Time Machine Trip to November 1954

 Kaukauna Times

By Lyle Hansen

 

November 5, 1954

The era of the Quonset huts of Kaukauna as temporary housing units is now a part of history.  Workmen are preparing the last of the thirteen buildings for moving. The Quonset huts came to Kaukauna as veteran's housing units as the result of a resolution by the city council in December 1945. The 13 huts provided 26 living units.

Nicolet grade school recently held a Halloween party. Left to right, front row are Joan Biersteker, Danny Van Hammond, Lynn Schneider and Ronna Lyons, In the back row are Jerry Luckow, Tom Lettau and Lindy Lou Kemp.

Five Students had straight A’s the first six weeks of the current school year. They are Eyla Mae Van Treek, senior; Mary Jo Krueger, Ruchard Boyd, Janet Oettinger and Ann Teske, sophomores. 

November 10, 1954

Close to 130 well-wishers and supporters of George "Stormy" Kromer were on hand Saturday night to honor the man who they termed "the best sport in the world." Kromer, who is considered to be one of Kaukauna's most outstanding baseball figures, was honored for the many contributions he made to baseball here, showing the high esteem in which he is held by those who know him. Although the testimonial dinner concluded shortly after Kromer's remarks, at least officially, the guests remained until late in the night to offer their personal congratulations and to reminisce about the "good old days" of baseball.

 

November 12, 1954

Fire of undermined origin Wednesday morning completely destroyed the Nitingale Ballroom located on highway 96 near McCarty’s crossing northeast of Kaukauna. An unofficial estimate of the loss suffered in the blaze which leveled the structure, and destroyed all the furnishings and supplies, was set, tentatively, at $75,000. The Nitingale, which was built in 1928, has been an institution in the Fox Valley area for 26 years providing residents and tourists with top name bands for dancing. According to Sylvester Esler, owner and manager of the hall, the Nitingale was the only ballroom in Wisconsin that ever had the Glen Miller Band as an attraction.

Stormy Kromer night honored Kaukauna’s greatest sportsman and most enthusiastic player, who in his time played, managed and lived baseball. Former ball players Marty Lamers, Little Chute and Pete McMahon, Kaukauna, presents Stormy with a bat in memory of the evening along with former umpire Casey Jansen, Little Chute.  

A project in measuring and drawing their own school building was undertaken the fourth grade of St. Mary’s school. Left to right are Anna Baeten, Therese Landreman, Shirley Donnermeyer, Margaret Burns, Eugene Biese, Karen Hostettler, John Weyers, Mary Klein and Nancy St. Arnold. 

 

Five young men from Kaukauna and Three from Little Chute were ordered to report for induction into the armed forces on November 8. The Kaukauna youths included Patrick A. Cox, Earl T. Jacoby, Eugene G. Feldkamp, John W. Ebben and Robert C. Vandenberg. From Little Chute were Maynard J. Romenesko, Leo A. DeCoster and Paul P. Verhagen.

Bob Ribarchek bowled a 277 game at the S&B alleys on November 11. Ribarchek tied the top place among men with Bill Lucassen who bowled his game on September 27, 1953. 

The Old Timers bowling team, complete with decorative mustaches were featured in a recent hospital benefit bowling event. They are Henry Minkebige, Joseph Steger, Ethan Brewster, Barney Lamers and Henry Schmidt.  

 

November 19, 1954

New members were welcomed into the VFW sponsored Cub Scout Pack 20. Front row are Buddy O’Brien, James Niesen, Robert Robach, Jack Weigman, Richard Robach, Dennis Gerhartz, Dennis Kiffe and Bob Hoehne; second row, James Brown, Gerald Magi, Bruce Van Drasek, Tom Yingling, Dennis Haas, Mark DeBruin, James Hadfield, James Courtney, Tim West and Eugene Durkee; third row Pat O’Brien and John Schuler.

Kaukaunans, traditional rooters for the Green Bay Packer football team, will have a special interest in the Sunday afternoon game between the Packers and the World Champion Detroit Lions at Green Bay since Earl "Jug" Girard, of Kaukauna, star halfback for the Lions will be in action against the Green Bay girders.

The general feeling of all those who took advantage of Monday's Kaukauna High School's open house, which featured the recently completed addition, was that the new building and the program of the open house were very successful. The new addition is an impressive part of the school and will definitely fill a well realized need at the school.

Mr. and Mrs. Martin Coenen of Little Chute held a family reunion Sunday at their home. Seven Coenen brothers with a total age of 547 years were present, They are John, 84 and Martin, 83, Henry, 82, August, 80, Theodore, 78, William, 75 and George 65.  

November 23, 1954

Clement La Jeunnesse, 52, a farm hand on the Gerald Geenen farm Kaukauna died Sunday afternoon after he was gored by a 3,000-pound bull on the farm where he was employed for the last month.

 November 23, 1954

The Schermitzler cottage, the last of twenty or more that once lined the shore of the "Big River," will be removed this week from its location on the island near the lower mill. In the early 1900's hundreds of people, in that pre-automobile world, "went to the river" on Sundays to spend a quiet afternoon.

The Grand opening of the Herman T. Runte company’s newly enlarged store. In completing this building, Runte’s have expanded their flour space by one third.

  

1955 Ford Fairlane