Time Machine: 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.