Time Machine

Sunday, April 26, 2026

Time Machine trip to April 1966

Kaukauna Times

By Lyle Hansen KAHS

April 1, 1966

The merger of the Giddings and Lewis Machine Tool Company and the Gisholt Co., Madison, was announced Thursday. Giddings and Lewis is based in Fond du Lac, but has a foundry and drilling machines plant in Kaukauna that employs 440 men.

Kaukauna high school head coach, Harry Wilson, has high hopes to taking his squad outside next week to begin preparation for the 1966 mid-ease conference season. The team will have a nucleus of seven lettermen for the upcoming campaign with hurling ace, Dave O'Brien, heading the list. O'Brien threw two no-hitters last season. Also returning are pitcher Joe Schouten, a Junior with a good fastball: Mike Grogan, a catcher: Dennis Bloy, and outfielder and Kurt Luedtke, a sophomore second baseman.

The mercury vapor street lighting program initiated by the Kaukauna Electric and Water Co., in 1962 will be completed this week. The utility has installed 737 lamps in the city of Kaukauna, Little Chute, Combined Locks and the Town of Vandenbroek. Mercury vapor lights are rated to last four years as the incandescent lights average six months according to Norbert D. Rhinerson, Utility manager.

April 6, 1966

Kaukauna voters re-elected Joseph F. Bayorgeon to the mayor office. He defeated Clarence Sullivan in every ward for his victory. Donald Green unseated incumbent Emmet W. Rohan in the race for city attorney. Clarence O’Connor won the post of municipal justice.

April 8, 1966

The Kaukauna high school cheerleading tryouts were held Wednesday, March 30. The two squads were chosen from a list of 29 finalists. The varsity cheerleaders for the 1966-67 sports season are Cindy Noie, Pamela Pitz, Susan Anderson, Lynn Leddy, Cheryl Kobs, and Vicki Weyers. The Junior varsity cheerleaders are Jane Chamness, Joyce Gerrits, Nancie Vaubel, Patty Leddy, Christina Kandler and Barbara Pebbles.

April 13, 1966

A new program instituted by the Kaukauna Kiwanis club, called “We Care”, will strive to honor servicemen from Kaukauna who have served, or will be serving in Vietnam. Dr. David Grunwaldt, president of the club, said the Kiwanians plan to honor as many of these men, publicly, as possible, at the Kiwanis meetings.

April 15, 1966

Seaman apprentice Donald J. Mitchell, USCG has completed eight weeks of intensive recruit training which gave him the skills he will need as a coast guardsman.

April 22, 1966

Kaukauna high school won first place in only six events but still managed to edge Appleton Xavier 62-57 in a dual meet at the Kaukauna high school track. The dramatic finish to the meet came on the last event of the day. Greg Eslein and Gary Riemer took second and third place in the high jump to give Kaukauna enough points for the victory. Bob Promer of Kaukauna gained a double win. Promer put his first shot 49 feet 8 1/2 inches for first victory. Later the Ghosts star through the disk 131'2" for his other victory.

April 27, 1966

The world champion Green Bay Packers have signed veteran linebacker Lee Roy Caffey; it was announced yesterday. Caffey is 6-3, 250 pounds and is six a four-year veteran who came to the Packers in 1964 from the Eagles.

Thomas Look, formally of Little Chute, has been added to the staff of the Farmers and Merchants Bank of Kaukauna. The appointment was announced by John Van De Loo, executive vice president of the bank.

Michael Brautigan, Kaukauna sailor who received nationwide fame last fall for heroism in Vietnam, has returned home after receiving a medical discharge from service. The 18-year-old Navy man received multiple fractures and lacerations when enemy fire struck the small boat in which he was making a landing. Brautigan was given the bronze star for heroism in action in October previous to his being wounded. He was released from the Philadelphia Naval hospital, where he had been convalescing since December. Brautigan also received the U.S. Navy commendation medal for bravery during a 14-hour fire on board the USS Piermont on which he was stationed.

Miss Judy LaRock, age 24, died early Sunday morning after a short illness. She was the daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Francis Van Abel. She survived by her parents and two brothers, Lee and David LaRock.

Bob Promer set a new track record in the shot put as Kaukauna high school defeated Clintonville and Kimberly in a triangular meet at Kaukauna track Friday. Promer threw the 12-pound shot 2 feet further than he ever had before in competition or practice. His throw is the best for the new track but is still a foot and a half short of the school record which is held by Pat Flanagan in 1946.

April 29, 1966

Susan Biese, a senior, has won first place in the annual Elks Constitution contest. She competed in the state finals in Madison last Saturday. Prizes in the state competition are scholarships. Instructor Mary Wilson said he would like to see more students enter this competition. He feels the contestants learn great deal about the Constitution while preparing for the test

Coach Vince Lombardi today announced the signing of veteran guard Fred “Fuzzy” Thurston for the 1966 season it will be his 10th year in the league. Thurston came to the Packers from Baltimore in 1959 and was named All-Pro in 1962.

Gary Riemer led the players in the Saturday matches of the Junior boys’ recreation league, at the bowling bar, with a high game of 201 and a high series of 376.

Back row: Coach Bruce Warner, W. Neissen, P. Van Deurzen, R. Promer, D. Minkebige, W. Chamness, D. Lust, J. Skibba, J. Niessen, Coach Ronald Margelofski. Row 2: J. Niessen, J. Kromer, M. Baisch, P. Bordini, R. Kuehn, H. Gosdeck. Front row: P. Kiffe, R. Stegeman, G. Therriault, W. Peters, D. Kiffe, J. Kahler.

The Kaukauna high school cindermen remain unbeaten as they swept to a decisive 74-43 victory over New London at the Kaukauna track Wednesday. The Ghost landslide was led by Paul Keefe, who took the 100-yard dash in 11.1 seconds and the 220 in 24.7 seconds.

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Leroy Seigel

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Brian Grede

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Weyenberg

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Biesterveld

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. John Running

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Richard Rollo

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Rohe

Twin daughters to Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Doering

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Kruse

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Vander Wyst

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Bloy

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Emil Huss

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Mark Hietpas

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Schepp

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Leo Coonen

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Donald Romenesko

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. James Zwick

Son to Mr. and Mrs. James Robinson

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Donald Ourada

Son to Mr. and Mrs. James McDaniel

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Roger Leick

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Jansen

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Richard Joosten

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Van Haaster

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Atkinson

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Simpson

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Lamers

Son to Mr. and Mrs. George Greenwood

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Juneau

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Lance Goetzman

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Ivan Stiltjes

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Schmidt

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Nytes

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Couillard

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Zierer

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Berg

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Roger Staeven

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Richard Van Linn

Son to Mr. and Mrs. David Rickert

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Ruys

Son to Mr. and Mrs. John Langraf

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Menting Jr.

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Hammen

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Van Asten

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Paul Dietzan

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Earl Green

Son to Mr. and Mrs. James Vander Pas

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Everett Kalishek

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Wettstein

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Ludwig, Jr.

Son to Mr. and Mrs. David Siebers

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Donald Resch

Thursday, April 23, 2026

Time Machine Trip to April 1956

Kaukauna Times

By Lyle Hansen

April 4, 1956

In the final program before Easter vacation started, the juvenile students and student teachers at the Outagamie County Teachers College down some outlandish headgear to parody the slightly more slaid hats which were seen in the annual Easter parade. The youngsters shown are Jim Johnson, Pat McGinnis, Barbara Heller, Mary Rose Eslein, Jesse Pratt, Verna Mae Beyers and Mark Rabideau.

Contracts totaling $60,353,500 for improving Wisconsin highways were approved according to the annual road construction report completed this week. This is an 85% increase over 1954.

Kaukauna Postmaster Robert Grogan this week reported that the gross receipts for the Post Office during the quarter which ended on the last day of March reached an all-time high of $18,376.19. “Since there have been no significant changes in postal rates over the past five years, with the exception of the passing of the one cent postal card, the larger receipts this year must be credited almost exclusively to the larger population, Grogan said.

The Green Bay Packers added two more tackles to the roster Saturday when coach Leslie Blackbourn announced as signing of Bill Milburn, a 230-pound tackle from the University of Texas and Richard “Jocko” Gordon from Toledo University.

Chief of Police Harold Engerson this week announced that the department will start a crackdown on “litter-bugs”, persons who discard waste materials, including empty cans, papers and other like material on Kaukauna streets and parks. The chief went on to say that the person actually discarding the waste material on the street would not be the only person arrested. He said that the operator of the automobile would also be subject to arrest and fine.

Telephone growth in Kaukauna during the last 10 years has been at a faster rate than in any proceeding of the history of the telephone, according to R. J. Kuehn, local manager of the Wisconsin Telephone Company. The number of telephones in use here at the beginning of 1946 totaled 1438. During the past decade 1798 telephones have been added bringing the total to 3146 telephones.

The final arrangements for the VFW wrestling show scheduled to take place on Saturday evening April 28 at the KHS gymnasium have been completed as far as the contestants are concerned according to Fred Mason director for the show. Lady Atlas of Sheboygan versus Katie Shane of Decorah, Iowa.

Despite the very slow start in building activities in Kaukauna this year it now appears that the new homes for which building permits will be issued this year will be on a par with a number recorded during 1955 according to City Engineer John Strauss.

April 6, 1956

Joseph F. Bayorgeon, who Tuesday was elected to his sixth term as Mayor of Kaukauna, will have reason to recall the exact number of votes he received in the spring election. In the year 1956, he received a vote a year, for a 1956 total. With his re-election, Bayorgeon set a new record for the number of times in succession that a mayor has been re-elected in Kaukauna. The late Charles E. Raught was re-elected to office five times in succession between 1916 and 1924, and also served in 1898 and from 1904 to 1908.

Kaukauna merchants today are putting the finishing touches on their booths and will be ready by 6 PM for the official opening of the American Legion sponsored Home Show at the Kaukauna high school gymnasium. The opening ceremonies will feature a short talk by Mayor Joseph Bayorgeon and other remarks by Kaukauna advancement Association retail division head Larry Verhagen. The Legion general chairman for the event is Dave Specht and Legion Commander Al Martzahl.

April 11, 1956

The second Kaukauna anti-polio clinic for grade school youngsters has been tentative scheduled to start Monday, April 30 according to announcement made this week by City Nurse Mrs. William Nagel.

VFW sponsored girls’ softball team open practice on Saturday and Sunday of this week according to their coach, Cliff Woods, “they look good in the initial drills”. Elaine Vanderloop and Sharon Paul were elected co-captains for the team from 1956 season.

April 13, 1956

A group of KHS students who took a tour of the East during the Easter vacation are pictured at the Kaukauna depot as they awaited the train for the first leg of their journey.

Eleven Kaukauna high school students earn straight A's for the third quarter of the present school term according to principal Julian Bichler's office files.

Seniors: Sonia Voet and Donna Moss

Juniors: Richard Boyd, Daniel Brenzel, Janet Oettinger and Ann Teske.

Sophomores: Judith Danner, Doris DeBruin and Karen Grafmeier.

Freshman: Patricia Doering and Sally Hertz.

One of Kaukauna's most familiar landmarks will soon be gone from the northern outskirts of the city, when wrecking activities are completed within the next couple weeks. The home located off of Highway 41 about two blocks east of the Highway intersection with Gertrude Street was owned by Mrs. John Diedrich. The home, located on the right of way has looked down on Kaukauna since 1846 when it was built.

April 18, 1956

Reigning over the Junior Prom will be David Rausch, King and his Queen, Martha West. Dave was elected by his classmates and he in turn chosen Martha as his partner. The court concludes with Jerry Ederer and Lois Vanderloop senior representatives Donald Coenen and Susan Morgan, sophomores and Jerome DeBruin and Florence Schmidt, freshmen.

Fire Chief William Haupt this week reminded residence to exert extreme caution while burning leaves, twigs and other refuge as they clean their yards. “We've had a couple grass fires over the past weekend and while neither of them proved to be serious on a windy day such a fire could get out-of-control very rapidly and endanger homes and other buildings in the area,” Haupt said.

April 20, 1956

To help juvenile shutdowns at the Kaukauna Community Hospital the girl Scout Brownie troop 59 recently presented packages of toys and puzzles for the youngsters. Shown with the gifts they presented to Mrs. Berenice Elliott left to right Susan Miller, Becky Speener, Jean Schmitz, Candy Davis, Mrs. Elliott, Ruth Voights, Barbara Van Dyke and Dorothy Damro.

Ted Gloudeman was installed as this Cub Master for Cub Pack 27 at the meeting April 16 at St. Mary's Hall. Other officers seated were Orville Cleveland, assisted Cub Master, Charles Schaefer, pack chairman and Mrs. Robert Klister, secretary treasurer.

Miss Frances Corry, Kaukauna high school advisor to the Quill and Scroll society, was named to the honor roll of the National Scholastic Press association. Principal Julian Bichler made the presentation. Leo Driessen was toastmaster of the award event.

The Wisconsin State Highway commission last week announced the contract for replacing the present flooring of the Lawe Street bridge over the navigation canal has been awarded to Ray McCarthy and Sons Inc., Kaukauna. The estimated cost of the project is $28,590.

April 25, 1956

Bob “Crusher” Massey, also known in some as “Bad Boy”, a former Kaukaunan, who has wrestled professionally throughout the mid-west will be returning to his hometown on Saturday night to meet Mark Blazer, heavyweight wrestling champion of Wisconsin for the past two years in the 40 et 8 sponsored benefit for at the high school gym. The proceeds for the three-bout card will go towards sponsoring two county girls in their nursing education.

A total of 233 Kaukauna youngsters are scheduled to receive the first of two Salk serum inoculations Monday morning and afternoon according to an announcement made late last week by City Nurse Mrs. William Nagel.

Seaman John D. Lehman is home on a two-week leave at his parent’s home on East 16^th street. He graduated “Boot Camp” April 21 at Great Lakes. Following his leave he will be stationed on an aircraft carrier.

Recent winners at the BAA wrestling tournament are Carl Hoffman, who won the 103–112-pound championship in the freshman – sophomore division and in the Junior – Senior division Les Schultz, the heavyweight championship.

April 27, 1956

The Kaukauna Police Department this week reported that they are planning to put the new speed meter into operation, possibly by Friday of this week. The chief reminds all residents that the speed limit in the city is 25 mph except for school zones, drivers are required to slow down to 15 mph when children are present.

Two Cub scouts from Pack 27 were presented with Webelo awards. The boys Donald O’Dell and Peter Hertz. On the left is Mervin Hansen, troop advancement officer. Louis Schultz scoutmaster, Leslie O’Dell, Mrs. and Cubmaster Frank Hertz and John Schultz assistant scoutmaster.