Time Machine Trip to December 1963

 

Kaukauna Times – December 1963

By Lyle Hansen

December 4, 1963

Santa Claus received an enthusiastic welcome from the youngsters of Kaukauna Saturday. Several children surrounded Santa and settled themselves on his lap.

 

December 6, 1963

On Sunday at 1:30 p.m., the doors of Kaukauna High School swing open to admit the residents of the city and surrounding areas, as an open house will be conducted to show off the school's new addition and the improvements which have been brought about in the older sections. According to Superintendent Julian Bichler, the entire project cost to date is $1,813,984.99, $180,000 of which has been used in renovating, altering, and improving the original building.

The Christmas shopping season in Kaukauna was heralded last Friday by city workmen as toured the downtown putting up the traditional light pole ornaments.

Fred Gerhard, proprietor of Hill Top Bakery and his son-in-law Connie Boelhower, decorate 25 of the holiday Hansel and Gretel Honey Houses for the grade school classrooms.  In 1960 there were 600 sold, in 1961 and 1962 10,000. This year the number is over 60,000.

December 11, 1963

Mary Verhagen, youngest of the Mr. and Mrs. Lawence Verhagen family, cut the ribbon for the opening of the new Larry’s Piggly Wiggly Super Market on Hy. 96 Little Chute.

          

 

December 20, 1963

Two former Kaukauna High School football stars have also been "making it big" on the gridirons of small college campuses since their graduation. Bruce "Bucky" Bay of Route 3, Kaukauna is a junior at Stevens Point State College and Dennis Burns of 513 West Sixth Street is now a senior at Michigan Tech of Houghton, Michigan.

 

December 24, 1963

H. O. Peters, vice-president for Sales of Thilmany Pulp and Paper Company of Kaukauna announced that effective January 1, 1964, L. R. Graef will assume the position of General Sales Manager located at Thilmany’s general offices in Kaukauna. Graef has been with the company for 28 years and has served as Eastern Division sales manager since 1945.

Kaukauna Community hospital received a surprise visit from Santa who went room to room with goodies. Here he is calling on Keith Ver Voort of Kimberly.

 First Kaukauna High School 1889

In its 74 years of existence, high school has dispensed learning in five different locations. Beginning in a modest one room in Nicolet School on the Southside opened its doors to 25 young scholars in the fall of 1889. The room was soon overcrowded requiring a move to a different location at the northwest corner of Crooks Avenue and Second Street in 1890. There they competed against the noisy presses of the Kaukauna Times located next door.  In 1891 a lot to the rear of the Opera house on the island was chosen for its central location in the Little Red schoolhouse boasting three rooms was constructed and classes began in September of that year. The teaching staff consisted of three, the superintendent, the principal, and a teacher. In June 1893 the first graduating class of eight students received their diplomas. In 1894 nine were to graduate. The 1895 class used the Opera house for its commencement exercises. The Opera house became dear to the hearts of many classes as through the years it served as the location of plays, operettas, dances, and proms. It also served as the high school gym for many years. The fourth high school move came in 1897 following a fire at the North Side grade school. Park School was constructed for both grade and high school students at a cost of $28,000. During the 26 years stay at Park many of the school activities that we see today were established.  As time went by the student body grew to 261 and Park school began to burst at the seams. In 1924 a new school was constructed on the island with 18 classrooms, science labs, home economics, a manual arts department, offices, library and two study halls. On the third Monday of September 293 students assembled for the opening of the new school. In the fall of 1935 through financial aid through P.W.A. the gymnasium and auditorium were added and formally dedicated. Immediately a great expanded program activities began that year, physical education classes for all. Intramurals, more sports, and boxing were introduced. Proms and all school dances were restored. The class of 1936 was the first to hold commencement exercises at the new school. Construction began again in 1954 when once more students and teachers had to endure more noise and confusion as 16 additional classrooms were added. In the early 1960s construction began again at the high school. Included in the new structure were 18 classrooms and a new gymnasium, two music rooms, new offices, lecture room, cafeteria, kitchen, and multipurpose commons. 

Kaukauna High School