of Cinderella. She winked at me, but it may have been something to do with the cameraman behind me. Your foreign correspondent - Mark.

A number of witnesses told a Columbia County jury that Vince Fisher, 41, showed no emotions when the daughter of his girlfriend was found dead in March. Fisher is charged with second-degree murder in the death of six-year-old Jessica Miller March 9 of this year. Pathologist testified that Jessica's death was caused by rubber ball lodged in her throat.

Holiday shoppers could not be more typical during the shopping season than a boy in a toy store? Adam Bahr of Winneconne shows his dad what he wants to find under the Christmas tree this year. Tanya VanHeuklin of Kaukauna models an item on her Christmas wish list.

City attorney Donald Green said that it appears the present owner of the proposed greyhound racetrack site may ask annexation to the city in early January one of the first steps to making the track a reality.

The Kaukauna girls’ basketball cheerleading squad in the front row are Dana Schumacher, Amy Boucher and Jenny Verhagen. Back row are Stacy Sternhagen, Jenny Jacques, Sara Bloch and Kathy Van Treeck.

December 8, 1988

Coach Lindy Infante’s Packers (2-12) were guilty of five turnovers in the first half which the Lions converted into twenty-four points en route to a 30-14 victory. Randy Wright attempted 52 passes in the game and completed 29. Packers team will attempt to break their 7-game losing streak this Sunday against the playoff bound Minnesota Vikings.

Tuesday night’s girls’ basketball game at Neenah was important for two reasons. The girls won the match 61-32 and Sara Biese needed to score only four points to smash Deb DeBroux’s school record of 813 career points. Sara scored 25 points in the game. Coach Karla Miller-Flynn said “She did an excellent job and it didn’t come easy. She worked very hard and she earned it.”

December 15, 1988

Thank you, and praise to coach Norma Metoxen-Rammer who will officially resign Monday night as the girls’ volleyball coach serving for the past eighteen years in the program. This year she led her team to a second-place finish behind Neenah in the Fox Valley Association standing with a 10-4 record.

December 20, 1988

Funeral services will be conducted this evening for Oscar T. Jahns at Trinity Lutheran Church. Mr. Jahns, 83, served as a patrolman and Sgt. with the Kaukauna Police Department for twenty-five years.  

December 22, 1988

Soon this newspaper may have to be separated from other items when it eventually joins the waste stream. Likewise, aluminum cans, glass bottles, cardboard, plastic items and yard waste will likely be separated from the other rubbish and trash. The Outagamie County landfill won't accept yard waste after April 1 of the coming year.

Sheboygan North’s Jason Siminow wrestles Ghost Jim Hansen to the mat at the Junior Varsity Triple Dual Saturday.

December 28, 1988

City Planning Commission members Tuesday gave preliminary approval to annexing 126.9 acres of the John Hurkman farm as a first step in establishing a Greyhound track in the city.

Every child who participates in basketball dreams of a chance of getting a game-winning shot at the buzzer. Sara Seegers had a chance Thursday night as she sank an 18-foot shot with no time remaining to lift Kimberly past a heart-broken Kaukauna team 42-41. Seegers’ basket came after Kaukauna’s Becky Anderson connected on a wide open inside shot to put the Ghosts up 41-40 two seconds left on the clock. Kimberly called time out an inbound pass found Seegers at half court after two steps she launched the ball for the winning score.

Time Machine Trip to December 1880

By Lyle Hansen

December 3, 1880

Mr. and Mrs. John Patterson rejoice in the advent of a 12 ½ pound boy at their home.

Phoenix, Arizona – Demetrio Domingues, age 17 years, was hanged for murder on the 26^th of November. This is the first legal execution in the territory, though it is a known fact the several men have been lynched at various times.

December 10, 1880

Wm. H. Vanderbilt, the great New York millionaire, President Rhinelander, S.S. Sands, and the general officers of the M., L. S. & W. R'y. visited Kaukauna this week. These are influential and wealthy gentlemen, mainly those connected with the great Kaukauna Water Power Co. The visit portends great things for Kaukauna.

December 17, 1880

We are informed that it is probable that Kaukauna will be favored in the near future with a theatrical representation by the Appleton Dramatic Association. "The Octoroon" is underscored.

The Kentucky “Moonshiners” are again organizing, and the U.S. authorities are taking steps to subdue them. Arms will be resorted to if necessary.

December 24, 1880

The Northwestern Telegraph Co. put in an office at the depot of the C. & N.W. R'y on Tuesday, now giving Kaukauna two offices, one on each side of town. This will indeed prove a great convenience to the business men of the Village located on the north side, who have been compelled to cross the river whenever they wished to use the wires. It will also be a decided benefit to the traveling public, as the exact position of trains and their probable arrival time can be ascertained.

S. J. Long, age 35, brakeman on the Louisville and Nashville road, was killed near Glasgow on the 15^th.  He was on the top of a car as the train entered a tunnel. His head was knocked off.

December 31, 1880

Kaukauna now boasts of a real, live milkman who drives through the streets daily blowing a horn to arouse the people to inform them that the dispenser of the lacteal fluid is at the door. Who says we don't put on style here?

Some time ago the Chinese workers in the shirt factories at Jamesburg, N.J., struck. The factory people replaced them by American laborers, three hundred finding employment. The Chinese quarters outside of the town have been abandoned, all the occupants leaving the place.

Time Machine Trip to December 1955

By Lyle Hansen

December 2, 1955

Norm Lenz smashed a 258 single game and a 672 series pacing the members of the men’s major bowling league at the S&B. Floyd Hammen rapped a 257 game and a 653 series the same night.

Three men who have completed 25 years of service at Thilmany Pulp & Paper Company of Kaukauna will be inducted into the Thilmany Quarter Century Club at the groups next meeting. The new members are Francis Robedeaux, Sylvester Van Gompel and Lester Wankey. Those completing 50 years with Thilmany in 1955 were A. M. Schmalz, Production Manager and Frank Goetzman.

Second Lieutenant Frank M. Charlesworth, Jr., is currently taking part in “Exercise Sagebrush” maneuvers in Louisiana until Dec. 15. He is escorting high ranking officers and the press photographers.

December 7, 1955

Kaukauna’s Galloping Ghosts were in a real “Barn-burner’ in a 79-58 win over the Clintonville Truckers in a slam-bang game that saw the lead change more than a dozen times.

Rambling Reporter – Mrs. Ed Wolf – During the recent teacher’s convention in Milwaukee, little Wayne was playing in his yard when a neighbor man asked him why he wasn’t in school. “The teachers got an invention today”.

The possibility of 1955 becoming a record-breaking home building year in Kaukauna become less remote as on December 2 the 60^th permit for the construction of a home was issued from the City Engineer’s office.

One Kaukauna youth was among 15 inducted into the armed forces from Outagamie County on December 2. He is Francis J. Mischler of Route 3.

CD2 Donald Nagan, who enlisted in the navy, December 1, 1951, was separated from service on November 23. He arrived in Kaukauna late Thanksgiving evening, where he joined with his wife at the home of his parents.

December 9, 1955

By an 8-2 vote the common council Tuesday evening voted in favor of installation of parking meters in some areas of Kaukauna on a one-year basis. Mayor Joseph Bayorgeon at the same time stated that he would veto the action.

Kaukauna’s three ice skating rinks located at Nicolet and Park schools and at Reichel’s pond are currently doing “land office’ business according to the recreation department director Robert Vanevenhoven. “Wednesday night we had close to 600 youngsters at Reichel’s pond and the Park was crowed too” Vanevenhoven reported.

December 21, 1955 

King Herod’s court was recalled by the students of St. Mary’s school Sunday in the play “When Christmas Comes” Seated front is Thomas Verhagen, as Herod. The four guards are Earl Bergeron, Bruce Bay, Kenneth Kavanaugh and Ronald Jonen. In the front row musicians are Kenneth Bergeron, David Resch, Nancy Van Dyke, Mary Ann Lewandowski and Eileen Kuehn.

   

 “Tale of the Toys” a Christmas production the six Nicolet grades was presented to the Parent-Teachers Association this month. Members of the cast left to right back row are Jane Henry, Suzanne Sielaff, Jill Kobin, Sara Scheib, Karen Kaphingst, Tim Thompson, Connie Pockat, Wendy Petruska, Jeff Kobin, Mary Hunt, Kenny Kaphingst, Sandy DeWitt and Gary Zurenske. The three youngsters in the front row are, Lynn Cherkasky, Dick Koester and Marsha Beaugrand.

Clarence A. Smith, 22, of Kaukauna, recently was promoted to specialist third class in Germany where he is a member of the 4^th Armor Group. Smith a tank driver is a 1951 graduate of Kaukauna High School.

Pvt. Charles Velte, Kaukauna, is currently training in Fort Riley, Kansas. He entered the army last October.

Pfc Rudy Merbach, Jr., Sherwood, will be arriving home on Dec. 29 for a ten-day furlough. He is currently stationed at Fort Carson, Colo.

Pvt. Jerome Van Deraa, Kaukauna, is currently in training at Fort Riley, Colo. He entered the army in October of this year.

Brothers are stationed with the army in Germany. 

Pfc. Ronald Romenesko is with the 371 Ord. Det.

Pfc. Leroy Romenesko is with the 35^th Eng. Bn.

 1955 Plymouth Belvedere

Time Machine Trip to December 1918

By Lyle Hansen

December 6, 1918

Melvin A. Raught - To our abiding regret and that of everybody connected with THE TIMES, Melvin A. Raught has resigned from his connections with the paper, of which he has been foreman for the past year Mr. J. B. Kendall, formerly of the Kaukauna Sun, will replace Mr. Raught in that capacity at THE TIMES. It would be easy to write columns about Mel and yet fail to adequately express our high opinion of his worth, integrity, his keen sense of honor and our great regret that he is leaving us.  

William Van Dyke of the Vaudette theatre of this city will furnish the music for a dance in Appleton tonight.

The war industries board after it had caused weekly newspapers all the trouble it could by its order to conserve paper and cut off all subscribers except those paid in advance has notified the weeklies that the order to conserve is rescinded as the amount of paper thus saved is not worth the bothering about. It would have been better if they would have looked into this before issuing the order in the first place.

December 13, 1918

President Wilson - Those senators who are seeking public favor by heckling the president while he is engaged in the extremely delicate task of reconciling many nationalities to the terms of a just peace will find themselves in poor business. It is even more important now than ever for statesmen to rise above partisanship and think only of the highest welfare of the country. The president has been a great moral leader, inspiring the whole world with his high ideals of government and citizenship.

Mr. John Brooks of Forest Junction received an announcement from the war department on November 30 that his son Gerhard of the American Expedition forces in France was reported as missing in action. This is the second loss which Mr. and Mrs. Brooks have sustained, their son Arnold having died in a hospital in England. A third son is still in France and as of now has passed through the war unharmed.

Superintendent of the City Utility J. O. Possum and his family have had a hard siege of the sickness, the father, mother and the children being all at the same time victims of the influenza. 

Jacob Coppus - Sad news was received Monday of the death of their son, Jacob by Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Coppus of Little Chute in and official notice from Washington, D. C. The notice stated that their son, was killed in action on November 2. The grief-stricken parents are in hope that this notice may be untrue.

A Kaukauna boy who has sacrificed his life for his country’s service, Arthur Koenig, and now lies buried in French soil, the pretty story  related that in order to spare his parents any anxiety on his account while he was in France he represented in his letters home that he was engaged in Y. M. C. A. work where he was perfectly safe. As a matter of fact, the young hero was at that moment  serving in the front-line trenches and “going over the top” risking his life in the performance of his duty. Arthur Koenig’s “white lie” stands vastly to his credit typifying the spirit of the American boys in Europe whose letters show to a marked love of home.

December 27, 1918

Corporal Joseph Schoemer arrived home from Camp Zachary, Ky. Schoemer says that at Camp Taylor there are some 15,000 colored Infantry troops. They make excellent Infantry men and take great pride in becoming perfect in their work. “You should see them while on dress parade” how perfect their alignment, not an inch out of line. All the commissioned officers are white men and they speak in highest praise of the colored troops and their fighting qualities are almost on a par with the best white troops that have ever been sent “over the top”.

Time Machine Trip to December 1908

By Lyle Hansen

 December 4, 1908

The Kaukauna Fibre Company’s plant which has been closed down for nearly two years on account of the building of the new electric power plant will be in full operation by the first of next week. The acid department was started up this week as well as some of the other departments, but it will be two or three days before all the machinery is running. The plant was given a general overhauling and is now in better condition than ever.

Foreman Louis Servaes has a crew of men at work for the government building new gates for the locks at the dry dock yards. The gates at the third and fourth locks have become so badly worn over the years that they were beyond further repairs.

The local saloon keepers who were arrested last month with having gambling devices in the form of slot machines in their business have plead guilty in municipal court in Appleton and paid their fines. Judge Ryan immediately issued orders to the sheriff to destroy the four confiscated machines.

December 11, 1908

According to a Menasha dispatch, mill owners are using 100 percent of the normal water for the first time in the last six months. Recent heavy storms have added to the supply in Lake Winnebago and all the mills between Menasha and Green Bay have resumed operations for the first time since the supply was cut.

A freight train was derailed at Sheboygan Tuesday night damaging ten cars to such an extent that half of them had to burn to clear the track.

North bank Fox River Kaukauna

The desertions in the Army had dropped to 4.6 % of the enlisted men. In 1907 the rate was 5.6 % and in 1906 the rate was 7.4%.  The highest rate was Troop G of the 14^th Cavalry which was 21.18%.  The total strength of the Army not including the hospital corps numbers 78,166.  As result of the riding tests ordered by President Roosevelt nineteen officers were placed on the retirement list.

The Kaukauna Building and Loan Association has for the past twenty years been holding out the opportunity to those who have encumbrances on their homes to get out of debt. Their plan of paying off the debt by small regular monthly payments has helped hundreds of people by getting homes of their own and by wiping out all debts against them.

The Wisconsin Traction, Light, Heat and Power Company issued an order that the inside doors of the interurban cars must remain closed. The rule was made to do with the fact that ladies are annoyed by gentlemen smoking on the platforms and that the smoke fills the cars. It is doubtful the ladies that were offended were from Kaukauna.

December 18, 1908

The front of Mulford's clothing store has been illuminated with electric light bulbs and attracts considerable attention.

A paper with some value as well as age was laid upon my desk at the Kaukauna Times last Saturday. The newspaper was published in Kingston N.Y. and was dated January 4, 1800. The paper contained the obituary of George Washington. It also briefly reviewed the proceedings of congress under the administration of President John Adams.  The little paper was well preserved, and the owner stated it is for sale if a person is interested.  I will have it on my desk for review at this office for any interested person.

The city of Kenosha is financially embarrassed or to be more exact “broke”. The First National Bank has consented to carry the city to the end of the year. It is estimated the city will be forced to borrow $10,000 to meet demands to the end of the year.

December 25, 1908

Little Chute - Nic Schommer sold his hotel and saloon building this week to Peter Watery, a farmer of the town of Freedom, who will take possession January 1. The building is quite large and is located at the head of Depot Street near the Chicago and Northwestern station. The sale was for cash, $7,000. Nic will go back to his old skill of building wagons. John Verstegen, who owns one of the principal buildings on Main Street, in which he conducted a furniture and shoe store, sold out to John Gloudeman.  Mr. Gloudeman will continue the run the business at the same stand.

It was announced at Washington that President Roosevelt’s hunting trip to South Africa is not to be a private enterprise.  He will lead an expedition outfitted by the Smithsonian Institution.  The President will pay his own way on the trip along with his son Kermit.