Time Machine Trip to September 1953

 

Kaukauna Times – September 1953

By Lyle Hansen

September 2, 1953

Work of providing television facilities for northeastern Wisconsin is well underway. The system of towers and stations will provide live TV programs for our area and will be ready in time for the '53 World Series.

Temperatures hit 100 degrees in the shade yesterday in Kaukauna for the hottest day of the year.

September 4, 1953

Kaukauna Navy flyer James A. Vander Wettering, third baseman for the Amphibious Force Gators, receives an individual trophy from Rear Admiral Rufus Rose, USN Commander of Amphibious training Command, for his performance during the Atlantic Fleet Baseball Tournament which was concluded on August 22nd at the US Naval base, North Fork, Virgina.

Continuing his red-hot batting pace Carl Giordana, the first round hitting leader, topped all performers in the city's softball league this season. The second baseman from Joe's Beer Depot blasted out a phenomenal .630 mark on 34 hits in 54 trips to the plate.

 

September 9, 1953

This collision which occurred Tuesday afternoon at the intersection of Eighth and Sullivan streets resulted in one car virtually demolished and a passenger in the overturned car, Carl Weigman, sustained broken ribs. The overturned car was driven by Ervin Verhagen and the smashed hood car was driven by Mrs. Ester Summers. 

One of Kaukauna’s oldest landmarks will soon be a memory as the passing of the Hotel Kaukauna will cease from the city’s landscape. The hotel at the corner of Wisconsin avenue and Lawe street was erected by Capt. David J. Brothers in 1894.  A fire in November of 1951 spelled doom to the structure. 

 

September 11, 1953

The Rev. Joseph J. Esdepsky was honored Sunday at a celebration commemorating the fortieth anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood. Father Esdepsky was born in Menasha in 1884 and attended St. Mary’s Parochial School there. He served in several locations throughout the state coming to Kaukauna's St. Mary's in 1945 to succeed Father Roder, who was called to his eternal life.

 

The Green Bay Packers will be out to snap a two-game losing streak when they meet the powerful Pittsburgh Steelers at the 4th annual Shriners benefit football game at Marquette Stadium in Milwaukee on Saturday night.

 

September 23, 1953

Bob Derus, left, champion of the Fox Valley golf club for the past six years and a group of finalists in the Labor Day wind-up club tournament. Shown with Bob are Johnny Andrejeski, Bernard Bongers, Ray Schwanke, and Art Lamers.

 

Kaukauna will be honored over WBAY-TV, Green Bay, Thursday for the outstanding pedestrian record during 1952, according to AAA of Wisconsin. Mayor Bayorgeon will represent the city at the program.

The laying of the cornerstone of the new Sunday school building at Immanuel Evangelical and Reformed church took place last Sunday. Rev. John Scheib, pastor is accompanied by members of the parish.

An Architect’s sketch shows what the addition to the St. Mary’s parochial school will look when completed.

 

Time Machine Trip to September 1943

 

Kaukauna Times – September 1943

By Lyle Hansen

September 1, 1943

The Board of Education, at a special meeting held Monday' evening in the High School office, signed a contract to hire Fred Barribeau, who is physical education instructor at Goodman High School, to replace Clifford Kemp, who resigned as physical education instructor at Kaukauna High School. Kemp began work in the personnel department at the Thilmany Pulp and Paper company today.

 

Mayor Lewis Nelson, president of the Outagamie County Historical Society, reports that a group of tree surgeons restored the 300-year-old white oak, known as the council tree, situated on a bluff overlooking a bend in the Fox river at the end of Park Street recently. This tree, a landmark of the Fox River during Kaukauna’s past, is believed to mark a favored tribal meeting spot of the Menominee Indians.

 

September 8, 1943

Phil Haas, right, has set all kinds of records this year in the Junior Hardball league. The 13-year-old hurler is seen with city recreation director Clifford Kemp.

 

Five hundred pounds of junk jewelry was collected by the service circle of Appleton's King's Daughters. The jewelry has, been sent to the San Francisco League for servicemen which will give the articles to servicemen as they leave for the battle areas. Junk jewelry has been found to be as valuable as money in obtaining food and other goods from South Seas nations.

 

Mr. and Mrs. Anton Lemke, Lawe St., received two cards from their son Pfc John Lemke, Sunday, the first word they have had from him since his last letter written in February of 1942, over a year and a half ago. private Lemke informs his family that he is a prisoner of war of the Japanese government and is in a military prison in the Philippine Islands. He writes that he is well and uninjured and sends his regards to his family and many friends in Kaukauna.

 

September 15, 1943

Meatless   Friday's   will become a reality in the near future of Outagamie County. A survey is being conducted, at this time, to determine whether 100 percent cooperation can be had.

Military funerals services were conducted for Private Clarence Vanden Heuvel, 22, of Little Chute, who died a week ago of pneumonia in a hospital in Palm Springs, California. Clarence Vanden Heuvel is the first Little Chute youth to die in the current war. The funeral was held at St. John's Catholic Church, Little Chute.

 

Mr. and Mrs. William Van Able route 3, have received the message from the war department, informing them that their son, First Lieutenant Wilford Van Able, has been missing in action since September 2.

Atlantic City, N. J. – The beauty who was named “Miss America 1943” last week is Miss Jean Barel, 19-year-old Miss California.

At a meeting of the senior class Friday night Gerald Derus was elected president, Alan Johnson, vice president and Patricia Schaefer, secretary treasurer.

September 17, 1943

Kaukauna grid stars are now “Carrying the Ball” for Uncle Sam in the navy.

Jack Peterson, Vernon Cornelius, and Jack Leddy.  

Kimberly High School meets Kaukauna here tonight. for the season opener. This is the first time these two schools have ever played each other, which will add more interest to the game. According to Kaukauna athletic director, Paul Little, Kaukauna is favored in the contest even though the team has lost three of its outstanding players who have enlisted in the Navy.

A waterwheel, plume and attractive stone house have recently been added to the grounds adjacent to the Badger Tissue Mills on Island St. greatly adding beauty to the grounds. The five-foot metal water wheel is run from water piped from the Badger power canal.

 

September 22, 1943

Sergeant Francis J. Vondracek, Kaukauna, is one of seven Wisconsin and Michigan men who received the distinguished service cross recently in an announcement made by the war department. All the men’s citations are based on deeds performed in New Guinea. Sergeant Vondracek received his citation for extraordinary heroism in action near Burma in December 1942. Sergeant Vondracek armed with four grenades and covered by three riflemen worked his way forward to wipe out all three Japanese pillboxes which had stopped his company all day.

 

September 24, 1943

At the request of Mayor L. F. Nelson, the aldermen voted to cooperate with the third war loan drive and purchase $20,000 worth of war savings bonds.

Mrs. Edward Christenson and her daughter, Mrs. Janet Longo, both residing at 913 Draper street, received a purple heart award posthumously to their son and husband respectively from the war department. Mrs. Christenson’s purple heart was awarded to her son Sergeant Donald E. Christenson who was killed in action July 29 in the south Pacific. Mrs. Londo’s purple heart was awarded for her husband Victor Londo Jr. who was killed in the Atlantic. 

Corporal Arnold Theyssen of Kimberly is the only serviceman in the southwest Pacific area to be treated with the new drug, penicillin. Theyssen was shot in the back last December in the Buna campaign and is being treated in Australia. His condition has much improved since receiving the new drug.