Time Machine Trip to February 1970

Kaukauna Times - By Lyle Hansen

February 4, 1970

The cold wind and deep snow meant nothing to the drivers Sunday as the Fox Valley Sports Car Club stages its first trials of the year at Waverly Beach on Lake Winnebago.

Due to the closing of the former dump site in the Town of Buchanan, the Kaukauna board is considering alternate means of waste disposal. Two types of trash management were discussed. One process would be the burning of up to 48 tons of trash per day reducing it to 7% volume. The second method would be a landfill process. 

February 6, 1970

Patrolman John Carnot uses and inflatable splint to immobilize the arm of Sgt. Gerald Lopas as part of first aid training program for students.

February 11, 1970

The cause of the fire which took the lives of Mrs. Marvin Hooyman and four of her children in an early morning blaze on January 11 is still unknown according to Fire Chief Ted Smits. 

A new store at a new location was opened by the St. Vincent de Paul society of Kaukauna Monday in a step forward in a move to downtown Kaukauna. The society purchased the Second Street building next to the Vaudette theatre. The building was formerly the Stokes Grocery store.

February 18, 1970

Three Kaukauna High wrestlers qualified for the sectional tournament to be held in Green Bay on February 20 – 21. Mike Pomeroy at 137, Steve Van Schyndel at 145 pounds and   Norm Van Wychen at 115 pounds.

Zooming down the hill at Kaukauna’s Riverside City park was this happy youngster. Tim Schell manages a smile despite being snow-covered and cold on his saucer sled.

February 20, 1970

Holy Cross School assured itself a share of the Catholic Boys’ conference title Sunday with a win over St. John’s of Menasha to the tone of 58-42. The win left Holy Cross with a 13-0 record for the season. Both Holy Cross and St. John’s went into the game with 12-0 records.

 1970 Plymouth Hemi Cuda

Time Machine Trip to February 1960

Kaukauna Times - By Lyle Hansen

February 3, 1960

Badger Northland employees voted by 7-1 margin to settle contract negotiations for 1960. The employees had voted 4 to 1 to strike on February 24^th unless wage increases were granted.

Kaukauna beat Kimberly 59-56 and secured first place in the Mid- -Eastern conference basketball league.

February 5, 1960

Tom Wendland has become Kau-Hi’s first homebound student. A victim of polio he is not able to attend school in person. By means of a telephone “intercom”, Tom has a direct connection with several High School classrooms. He carries a full academic program and has maintained a straight ‘A’ average. 

February 10, 1960

Thilmany recorded record sales and production figures for 1959. The sales of 33 million are 5 million over the previous years.

February 12, 1960

Badger Northlands tenth anniversary in Kaukauna will be observed today with an open house. Guides will greet the guests and escort them through the plant.

Walter Schmidt, a teacher and counselor at Kaukauna High School for the past 19 years, Tuesday evening was named Principal of the High School, effective July 1, 1960, by action of the Kaukauna Board of Education. He will succeed Principal Julian Bichler, who will be superintendent, replacing the retiring T. H. Boebel.

February 19, 1960

First Aid procedures in event of a disaster are practiced by students and teachers at the OCTC.

The oversized uniform of Navy whites has become somewhat of a classic theatrical costume since the production of the Broadway musical and later the movie “South Pacific”. Joanne Vandehey used the costume and a recording of the number to pantomime her way to one of the first prizes in a recent Youth Center talent show at KHS.

February 24, 1960

J. Grant Whitman of Kaukauna died Sunday at the age of 95. He was born May 19, 1884 and his family moved here from Little Chute in 1868 when he was four. His recollections of times past were sharp and clear. As a young man he helped break out the stone for building Nicolet School from a quarry that is now the current site of the high school football field. The only bridge over the river was a floating draw bridge at the end of Wisconsin Avenue. He began working at Thilmany in the 1890’s. “There was a year of hardship when we had to wait two months for our pay, and I remember workers coming to their jobs with just one slice of bread and a boiled potato for lunch”. Grant recalled when his father accidentally struck his foot with an axe. “The infection resulted in the doctor removing his leg right on our kitchen table”. I carved a leg for him out of basswood, installed some straps and he got along pretty well with it.” 

Fire caused several thousands of dollars in damage to an apartment building on West Second Street. The three-apartment structure is owned by Vern Despins.

February 26, 1960

Record sales and earnings were reported by the Kaukauna Electric and Water department. Net income was up $31,000 and net sales up $29,000.

David Hash boy’s physical education instructor demonstrates the traditional starting position on Mickey Thompson during a recent class. 

Eagle scouting awards were given Sunday evening at St. Mary’s church to members of the Scout Troop 27.  Pictured Left to right are Mr. and Mrs. Donald Lappen and their son Dennis; Dr. and Mrs. Alphonse Bachhuber and their son David; Wallace Mooney, who made the presentations; Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Jaeger and their son Kenneth; and Mr. and Mrs. Mervin Hansen and their son Lyle.

Dave Yokeum was among the prize winners in the Kaukauna Youth Center talent show with his performance on the drums.

1960 Ford Sunliner

Time Machine Trip to February 1950

Kaukauna Times - By Lyle Hansen

February 1, 1950

89,000 United Auto Workers left their jobs in Chrysler Corp. plants in six states in demand for a 10-cent-an hour welfare package. The strike halts 7,100 cars per day at the plants.  

Captain Rollie Halfman, Kaukauna, graduated last week from the Air Force Communications school at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Captain Halfman entered military service in April 1941. Upon graduating from the school Capt. Halfman was promoted to the rank of major.

Donald Diestler, Kaukauna, who is stationed with the army at Okinawa has been promoted to Private First Class. Diestler enlisted in the army in January 1949.

Opportunity knocks but once upon one’s door so when the telephone rang at the home of George Webster last Friday night little did, he think it was Dame Fortune herself calling. The operator told him it was a long-distance calling; he was surprised and unprepared for the voice on the other end. “Is this George Webster? This is the Break-the-Bank quiz program calling from Chicago and if you can answer the question correctly you will receive the award of $1,000. What is the largest city in Africa?” Poor George with all that cash at stake couldn’t think of the city. “Too bad better luck next time.” The correct answer was Cairo, Egypt. 

February 3, 1950

Census takers are needed in the area. Qualifications needed are that the person be a U.S. citizen, have at least a high school education and be able to understand written and spoken instructions. The census to be taken this year is the seventeenth since 1790. The daily wage a worker may can earn is $7.50 to $8.50 for a full day’s work. 

Cliff Hinkens is now just one point short of doubling the total of his closest competitor as he continues to lead the scoring in the Municipal race. Hinkens now has counted 163 points for an average of 23 per game. Far back in second place is Dick Pearson, the top scorer for the Modern Dairy with 82 points, 14 per game.

February 8, 1950

Quite a mix-up has taken place over the weekend in the professional football coaching staffs. To begin with the old Packer mentor of the Bays, Earl “Curly” Lambeau, signed with the Chicago Cardinals as their head coach. This came as a big surprise and left the head coaching position of the Packers wide open. But it wasn’t long before the Packer management announced the signing of Gene Ronzani, former Chicago Bears star, as the new head coach.

February 10, 1950

Packed snow and glare ice on the city streets will offer far less of a driving hazard due to action on the part of the shop classes at the Kaukauna Vocational school. A novel sand and cinder spreader has been hand-made by members of the Machine and Welding classes.

February 15, 1950

Pfc. Robert Bartels, Kaukauna, is currently serving with the occupational forces in Honshu, Japan. He is assigned to the duty with the 32^nd Infantry Regiment as a rifleman. Bartels has been in the army since November of 1947.

The Engerson family Trio – John Engerson, right, who will celebrate his 84^th birthday February 16 and his two sons, Chief of Police Harold Engerson left and Fire Chief Carl Engerson standing. 

February 22, 1950

Corporal Gilbert Arps, Kaukauna, was sworn into the US Army Reserve Corps’ 291st Combat Engineers last Wednesday at the armory in Appleton.

A copy of the January 4, 1800 issue of the Ulster County, N.Y. Gazette containing the account of the funeral service of General George Washington first president of the United States has been loaned to The Kaukauna Times in commemoration of his birthday today February 22. This old newspaper is 150 years old and yellowed with age. The paper is the property of Milton Schmitt of Kaukauna. 

February 24, 1950

Jeanne Carstens, five-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Carstens Seventh Street fractured her right leg Monday afternoon while sleigh riding near her home. She is confined to her home.

1950 Ford Convertible

Time Machine Trip to February 1940

Kaukauna Times - By Lyle Hansen

February 2, 1940

Carl Ploetz, of the K. E. & W. team, rolled a 621 series on the Wednesday night league at the S & B Alleys.

February 7, 1940

President Franklin D. Roosevelt

“Great speculation prevails in Washington as to whether President Roosevelt will seek a third term or not,” according to eight district congressman Joshua Johns. “The next president of the United States will have a heavy burden to carry. It will take a young man strong in body and mind.” 

Kaukauna walloped West De Pere 48 to 24 Friday night at De Pere putting the Kaukauna squad one game out of first place. Giordana again led the Kaws with 28 points and Alger with 12 and Koch with 11.

Andy Hardy has girl trouble again in “judge Hardy and Son” which opens Sunday at the Rialto for the three-day show.

February 9, 1940

Enrollment at the school of vocational and adult education at the end of January totaled 529, according to director William T. Sullivan. Unemployed young people of the city are taking advantage of the educational opportunities offered by the vocational school.

February 14, 1940

“The reason that the average life of an Indian is 36 years longer than that of a white man is due chiefly to the fact that Indians go to bed at sunset and rise before dawn,” said Chief Whitefeather, a full blooded Indian at a lyceum program at the high school Tuesday morning. He said the Indian believes in three essentials of life, sun, earth and water. 

Fire shortly before noon Friday destroyed the former Little Chute Pulp company building at Combined Locks, a 40-year-old structure estimated loss is $25,000. The building was owned by the Green Bay and Mississippi Cabal company and was leased to the Combined Locks mill in 1914.

Holy Cross defeated St. Mary’s Saturday morning 14 to 0 to take over first place in the grade school league. Lanky Ervin Lucassen led the Holy Cross in its one-sided win. He used his height to advantage to score five baskets for 10 points.

February 23, 1940

The question to restoration of the salaries of firemen and policemen to the 1932 level will hold up adoption of the city’s salary ordinance until next week when the common council will decide the matter.

February 28, 1940

The former building of the Union Bag and Paper Company, owned by the Green Bay and Mississippi Canal Company, has been leased by the Thilmany Pulp and Paper Company and will be used for additional converting quarters and storage rooms by the Thilmany Company. The Union Company is no longer in operation here.

More children died in traffic accidents last year according to a report from the Wisconsin Motor Vehicle Department. creasing. Lives of 151 persons under 20 years of age were lost in accidents last year compared with 132 in 1938.

High school ice skaters who won races are J. Winn, Harold Vandenberg, J. Wandell, Coach Mr. Kemp, Joan Derus, L. Smith and Laverne Lopas.

1940 Ford Coupe Deluxe

Time Machine Trip to February 1930

Kaukauna Times - By Lyle Hansen

February 4, 1930

A telegram received here today states that a carload of horses will arrive in Kaukauna this evening in preparation for the horse auction to be held here Saturday in connection with the monthly pig fair.

February 7, 1930

Word received from Ralph Emerson, prominently known Chicago organist and frequent visitor to Kaukauna states that he will be at the keyboard of the world’s largest organ with a program being broadcasted over radio station WLS this Friday evening.

 

February 11, 1930

Kaukauna motorists have been warned by Chief of Police R. H. McCarty that only a month remains before autos must have their 1930 license plates. No warnings will be issued this year. 

February 14, 1930

A warning that the quarantine against rabies in Outagamie county is still in force. All dogs must be confined to the premises of the owners under a penalty of a fine of not less than $25 nor more than $100. Because of the outbreak of rabies in Kimberly last December 17^th the quarantine has been in effect.

F. W. Berg of Appleton has taken over the Service laundry, second street, and is now operating the place. He has eight years of experience from the Peerless laundry in Appleton.

Rev. H. J. Lane, scoutmaster of Kaukauna Boy Scout Troop 20, announced that the troop now has 33 full-fledged members and is at full strength.

Anton Jansen

By a vote of 22 to 19 the Outagamie county board of supervisors accepted the resignation of Anton Jansen, Little Chute Village president, from the highway committee. Jansen resigned in opposition to action in cutting the wages of some of the highway crew workers.

February 18, 1930

One hundred and fifty farmers representing the rural population of Freedom, Dundas, Wrightstown, Darboy, Sherwood, Forest Junction, Harrison and Greenleaf met in Kaukauna Friday afternoon and perfected the organization of the Kaukauna Cooperative Egg Producers’ association.  Kaukauna will be the shipping center for the eggs. 

February 28, 1930

Hundreds of visitors attended the opening of the seventh annual Mid-Winter fair Thursday, in Kaukauna, the morning finding the visitors busily engaged in entering samples in the various exhibits, and the afternoon finding them entertained and instructed by means of various speeches and the program in the auditorium. In the evening, the auditorium was also crowded, as every parking space for blocks around was filled. Today is finding another large crowd of visitors taking advantage of the fair, and this evening's crowd is expected to break all records for attendance.

George “Stormy” Kromer! That name is one which is as every dyed-in-the-wool baseball fan knows, closely connected with that great national game of baseball. But how did he get that name “Stormy”? We’ve asked several old timers, but none seems to know. The answer maybe from a column in the St. Louis News edition of February 20^th. One of Stormy’s greatest bid for fame was made in 1925 when he was bossing the Blytheville team on a record run of 35 straight defeats. The team lead the league in fielding, was sixth in batting, third in home runs, fourth in triples, sixth in doubles, and first in bases on balls. At the same time, he was turning out 360,000 hats a year at his Milwaukee plant.  Once he was elected captain of a team to succeed a fellow who was known Windy. He wasn’t on the job two days when one of the players said if the old cap’s name was Windy this fellow’s a Stormy. 

 

Time Machine Trip to February 1920

  

Kaukauna Times - By Lyle Hansen

February 5, 1920

Kaukauna residents have reason to congratulate themselves on their healthy environment as compared with the records of other communities. Msgr. P. L. Lochman, pastor of Holy Cross church stated that he has had only three deaths in his large congregation since last October. As a rule, November, December and January are death’s harvest months and yet this year there were but three deaths in four months at Holy Cross.

The Kaukauna girls played their first game at DePere last Friday evening. Although the local team was defeated by a score of 16 to 7 they are not dismayed. The baskets for Kaukauna were caged by Laura Boyd and Catherine Miller, the rest of the team having all they could do in giving horse-back rides to the DePere players. 

February 12, 1920 

A sleigh ride has been planned this evening, by the members of the football team, to be given in honor of the senior girls, who gave a banquet some time ago for the team. The party is going to Appleton or Neenah later to return to the high school for music and refreshments are to be the chief features of the evening. The team was composed of the following players: Forwards Delbridge and Boettcher; Guards, Ott and Mayer; Center, Schrader. Homan substituted for Schrader.

Kenneth Schussmann, recently appointed to the U. S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, arrived home last Saturday on a furlough and will remain with his parents, Professor and Mrs. I. G. Schussmann until April 20^th.

A closed season on deer has been declared by the state game conservation commission on account of the great numbers of these animals killed last year. It is estimated that more than 26,000 deer were killed last year.

Supplies for the forty new residents to be erected in the new addition platted by the Thilmany Pulp and Paper company on the northside has been secured by Mr. Earl Miller supervising architect. Mr. Miller states that construction on the forty homes will begin soon. The homes have a selling price between three and five thousand dollars.  

Mr. Edwin Rogers, of Hudson N. Y., has accepted a position with The Times and will represent this paper as its circulation and advertising manager.

Abe Golden of this city received this week a letter from his father who resides in Lompas, Poland, and as it is the first word that Mr. Golden has received for six years from his parents he was overjoyed by the announcement that they were still alive and had survived the war, which devastated the region where they live. Mr. Goldin Sr. is a retired schoolteacher and stated that his pension is reduced as result of the mark which was worth 20 cents before the war is now worth but one cent.

According to a summary report issued yesterday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, union wage scales in the general trades in 1919 averaged 17 percent higher than in 1918 and 55 percent greater than 1913. 1919 shows a five percent less than 1918.

February 19, 1920

Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Thilmany and daughter, Miss Elsa, formerly of this city and who have been living in Germany for some years, have returned to America, arriving in New York last week and were meet by Mr. Wertheimer of this city. Mr. Thilmany said that during the war he and his family had clung to their American citizenship and that the Stars and Strips had been hung in front of their home.

February 26, 1920

Kaukauna’s oldest resident, Mrs. Christina Jensen, who celebrated her 102nd birthday last August has passed away quietly at her daughter’s home on Lawe street Saturday morning. Mrs. Jensen was born in Denmark in 1817 and she came to America in 1881 with her husband.