Kaukauna Time Machine Trip to March 1953

 

Kaukauna Times March 1953

By Lyle Hansen 

March 4, 1953

 

Isaac "Ike" Belongea backed a big "J" engine out of the Kaukauna roundhouse Saturday morning. It was Ike’s birthday, and he was taking No. 2553, biggest engine operating out of Kaukauna shops, for his last run. Ike's career stretches over 47 years from his beginnings in the shop in 1905.

 

George Brenzel was named Uthrotor for the month of March by a vote of the high school faculty.

 

Miss Madge Dooley, 4th from the right, was honored last Sunday morning at the Methodist church with a testimonial dinner. Madge is retiring after teaching Sunday school for the past 48 years.

 

March 11, 1953

Principal figures in Kaukauna's effort to develop a community hospital are Dr. George Boyd, James E., Bambery, co-chairmen of the Community Hospital committee and E. H. Jennings, chairman of the fund committee.

St. Mary's children’s choir sang the Mass of Angels marking funeral services Monday morning for Danny Wolf, 5, son of Mr. and Mrs. Aloysius Wolf, West Third Street. His death Saturday morning apparently resulted from head injuries sustained in a fall on an icy sidewalk when he was on his way to school Tuesday morning.

March 18, 1953

Rev. Paul Schedler will be installed as pastor of the Kaukauna Oneida Lutheran parish Sunday. 

March 21, 1953

The city's new $17,000 fire truck arrived yesterday morning amid the stiff coughing of a barely weaned engine, the smell of fresh paint and the wide-eyed admiration of firemen and onlookers.

 

March 27, 1953

Groundwork is about completed for the $600,000 Kaukauna High School addition. Brick layers are expected here in about a week to start work on the walls of the three story structure. 

Every day Holy Cross elementary school and convent are taking shape. This week the school and convent were roofed over, and structural steel is being installed on the gymnasium.

Building in Kaukauna during 1952 almost reached the 1.5-million-dollar mark in estimated cost according to the annual report of the office of the city and building inspector. The building inspector issued 399 permits.

The construction of the new 1040-foot Little Chute bridge spanning the Fox river can be seen from the looking down photo. The project is expected to be completed in early 1954.

Time Machine Trip to March 1943

 

Kaukauna Times – March 1943

By Lyle Hansen

March 3, 1943

War ration book No. 2 was issued to 8,840 residents of Kaukauna and vicinity last week, according to a report received from J. E. Cavanaugh and Olin G. Dryer, directors of the registration sites in Kaukauna.

Fordyce Wagnitz won the basketball free throw tournament held last Friday. Fordyce dropped in 19 out of 25.

During the last few months two students from Kaukauna High School have been drafted into the army. They are William Van Dyke and Robert Walker. Six other students have enlisted in the navy they are Jack Peterson, Vernon Cornelius, Tom Hatchell, Eugene Heiting, Andrew Lambie and Harvey Wittman.

March 5, 1943

William Klumb, Sr., 84, pioneer resident of Kaukauna, former city official and operator of a wagon works here for over 60 years, died at his home on West Ninth Street Sunday evening. Funeral services were held Wednesday from Immanuel Evangelical and Reform church.

Mrs. Doris Reichel was granted a bartender’s license by the Common Council Tuesday evening. James E. McFadden chief of police told the council that he objects to granting bartender licenses to women. "That's no job for a woman," the chief said. Alderman Herbert Specht told the council that women are engaged in every kind of business these days and added, "Who knows, maybe someday we will have women on the police force!''

Farm workers remains one of Wisconsin’s most essential war activities and workers are deferred from military service.

A replica of George Washington’s Mount Vernon home was selected by the common council Tuesday evening for the Kaukauna service honor roll monument.

The city will purchase 200 Moline elm trees which will be sold to residents to be planted on the curbs.

March 10, 1943

George William Hole, 13 years old and an ex-marine, joined the American Legion post at Eau Claire. Numerous youngsters have fibbed about their age in order to enlist in the armed forces. George is the youngest member of the American Legion in Wisconsin.   

March 17, 1943

Anton P. Berkers and A. H. Mongin, Jr., have been named co-chairman of the annual Red Cross financial campaign in Kaukauna which will open on Monday. The other members of the committee include Norbert Gerend, Al F. Mayer, A. R. Mill, Glen Miller, George R. Greenwood, Ray Morgan, and Helen Jankowski.

William C. Ditter, ages 81, West Eighth Street, Kaukauna merchant for more than half a century, died Friday after a long illness. He came to this city 55 years ago and opened a plumbing and heating business. He was later joined with his son John P. Ditter in the business.

March 19, 1943

L. C. Smith, personnel director of the Thilmany Pulp and Paper company, was elected president of the Rotary Club at the meeting of the directors.

 

"We are going to be bombed from the air; that comes straight from the army's shoulder, and the time is coming soon; we can't be the only country in the world to escape." That was the grim message Horace L. Davis, Jr. spoke at a civil defense course at Appleton Monday evening.

Mr. and Mrs. Louis Verhagen, West Seventh street, have received the purple heart decoration from the war department in honor of their son, Corporal Steven C. Verhagen, who had died in action.

March 26, 1943

Miss Jean Derus, maintained an average of 96.723 during her high school, career to earn the honor of being named this year’s Kaukauna high school valedictorian.

The Kaukauna High School boxing team pounded out a win over Oshkosh High School here Tuesday night to make it five years without a loss and 43 wins in a row before a crowd of 1900 fans.

March 31, 1943

Uncle Sam now has 26 former Green Bay Packers fighting on his side and if this service squad could be bunched together for football, it would be a pretty good gridiron machine.