Time Machine Trip to December 1979

Kaukauna Times - By Lyle Hansen

December 4, 1979

Josh Davids had an opportunity to climb aboard Santa’s knee, and looked a little hesitant about giving his Christmas list, but he didn’t hesitate to take a tug on the famous beard when Santa stopped at the Pizza Hut Saturday.  

December 11, 1979

Steven P. Greenwood, 15, son of Mr. and Mrs. George E. Greenwood Kaukauna and Todd G. Feldkamp, 17, son of Mr. and Mrs. Cletus Feldkamp Kaukauna were killed in a car accident in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula while returning from a skiing trip.

It’s an old story. Children grow up in a welfare or low-income situation. After high school they drift into low paying jobs or unemployment and then onto welfare. Outagamie County’s CETA program along with the area school districts are trying to promote a program to head off the problem before it starts. The program is organized to put disadvantages youths into jobs in private business to provide a paycheck and skills they can use in later life.

Navy Aircrew Survival Equipment Man 2^nd Class Robert A. Nettekoven, Kaukauna, has deployed to the Indian Ocean. He is a member of Attack Squadron 52 based at Oak Harbor, Washington.

Mayor Robert LaPlante’s looking for teenagers to advise Kaukauna city officials on matters directly concerning the city’s young people.

December 13, 1979

The Kaukauna Frosh girls’ volleyball team captured sole possession of first place with a victory over Neenah Monday in their final match of the season.

The Kaukauna high school Pom Pon squad performed at Eau Claire at the clinic held there November 17 and received the second-place trophy. In boxing gloves and blackened eyes and teeth are front row Jody Van Stiphout, Kelly Klarer, Sarah Nytes, Erika Hupperts, Jill Vandenberg, Marie Lamers and Kari Van Dyn Hoven. Back row Becky Spice, Kay Verhagen, Kay Hartzheim, Sue Nytes, Karen Coonen, Molly Schuler and Joan Vandenberg. 

KHS varsity cheerleaders won a second place at Eau Claire competition of 40 squads. Top of the pyramid is Connie Hoffman holding the trophy. Standing are Peg Vock and Karen Van Lunn, seated are Kathy Meyers and Sue Verbeten. Mary Wentzel left and Leah Leddy right, provide the support for Sandy Finnegan, center.

December 18, 1979

A blast in acetylene welding equipment was the cause of a fire in a Kimberly service station Friday, which left one person fatally injured and another hospitalized. James H. Coenen, 33 of Little Chute, died at the scene and station owner John “Bud” Van Toll, Kimberly, is being treated for burns at St. Elizabeth Hospital Appleton. The building was a total loss.

Lieutenant Colonel Robert J. Greenwood, formally of Kaukauna, U.S. Army retired, died December 14, at his home in San Antonio, Texas after a courageous battle with cancer. He was 40 years old and a 17-year veteran as Inspector General of Army Hospital pharmacies.

John Zurovitch, 11, delivered a “strike” ball and ended up with a 7-10 split for a frustrating moment for the young kegler. He had a strike in the 7^th frame and was looking for another one in the 8^th when the 7-10 split appeared, but when the 7-10 split was toppled on the next delivery frustration turned to jubilation. 

Gilbert J. Anderson, 56, who became Kaukauna’s first full-time mayor in 1967, died December 13 at St. Elizabeth hospital, Appleton. He currently was a city alderman. He was named mayor in August of 1966 following the death of mayor Joseph “Doty” Bayorgeon.

December 23, 1979

Nancy Feldkamp, Kaukauna, has graduated as a Practical Nurse on December 14 from the Fox Valley Technical Institute Appleton. She is a 1977 graduate of Wrightstown High School and is currently employed at the Kaukauna Community Hospital.

December 27, 1979

For the past 11 years most sportswriters have made a habit of picking apart the Green Bay Packers in reviews and it’s hard to blame them. In the years since the Packers won the Superbowl against Oakland in 1968, they have gone through three head coaches and compiled a 65-78-7 record. After five as coach and general manager, Bart Starr has led the team to a 26-47-1 record which is an improvement since 1972.

1979 Ford Mustang Coupe 

Time Machine Trip to December 1929

Kaukauna Times - By Lyle Hansen

December 3, 1929

Residents of Kaukauna who call the fire department here for aid should be careful to give the correct address and location of the fire. Several excited persons failed recently to give the correct address of the fire when calling the department. One person gave her phone number as the house number. When calling stay calm as possible under the circumstances and give the correct information.

Phil Zwick, Kaukauna feather weight boxer, invaded a Philadelphia ring Monday evening and handed Joe Marciente a tasty whipping in ten rounds. Phil scoring two knockdowns in the bout.

Forty-five students of Kaukauna High School are on the school’s honor roll for the second six weeks of the first semester. 

December 6, 1929

Robert Grogan, quarterback and captain of the 1929 grid team of the Kaukauna high school.

Jerome Belonger, 9-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. I. Belonger, Dodge Street, is confined to St. Elizabeth’s Hospital as result of injuries he received while coasting. He was coasting down an incline from Dixon Street to Dodge Street when he came in contact with a truck traveling on Dodge Street.

Twenty-two football players and the manager of the 1929 squad received letters at the annual banquet staged at the high school. Coach Paul E. Little presented the letters.

Mayor W. C. Sullivan stated today that all principal corners in the city will be sanded or filled with cinders to avoid accidents.

 

December 13, 1929

Reports from St. Mary’s College, California, state that Marv Miller and “String” Landreman, both former Kaukauna High School athletic stars of last year, are going good, both scholastically and athletically, although both have been handicapped by sickness and injuries. Landreman was going good at center during the early part of the basketball season this year when he broke his shoulder forcing him out of the competition for now. Miller played in nearly every game of the frosh squad throughout the season at the quarterback position.  

“Lodgers” are not few at the local jail this time of the year. Many “Knight of the Road” taking advantage of the police department’s hospitality to gain a good night’s lodging at the “Hoosegow”.

Ross Farwell is the leader of the 1929-30 basketball team of the Kaukauna High School.

December 17, 1929

Many of the noises which develop suddenly in the car when the mercury drops are due to contraction of the wood and metal. The noise diminishes with more normal temperature.

 

December 20, 1929

The Chicago and North Western railway has been granted the right to use the Y. M. C. A. here as a railroad depot.

Six dogs were shot at Kimberly during the last two weeks and the heads were sent to the state health department in Madison. Test revealed that the animals were affected with rabies. These dogs had bitten other animals that were running at large. A quarantine is now in place in Kimberly. Dogs running loose will be shot.

Kaukauna High School Students enjoying the recent snow fall.

December 24, 1929

Again Dr. H. B. Tanner, former Kaukauna mayor, now living in Eastland, Texas, has remembered the Kaukauna Times with mistletoe, gathered in Texas. Each year Dr. Tanner had sent the gift since located in Texas to the Times office. 

 

December 31, 1929

New gray and black 1930 auto license plates are becoming quite commonplace in Kaukauna as many car owners have received their new plates.

Time Machine Trip to December 1949

Kaukauna Times - By Lyle Hansen

December 2, 1949

Mark Hoegh, one of the finest linemen ever turned out of Kaukauna High School was chosen to the 1949 Associated Press All-Star football team last Wednesday.

Don't try to mail your Christmas cards this year with 1 ½ cent stamps postmaster Robert Grogan warned today. To preserve your cheery Christmas cards from being returned for additional postage send them all with first class mail, that means that the 3-cent stamp.

Regular carrier mail service will definitely come to Little Chute this spring, Postmaterialist Anna Metz revealed yesterday. Already at the post office are the necessary sorting desks and satchels. Three additional men will be added to the staff when the new service goes into effect.

Phil Haas, Kaukauna’s contribution to the 1949 Midwest conference football champion Lawrence college team, received one of the highest honors obtained on a championship team this week when he was chosen as captain for the team for the 1950 season. Haas has one of the brightest athlete careers in the area. He competes in almost every sport, football, basketball, boxing, baseball and track. He has put forth a brilliant career in all of them. He has been named captain of the boxing and basketball teams.

December 7, 1949

Private Kenneth Hopfensperger, Kaukauna, has graduated from the radio engineering school at Fort Monmouth, N. J.

Public transportation in Kaukauna is not yet a paying proposition, but Owner Elwood Kubussen has no intention of quitting the game the Times learned Monday. Business in the summer months dropped off but with the coming of cold weather and with increased fares Kobussen is convinced that a profitable operation is possible.

December 9, 1949

A report received by the city Tuesday night from the state Highway commissioner stated that traffic control signals are not warranted at the Main avenue and Second street and the Lawe street and Wisconsin Ave. corners. 

 

4-year-old pianist – Judy Heimerman, daughter of Mr. And Mrs. Florian Heimerman, Kaukauna, will be among the featured performers for the USO talent show to be held at Appleton senior high school auditorium this evening. 

December 14, 1949

Pfc. Robert Bartels, Kaukauna, is serving in occupied Japan and is assigned to duty with 32^nd Infantry of the 7^th Infantry Division.

Nicholas De Bruin was reelected president and manager of the Little Chute community band at a meeting at the city hall. De Bruin, one of the original groups that organized 25 years ago and has been manager of the band for the last five years.

Nine Kau Hi students maintained a straight “A” record during the second six weeks of the first semester, according to Principal Paul Little’s office, Seniors: Ruth Vande Loo.  Juniors: Joan Conrad and Lorena Derus. Sophomores: John Hilgenberg and Darlene Weyers. Freshmen: Elizabeth Brenzel, Muriel Feldkamp, Carol McCole and Mary Verhagen.

December 16, 1949

         Dave Zwick                         Francis Gerow

Dave Zwick and Francis Gerow were named co captains elect for the 1950 Kaukauna high school football team last night at the annual Rotary banquet. Head grid mentor Guy Krumm also announced a list of twenty lettermen for the 1949 season.

December 21, 1949

Lavonne Conrad and Robert Roloff reigning as king and queen, the Christmas Season Dance was held in the high school gymnasium. During intermission Santa Claus, in the form of one of the football teams’ co-captains, Mark Hoegh, appeared and passed out his goodies.

First grade pupils of Nicolet prepare for their annual Christmas pageant. Left to right: Charles Schmidt, Billy Howe, Carol Artz and Barbara Melsavage. Kneeling Carol Look.

Pfc. Ralph Coenen is currently stationed at General MacArthur’s headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. He enlisted in the army in September of 1948 and is a graduate of the Kaukauna high school class of 1947.

“A TRIP AROUND TOWN”

Texaco Super Service Station

Modern Bar

Van Lieshout Motor Sales

Melchert’s Standard Station

Schouten Oil Company

Larry’s Super Market

Meyer’s Service Station

Look Drug Store

Kaukauna Motor Company

Verbeten’s Bowling & Bar

Home Supply Company

Haen Insurance

Hietpas Motor Sales & Service

Fargo Furniture Store

Chandler’s Meat Market

Hass Beer & Liquor Shop

Coffey Motors

Ashauer Beer Distributors

Brooks Oil Company

Vaudette Theatre

Time Machine Trip to December 1939

The Kaukauna Times - By Lyle Hansen

December 1, 1939

A court of honor ceremony will be held December 4 for Boy Scout troop 31. Feature of the program is presenting of the Eagle Scout award to Tom McCarthy and Glen Vandehey. This award is the highest that can be granted to any Boy Scout. A star Scout badge will be presented to William Van Lieshout. Tenderfoot badges awarded to Leon Ashauer, Dean Bayorgeon, James Kramer, Joseph Faust, Donald Brown, Lawrence Gerend, Francis Yingling and Eugene Vandehey.

Benefit movies, will be held in Kaukauna again this year to obtain articles for the Christmas good cheer baskets, according to an announcement made by Anton Berkers, general chairman of the good cheer committee. Benefit movies will be presented at the Rialto Theatre and the Vaudette theater. The public is cordially invited to attend these movies and instead of a cash admission, each person attending is asked to bring one item which can be included in the baskets which will be distributed to the poor at Christmas time. 

Charles Schell was one of the you Kaukauna residents who returned from the Northwoods with a deer. Needless to say, Charlie was proud of the fact that he was one of the fortunate deer hunters to get a buck. But here is a sad ending to the story Charlie must tell about his kill.  It so happened that Charlie hung up his deer and during the night dogs or wolves ate half of the deer, he doesn’t know which. Another proud hunter is Leo Hennes who was the only one of a group of six to return home with a deer. 

Green Bay police caught a burglar in the act this week but don't know what to do with him. In the meantime, they are seeking the owners of a nightshirt, sweater and a pair of pants, which are found when the thief was trailed to his secret hiding place. The thief is a large dog of nondescript ancestry, which runs about the southside of Green Bay snatching laundry off clotheslines as a matter of sport. 

December 6, 1939

Coach Guy Krumm's high school cage team open the Western division conference race Friday night with a 37 to 23 victory over Clintonville at Clintonville. Swedberg and Alger lead the Kaw offense, although Biselx and Bloch were not far behind. Giordana didn't break into the scoring column but played his usual great defense game.

Tom McCarty and Leland Scherer received Eagle Scout badges at the court of honor held at Holy Cross troop 31 Boy Scouts of America at the K of C hall Monday evening. Lester J. Brenzel past grand knight of the local K of C was in charge of the Eagle Scout award ceremony.

GREEN BAY – The championship of the National Football League will be decided Sunday afternoon at State Fair Park in Milwaukee when the Packers, winners of the Western division give battle to the New York Giants, Eastern division titlists. Green Bay went through the season winning 9 of 11 games. The Cleveland Rams and the Chicago Bears are the only clubs to defeat the Bays. The Giants were successful in nine contests. They tied with Washington and suffered a defeat at the hands of the Lions in Detroit. This game promises to be a football fracas which will give the fans something to talk about for months to come.

Fans saw a good game last week as Little Chute St. John defeated Kimberly 23 to 20 after two overtime periods. The Kaukauna High School student body could have learned something about cheering at that game as about 200 followers of each school nearly raised the roof off the Little Chute gym.

December 13, 1939

Don Biselx

The Kaukauna High School cage team dropped an 18 to 15 decision to the strong Neenah Red Rockets at Neenah Friday night. Don Biselx played his best game of the season to push in three field goals to lead the Kaws in the scoring column. Carl Giordana counted 4 of 6 from the free throw line.

Erection of the community Christmas crib on the library grounds will take place this week by a committee of the Knights of Columbus. Caroling will again take place at the crib this year.

Close to 2,000 children and adults greeted Santa Claus when he came to visit Kaukauna Saturday via a special Chicago and Northwestern train at 9 a.m. Santa was welcomed by the mayor and members of the advancement committee.

December 18, 1939

William Gloudemans, 21 left and Robert Specht, 18, right, are two of the Kaukauna boys who have joined the United States army in the present recruiting program. Both boys are in the 61^st coast artillery anti-aircraft at Fort Sheridan, Ill.

The Mayflower sisters, nationally known vocal and instrumental entertainers, will appear on the stage at the Vaudette theater this evening and Saturday evening singing new and old songs favorites. Gene Autry will be the screen production offered on this outstanding program.

December 20, 1939

Joseph R. McCarthy a 31-year-old circuit judge, youngest ever to take the bench in Wisconsin, will take the bench on January 1. McCarthy, young Shawano attorney, becomes judge of the tenth judicial circuit. Included in the circuit are Outagamie, Shawano and Langlade Counties.

L. Lambie toppled a total of 631 pins to pace the Major league keglers at Schell Alleys Monday evening. C. Hilgenberg cracked out a 614 series. 

December 28, 1939

Bill Lambie, city truck driver, was instrumental in averting an accident on the Lawe Street bridge Tuesday afternoon. Lambie had just driven his truck into the city garage and was walking up the Lawe Street bridge on his way home. He noticed a large sedan coming backwards down the bridge at a rapid pace. Realizing there was no driver in the machine, Lambie jumped into the car and stopped it before it traveled much further. The owner of the car and several others were chasing the car in effort to catch up but were unsuccessful.

150 baskets will be distributed to the poor of the city Saturday by the Christmas good cheer committee, according to Anton Berkers, general chairman. At the time we go to press $285 has been collected with which to furnish baskets.   

E. F. Rennicke has been named general chairman of the sesquicentennial to be observed in Kaukauna next year. Elaborate plans will be made for the celebration of the 150th anniversary of Kaukauna.

A petrified fish, or fish fossil, measuring 5 feet in length was found by three Kaukauna NYA youths. Robert Promer, Fred Hammen and Vern Myron, while quarrying stone on the famous Grignon estate when they made the discovery. Professor Lanzmeyer of the Lawrence college states that it is a prehistoric fish and expects to identify it. The Grignon mansion, Homestead in Wisconsin, was built in 1790 by Dominic Ducharme was sold to Augustine Grignon. Only a shell of the old mansion remains, and nothing will be done to change the original appearance except to reinforce the structure and build a new foundation. Lumber for the home came from Mackinac island and was sawed and planed by hand. Carpenters were brought in from the east to build the mansion.