Monday, March 16, 2026

Time Machine Trip to March 1936

 

Kaukauna Times

By Lyle Hansen - KAHS

March 3, 1936

 

Seven members of the high school band will be awarded letters for activities in the band had a special program to prepare presented Wednesday evening at the civic auditorium. Band members are awarded a “K” when they have played a solo in the third year. The presentation will be made by Olin G. Dryer, principal. Those receiving letters are Clarence O'Connell, Mildred Killian, Mercedes La Borde, Leo Haen Carl Kloehn, Earl Feldt, and William Eiting.

 

 Rusty Hatchell

The scene inside the Kaukauna high school gymnasium; one minute before the end of the game with the score 13 to 13. The crowd has gone wild in the gym and has never heard such cheering as the crowd is now reveling in. The ball goes up and down the court first into the hands of Clintonville a moment later in Kaukauna possession. Kaukauna has the ball they work it down the floor Rusty Hatchell breaks loose, and the ball is passed to him he shoots a long arching shot and swishes the ball through for the winning bucket. This is Rusty's first year as a regular and if any player deserves commendation and praise that player is Rusty. The most outstanding player on the team in less than a year.

Believe it or not someone has figured out that the average boy setting bowling pins lifts the astonishing weight of 26 tons in two hours in setting up the maples in a match between two five-man teams. The boy makes 11 setups, which means he must lift a total of 385 lbs. of pins in one game. He also lifts the 16 lb. balls for 10 bowlers.

 

While exploring on the south side of the Fox river near his home last week Ralph Doering, 14, Sixth street unfortunately struck a weak spot on the ice and fell through. Clutching frantically to the edge of the ice he was unable to maintain a hold since the ice broke off his grip. Luckily Ralph had a companion Wayne Wagnitz, 12, the boys had brought along a pole which they intended to use on their adventure since they had heard rumors that wild ducks were found frozen in the ice. Wayne kept a cool head and seeing his opportunity placed the poll across the opening thus enabling Ralph to crawl to safety with his aid.

 

The $5,000,000 sanitary cleanup of the lower Fox River Valley from Oshkosh to Green Bay now being accomplished by construction of a series of sewage disposal plants and intercepting sewers will designate Wisconsin as the first state to rid the whole River Valley of sewage and industrial waste in one huge undertaking.

 

March 6, 1936

Ten cases of measles have been reported in the city according to announcement made by the Kaukauna Health department this morning.

 

March 10, 1936

A Two Rivers driver paid a fine of $1.00 and costs in Justice Goldin’s court Monday on a charge of parking in front of the Vaudette theater. The arrest was made by patrolman Oscar Jahns. It was the only arrest of the weekend.

 

March 15, 1936

The city of Kaukauna has received a lot of advertising in Milwaukee papers recently when the city was cited as an example of a municipality which has paid for a municipal plant without charging higher electrical rates than prevailed in Milwaukee and without raising taxes. The mayor of Kaukauna said earnings from the Kaukauna municipal power plant, brought for just $50,000, have ranged from $35,000 to $89,000 a year and have netted $100,000 in tax reductions.

 

March 17, 1936

In the free throw contest held by Clifford Kemp Thursday in which 60 boys from Kaukauna high school entered, 11 survived the semifinals. Those entered in the finals were Clarence O'Connell, Bruce Baird, Leland Lamble and William Alger. The winner was Baird and Lambie took second.

 

 Karl Minkebige

In continuing our Hall of Fame, we present to you the senior class president Karl Minkebige. Karl is probably the most noted for his ability in art. He has been drawing cartoons for the school paper since he was a freshman. He could also be given the title as chief poster maker as he has made many of the posters announcing school events.

 

March 20, 1936

 

Although organized for the first time this year. Berens Clothiers girls’ basketball team won more than half the games played this year. All but three members of the team are high school students. Standing left to right P. Wagner, A. Kilgas, Coach Leonard Marrorie, G. Walsh and D. Timmers. Seated, J. Panabaker, R. Muthig, M. Greischar, D. Schuler, K. Nelson and M. Miller. .

 

A total of 1,276 records has been collected in a drive being conducted by musical organizations of the high school according to a report received Thursday from Miss Lucille Austin, musical instructor. When the school has secured 4000 records they will be exchanged for a combination radio photograph player to be used at the high school music department.

 

Kaukauna high school cagers defeated the Two Rivers high school quintet Wednesday evening in the Class A district basketball tournament at Washington high school gym at New London by the score of 21 to 15.

 

A town of Kaukauna farmer was ordered to pay a fine of $1200 or spend four years in a state prison by Municipal Judge Thomas H. Ryan at Appleton Thursday afternoon he had pled guilty to operating a moonshine still.

 

March 24, 1936

 

The worst fire in Menasha’s history early Sunday morning swept the Menasha high school building into a mass of ruins and kept the fire department of Menasha, Neenah and Appleton at work for more than four hours. It is believed the loss to the building is approximately $500,000. The school was constructed in 1896 and served as Menasha high school for 40 years.

 

March 27, 1936

The front of William J. Paschen restaurant East 2nd St. was damaged to the extent of approximately $400 Thursday afternoon when car owned by Ben Verhagen, Taylor St. under his own power backed into the building destroying everything in its path until it came to stop when it crashed into the soda fountain. Verhagen’s car was in reverse gear when he cranked it in front of the Verfurth and Son shoe store several buildings away from the restaurant. When the car started it made a semi-circle and backed into the Paschen building.

 

Robert Mooney was named valedictorian of the senior class of 1936 of Kaukauna high school according to announcement made by principal Olin G. Dryer last night. Mooney won the honor the highest scholastic record which can be obtained by a student having an average of 94% for his entire four-year course. Grace Coonen was named salutatorian of the class for having obtained an average of 91.824 through her high school career.

 

R. H. McCarthy, chief of police, issued a warning to all dog owners of the city, to keep their dogs confined to their owner’s premises and not to allow the dogs to run at large. All dog owners are warned to secure their dog licenses which have tags to be attached to the collar of the dog.

 

March 31, 1936

R. H. McCarthy, Kaukauna chief of police, was recommended last week for the position of postmaster in the city of Kaukauna.

 

Son born to Mr. and Mrs. William Kuchelmeister

Daughter born to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph De Bruin

Son born to Mr. and Mrs. Jack Hilgenberg

Daughter born to Mr. and Mrs. Lorenz Mayer

The display room of the city of Kaukauna Electric and Water departments displays 22 Hotpoint ranges. Several water heaters and General Electric refrigerators. Because of liberal trade in allowances on an old ranger, it has been a task for the department to keep sufficient ranges on hand.

Thursday, March 12, 2026

Time Machine Trip to March 1926

 

Kaukauna Times

By Lyle Hansen

Kaukauna Area Historical Society 


March 4, 1926

 

What’ll “Babe” Ruth do this season?  Reports from training camp say the “Babe” is rapidly fine tuning his “home run eye” and getting ready for the start of season next month.

 

Wage earners in this country earn more, live better, have more recreation and yet save more money than workers of any other country. Including skilled and unskilled labor, the daily pay of the American workman is approximately that of the weekly pay of the English workman. England is regarded as the most tightly unionized country in the world but with 1.5 million not working. Unions in the United States have done much to raise the standards of pay and living conditions with unemployment now under 2 percent. 

 

The Little Chute High School basketball team was defeated at Hortonville on Friday evening by the score of 21 to 11. A large delegation from Little Chute accompanied the team.

 

Lots of snow is having a strenuous effect on mail carriers getting the mail to you. Autos of course are out of the question. If you are in a rural area you could help by breaking in the road in your area and to your neighbors.

 

The storm of last Thursday interfered with the high school attendance. Some of the students were able to get through on the railroad. Some remained in the city over the weekend.

 

Pounding the maples for a new team record for Kaukauna alleys the Hilgenberg Alley five walloped the Hoppy Weiner squad of Appleton in the Fox River Valley league match.

 

Hilgenberg Alley

Brandt…… 636

Maul………695

Graf ………557

Evens …….573

Hilgenberg .551

                 -------

 Total         3011

 

Hoppy’s Weiners

Total          2758

 

March 11, 1926

Troop 1 of Kaukauna, Boy Scouts of America, who recently reorganized under the scout leader Elmer Ott, held their first meeting this year in the high school building.


Eleven candidates from Kaukauna for the summer Citizens Military Training Camp work have signed up thus far according to report from Olin G. Dryer, county committeeman. This is a very good showing for the entire Outagamie County has a quota of but 28. Of the eleven boys signed up one is Gilbert St. Mitchell, who has seen two years in the camps and will be enrolled in an advanced course. The other members enrolled are Fay Possem, Norbert Noie, Herbert Haas, Joseph Bayorgeon, Leonard Macrorie, Raymond Smith, Leon Stein and Sylvester Lehrer.

 

One of the most disastrous fires in years, with a total loss exceeding $12,000 destroyed the Yellow Front shoe store on 2nd Street in early Sunday morning blaze. Sam Swerdlow, owner of the store, and his family who live in the apartment on the second floor of the building were roused Sunday evening by a passerby who noticed smoke pouring from the burning structure. The loss will exceed $1.000.














Phil Zwick, well-known local boxer, is continuing his winning ways in Florida rings and is making hosts of friends among the southern ring followers by his ability to please the customers of the rope arena. In his third bout in the southern clime, Zwick won the decision over Gary Allen, a Jacksonville boy.


March 18, 1926

School Notes - Reynold Hopfensperger won the spelling contest last Friday morning. The 7th and 8th grade girls finished their poem called “We Girls”. Dorothy Zulegar is back in school after being sick for some time.

  

       Robert Radsch               Dorothy Haass 

Senior grades of the Kaukauna High School were announced Thursday and gave Robert Radsch with an average of 95.03, the high mark. Mr. Radsch will be valedictorian of the class. Dorothy Haass with an average of 94.28 took second honors and will be salutatorian.

 

March 25, 1926

 

One of Kaukauna's older hotels, most recently named Hotel Kaukauna, will take a new name soon, since a change in ownership has taken place. The hotel will be known as the Congress Hotel in the future. A letter from H.B. Tanner. “I noticed you're about to celebrate the opening of the remodeled redecorated and renamed Hotel Congress. Perhaps that would be interesting if we turn back the pages of history 31 years, to the ceremony observed at the time the original hotel was open, which was to be exact on the evening of December 20th, 1894. The hotel had been christened “Hotel Brothers”.

 

The Chicago and Northwestern Railroad has announced its intention to support the Boys and Girls Club work which has for a number of years past been such prominent factors in improving farming and livestock raising throughout the country. The railroad will give as a prize 100 free trips to the annual livestock show at Chicago.

Hank Minkebige, one of Kaukauna’s premier keglers with a count of 629, copped first place in Wisconsin State Knights of Columbus bowling tournament held in Green Bay. Cliff Brandt, another local pin splitter, came through in second place with an individual event with a count of 625 which net him a sum of prize money.

 

 

Following a search that lasted from about 10:15 in the morning, David Edmund Haas, three-year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Haas, East 10th St. was recovered from Hoebner’s creek about 7 o'clock Tuesday evening. His mother, missing him, sought aid from the neighbors in locating the child, and finally at about noon an organized search was instituted by the police department. Many townspeople join the search.

At last, the poor pedestrian is to come into his own. Seeing he can’t afford to buy a car; he may soon be able to buy a pair of power roller skates.




Tuesday, March 10, 2026

Time Machine Trip to March 1916

 

Kaukauna Times

By Lyle Hansen

Kaukauna historical Society
 

March 3, 1916

Kaukauna hunters will no doubt be interested in the following special news item to the Times from Washington D.C. Under federal regulations as they now stand the season for all migratory wildflower is closed until next autumn throughout the United States. Federal wardens are required to protect wild fowl and requested to report to the Department of Agriculture all cases of violation of the regulation.

 

The Wenzel children have not been taken to Sparta is planned by the local authorities through the order of the court. Since their commitment by Judge Spencer last week three of the children have been given homes with two families near Appleton according to the Appleton Post. Thanks to kindhearted people living in the city, good homes have been found.

 

About twenty men employed as section hands by the Northwestern railroad here are sharing in the recent increase in wages granted. The increase in wages is from 15c to 16 1/2c an hour.

 

Mayor C. E. Raught, who was elected last April to fill out the unexpired term of John Coppes, who had resigned, on Monday declaring his intention of being a candidate for the full term of two years at the spring election.  

 

Edward Riley of Detroit walked into the home of his sister on East Fifth street the other day to put a stop to his own funeral. His weeping relatives at first stared. Then followed embraces, and the body and a man killed in an automobile accident in Detroit sent here as that of Riley was removed to an undertaker's parlor. Riley declares that the strangers whose burial as him came so near happening was Fred Ellis, a derelict, who he had gave his old coat not long ago.

 

March 9, 1916

 

General Poncho Villa ordered nearly 500 Mexican members of his revolutionary group to make cross-border attacks against, New Mexico. The raid was conducted because of the U.S.  Government’s official recognition of the Carranza regime and for the loss of lives in battle due to defective bullets purchased from the United States. They attacked a detachment of the 13th Cavalry Regiment United States, seizing 100 horses and mules, and setting part of the town on fire. 18 Americans and about 80 Villa’s were killed.

 

 Last Saturday night the Kaukauna high school girls’ basketball team won a fast-interesting game from the London high school girls by the score of 10-4.

 Gertrude Gerharz

Ursula Mitchell

Margaret Lambie

Sophie McCroirie

Hulda Peterson

Catherine Kittel

Claribel Black

Dorothy Hiting

Gladys Schmidt

Roberta Corcoran

Clara Hoolohan

Blanch Williams

The Oneida Indians are going to make an attempt to recover a large sum of money from the government and if they are successful, will receive about $400,000. O. J. Kellogg of Washington, a white man, husband of Laura Cornelius of the well-known family name of the Oneida reservation was here last week and while here he secured a contract from the Indians to make a final statement with the government for a settlement. 

 

F. W. Woelz, the Wisconsin Ave. Baker, will inherit part of the $12 million estate of his great grandfather, Christian Combe de la Porte. If the effects are being made by the heirs are successful. Mr. Woelz will come into a portion of the big fortune by the fact that his mother is a de la Porte and a Granddaughter of man.

 

A large shipment of the spring hats will be in the display next Saturday at Mrs. Gerend’s spring millinery opening.

 

March 16, 1916

The Ketwatchee Campfire Girls from Kaukauna have been making up a Baby Kit of many useful things, which if not used in our own New York charities for Baby Welfare, will probably be sent abroad.

 

The prospects are that Kaukauna is again to have another prosperous season in the building industry, as there are already four or five houses almost assured on the north side on Margaret St. and Diedrich streets.

 

The Fox Club basketball team has added two more scalps to the collections dangling at its belt. Last Friday night they defeated Hortonville 23 to 12 and last night at the auditorium they defeated Saint Mary's team of Menasha by the score of 16 to 8.

 

Washington, March 15th - The house by a vote of 236 to 1 adopted a resolution authorizing the president to bring the regular army up to war strength at once. The war department decided that it must bring the army up to full strength at once because of the Mexican situation.

 

Without a minute's debate, the Outagamie County board Saturday morning voted 24 to 12 to appropriate $18,000 for the construction of a much-needed new building for the Teacher’s Training school in Kaukauna.

 

The purpose of the blue slip plan at Kaukauna high school is to secure good order and spirit of work necessary to accomplish the purposes of this school. Because of the overcrowded conditions it is further necessary to express a more rigid discipline than would be necessary under other conditions. Lack of elbow room has always been an increasing temptation for disorder. After considering the matter from all sides the faculty decided to put the slip plan into operation, and this is what was done. Whenever a student is out of order, breaks regulations of the school or conducts himself contrary to the good order and welfare of the school, the teacher writes out a slip stating the name of the student, the time, place, date and nature of the offense, signs it and files it in the office. Here the slips are catalog so that a student may know how many slips he has at any time and know the parameters concerning each slip when the student has five slips, he's immediately notified by the principal to an effect that this is a warning. Then you have three more are handed in the student is suspended from classes for a period of two days  

 

March 24, 1916

 

Notice is hereby given that the old Lutheran church, northside Kaukauna, is for sale and that bids for the same will be received up to March 30th, 1916. The successful bidder has required to move the building and all rubbish created by the removal.

 

March 31, 1916

William Van Dyke, close a deal this week for the sale of the Vaudette theater on the south side to Frank Ellsworth of Green Bay, who takes possession April 1st and will continue the business.

 

The union papermakers of the Fox River valley will ask the manufacturers to grant an 8-hour day, 3 shifts of eight hours each for the mill men, instead of the present shifts of eleven and thirteen hours.

 

Ludwig Dentzner of Kaukauna, who came to Wisconsin from Bavaria, just before the European war broke out and who last fall came here where he is employed as a laborer. He is the only one of his fifteen brothers who has not been compelled to go to the firing line for his fatherland. Two of his brothers have been killed fighting the Russians on the eastern border one of them is his twin brother.








Sunday, March 8, 2026

Time Machine Trip to March 1906

 

Kaukauna Times

By Lyle Hansen

Kaukauna Historical Society


March 2, 1906

The City Brewery of the north side has been sold by Peter Helf to John Regenfuss, consideration of $8,300. The property transferred   includes   the brewery, malt house, dry kiln, and two cottage residences, occupying the corner of Desnoyer and Tobacnoir Streets, four lots in all. The new proprietor has been connected with the Walters Brewing company at Menasha for a number of years and is quite well versed in the business. Extensive improvements will be made to the plant.

 

The regular spring Kermess at Little Chute was held Monday and Tuesday and was attended by the usual large crowd, all the neighboring cities being present.

 

The depth of a mother's love was shown at Appleton, Monday when Mrs. Joseph Kabat of Reedsville, visited her son Wenzel E Kabat, the alleged murderer of Michael M McCarthy at the county jail. The broken-hearted mother spent all day there with her son, the conversation was carried on and the Bohemian language the guards were unable to report the trend of the conversation. There is no dungeon too low or scaffold too high for mother’s love cannot reach.

 

 

According to a letter received at the office of the Chilton Times, the High Cliff property has been sold and will be improved. H. Caldwell, M. D., of Saint Louis, Missouri, states he negotiated the purchase of the High Cliff property for the sum of $12,000. The company which the doctor is connected will build a $20,000 hotel and sanitorium. They will also build a harbor and have docks and all the necessary boat landings.

 

March 9, 1906

M.A. Raught has leased the vacant room in the Central block building, formerly occupied by the Secker Bros. furniture store, and will run a first-class restaurant therein about the first of May. In addition to a choice line of confectionery, fruits, etc. a large ice cream parlor will be fitted up and a handsome soda fountain installed. Mr. Raught has not yet decided upon the full details of the new establishment but has assured the people of the city of an up-to-date restaurant in every respect.

 

A young man entered Cohan’s clothing store and told the proprietor he wished to buy a coat and a vest. He was having the desired articles and then having them on suddenly rushed out the establishment. Cohan shouted, “Stop the thief!” A policeman taking in the situation at a glance drew his revolver to fire at the fleeing culprit. Seeing this the proprietor rushed up to the officer and explained shoot him in the pants, the coat and vest are mine.

 

Miss Ida Enter of Seymour, a domestic who claims to have been duped by a man she consented to marry and was fleeced out of $100 in Minneapolis. She was in Appleton Wednesday in search of the man who also duped other girls. It is said that the man had obtained some of $100 to $300 from no less than six servant girls this past year.

 

March 16, 1906

Druggist F.M. Charlesworth is now the owner of two drug stores in this city, one on each side of the river, having purchased Dr. H. B. Tanner's pharmacy on Wednesday. Mr. Charlesworth will continue his north side store and also the newly acquired one, conducting the latter under the name of the Kaukauna Drug Co. The purchase of the south side store by F.M. Charlesworth brings it back into the possession of the one who established the store in Kaukauna, he having started the first drug store in the village of Ledyard upwards of a quarter of a century ago.


Rochester, N.Y. March 13th. Miss Susan B. Anthony is dead. The long and eventful life of the noted suffrage came to an end on Tuesday morning.

 

The Sun has called attention to the fact that half-hour cars at certain times of the day are necessary between this city and Appleton, but it appears that the Wisconsin Traction, Light, Heat and Power company are in the business for all there is in it, regardless of the comforts of the patrons. The editor of the Sun made the trip from Appleton to Kaukauna, Tuesday afternoon on a car leaving the county seat at 4:15 and had the pleasure of standing up the entire trip.

 

The basketball game between Kaukauna high school girls’ team and Menasha which was played at Heindel’s hall Friday evening proved a decided victory for the home team. Very few fouls were called and the excitement was intense. Kaukauna scored 20 points to the visitors 5. 

 

March 23, 1906

At a meeting at the office of Drs. Tanner and Donaldson on Friday night, local physicians decided to increase their fees on the first of April. After that date a day visit will cost $1.50 instead of $1.00 as heretofore. An ordinary night visit between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. will be $2.00. For all country work a rate of one dollar per mile will be charged. Confinement cases will range from $10.00 to $15.00. The minimum for office consultations will be fifty cents.

 

Something never heard of in this city took place on Sunday at the Kaukauna Gun Club shoot at which over 200 people were present. Gus Hilgenberg brought two birds in one shot. Hilgenberg made a clear square breaking the full number of 26 blue rocks at 25 shots. At the seventh shot somehow and throwing up two birds as is the custom they made flights slightly different angles and happened across each other in the course just at that moment the shot struck, breaking both birds to make in a record never known among sportsmen here.

 

March 30, 1906

J. L. Anderson, the Wisconsin Avenue grocer, will start a dollar from his store, to which has been attached a ring and a number of tags. The tags announce that the object is to demonstrate that a dollar spent at home will return to the original spender eventually, to be paid out again and again, and thus be kept in circulation among resident people, while a dollar spent abroad seldom, if ever, returns to the local channels of trade. Those who come into possession of this particular dollar are requested to write their name on one of the attached tags and spend it again the first time they have occasion to spend a dollar. The mission of this dollar is a worthy one and everyone who gets possession of it should assist in proving the advantage of trading at home by carefully following the instructions.

 

Commencing January 1st, 1907, the salary of the Catholic priest in the Green Bay diocese which had been $600 at the lowest will be $700.00. Parishes having from 200 to 300 families will pay their pastors at least $800.

 

The floating bridge at Kimberly was damaged by the wind, ice and water Thursday breaking in the center. Workmen have been busy since the accident repairing the structure and it will be sometime before usage to the mill will be able to continue.

 

Reverend Fathers Kuhlmann and Otten of St. Louis, or conducting mission at St. Mary's church, Kaukauna, commencing Sunday April 1st and continue one week. The mission will be in the German language on Sunday April 8th.