Time Machine: 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.