Time Machine Trip to July 1951

Kaukauna Times – July 1951

By Lyle Hansen

July 4, 1951

Miss Elaine Warnecke, W. Eight street, left Monday for Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, where she will serve with the Women’s Air Force. She graduated from Kaukauna High school this year.

 

Pfc. Robert Agen, who wears the Presidential unit citation and three battle stars, arrived home Wednesday evening from Korea. He will be spending 30-day furlough here with his parents at 514 Green Street.

Ray Plzak, 31, of Kaukauna was killed and three other Kaukauna people were seriously injured when a car driven by Frank Mitchler struck a culvert south of Chilton Saturday afternoon. Injured are Mrs. Harriette Plzak, 30, his wife. Frank Mischler, 52, and his wife, 52. The two couples were on their way home from the VFW encampment at Manitowoc Saturday.

Corporal Tom Van Abel, who is stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, has been transferred to Fort Lee, Virginia, where he will attend school.

July 6, 1951

John Ditter, East Second street, “The watchdog of the Rotary treasury,” recently received gifts of recognition for his twenty-five years of service as the treasure of the Kaukauna Rotary club.

July 11, 1951

Members of the Kaukauna Rod and Gun club met with officials of the Green Bay Mississippi Canal company last week to discuss the establishment of a game preserve near Kaukauna. They received the permission from the company to use 100 acres of woodland to the right of the Thousand Islands as a game preserve site.

July 13, 1951

William McCormick, Jr., who is stationed with the Marine corps at Quantico, Va., has been promoted to Staff Sergeant and has reenlisted in the corps for six more years. The Little Chute native is a veteran of World War II and the Korean campaign. He has been in the Marine corps for ten years. He was seriously wounded in Korea in December of 1950.

 

July 18, 1951

Five years ago, in 1946, Larry Verhagen brought an idea to Kaukauna that had been successful elsewhere but not tried here. Before him no one was convinced that a self-service, supermarket would be successful. Larry was sure that Kaukauna would take to a self-service supermarket and five years have confirmed this belief. He sold his grocery store at the corner of Depot and Draper streets and moved into the new building that had been erected at the corner of Third and Main. After the glamour of the opening day passed the new idea, business began to slip off. People would come in to buy the low-priced items or the scare items due to the war and then walk out. It took almost a year to build up a clientele of shoppers. Since then, Larry’s customers had let him know that they like the well-stocked shelves and the great variety of foods.

 

Huck Finn as David Linskins and Becky Thatcher as Joanne Vandehey

Young folks of Kaukauna got out their raggedy clothes and fished with homemade poles in the annual Huck Finn and Becky Thatcher Day competition here Saturday. In this, the annual event sponsored by the Kaukauna Rod and Gun Club, girls were eligible to compete for the first time. David Linskins, 10, son of Mr. and Mrs. Anton Linskins, winner of last year's first prize, repeated this year. He won a new bicycle for the best Huck Finn costume of the day. Joanne Vandehey, 9, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Clem Vandehey, won the Becky Thatcher costume prize, also a new bicycle. Over 200 boys and girls were involved in the event, and every youngster who fished got a prize. Among the other major winners were Darlene Vanden Brook, John Rodgers, Lennie Hinkens and Judith Canosky.

Lt. Edward Jirikowic is home on leave from his assignment in Korea.

July 20, 1951

“The hardest fighting team in the league” The 1951 Kaukauna American Legion Junior baseball team. In the foreground id Bob Lamers, bat boy. Kneeling first row left to right Norm DeBroux, George Zwick, Don Frank, Dick Otte, Jack Hilgenberg, Pat Cox, Dick Busse and Pat Kavanaugh, Second row: Gene Wittman, Don Linskens, Charles Sikora, Joe Van Linn, Jim Johnson, Dick Jaeger, Jim Otte, Jerry Dreger, Dave Driessen and Tommy Hilgenberg. Jerry Klarer and Dave Derus are managers of the squad.

It is likely that City Attorney H. F. McAndrews and Attorney Neil McCarty will collaborate in requesting a re-hearing before the Public Service commission on the matter of having several of the Chicago Northwestern streamliners make scheduled stops in Kaukauna.

July 25, 1951

Pvt. Paul Carnot, Park Street, arrived home Sunday from Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., to spend a 17-day furlough.

July 27, 1951

Kemp’s Food Market, 219 Lawe street, has been sold to William Eiting former manager of the A&P store here, it was announced today. 

Pfc. Bernard Rolf, Jr., a veteran of nine months of fighting in Korea, is spending a 30-day furlough at home with his parents on Taft Street. He served with the Seventh division artillery being wounded by a land mine in April of this year. He will report to Fort Sheridan, Ill., for reassignment.

Three Kaukauna young men stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, take a few minutes to frolic for the camera. Left picture William Weber with Richard Lancour. Right photo seated on the artillery piece is Harold Hennes.