From Our Early Files April 20, 2022
25 YEARS AGO
April 24, 1997
Whitehall High School students inducted into the National Honor Society were Anessa Semingson, Chad Sosalla, Eric Wilmeth, Jenni Maudal, Amanda Staff, Kristina Van Sickle, Stephanie Ekern, Mandy Kampa, Leah Hanson, Nicole Bull, Kristin Strangstalien, Jamie Julett, Tracie Schroeder, Sarah Johnston, Erika Skadahl and Sarah Ziebarth.
A citizens’ committee appointed to help the Whitehall city council with plans for a new municipal swimming pool has recommended that the city hire a fundraising consultant to help promote the project. The committee held its second meeting last week Tuesday and spent 45 minutes discussing with city council members whether to hire Saterbak and Associates of La Crosse to run a “capital campaign” to solicit donations for the new pool. Saterbak earlier had been engaged by the council to do a feasibility study of such a campaign.
Trempealeau County recorded its second traffic fatality of 1997 when an Independence man was killed in an accident two miles west of Whitehall. Kenneth Johnson, 34, was killed when the 1978 Ford pickup truck he was driving collided with a dump-type truck on Hwy. 121 a half-mile east of the intersection with Co. Hwy. QQ. Johnson’s vehicle was eastbound when the accident occurred, while the 1989 Mack truck was westbound.
The Independence School District broke ground for a new school building last week – and also received a major gift to go with it. The groundbreaking ceremony was mostly held indoors because of cold weather, but students visited the new school site to do some actual shovel-turning. The highlight of the indoor ceremony was the announcement that the daughter of an Independence High graduate and her husband were donating funds for a baseball field at the new school site. Dr. Maxine Isaacs, a professor at Harvard University, was present to announce the gift.
Harold Wilber is so interested in golf that he and a group of area entrepreneurs decided to build a golf course near Trempealeau. An eight-year dream will finally become a reality for Wilber and his associates when Trempealeau Mountain Golf Course opens May 1. Other owners in the state-of-the-art facility are: Linda Wilber, Ed and Sally Sullivan, Darwin and Bonnie Bradley and Dennis and Mari Klonecki.
It appears now to be a question of how much to dredge, not whether to dredge, Lake Marinuka. That’s the result of a meeting between the Lake Marinuka Protection and Rehabilitation District and a DNR water management specialist. Members of the group made it clear they want to take out as much of the buildup that interferes with boating as possible. But also that the plans depend on the cost and availability of funds, including grants.
Removal of surfacing on streets surrounding the Square began Tuesday in the Galesville business district as the work crew prepared to trench those streets for new utility lines. That work, which is expected to take one to two weeks, will disrupt both traffic and parking.
The 1997 Ettrick Spelling Bee was won by Lindsey Lebakken. Kyle Nelson was the runner up. Both students are fifth graders at Ettrick Elementary. Lebakken will represent Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau in the district spelling bee at Melrose-Mindoro.
50 YEARS AGO
April 27, 1972
A redistricting plan approved by the State Legislature last week and signed into law by Gov. Patrick Lucey apparently places three area members of the Assembly — Louis Mato (D-Fairchild), Alan Robertson (R-Blair) and Eugene Oberle (D-Thorp) in the same district.
Members of the Whitehall High Class of 1972 academic top 10 are Solveig Aasen, Carolyn Hegge, Sue Klimek, Sue Mallum, Connie Marsolek, Jay Risberg, Beth Speerstra, Kathy Sosalla, Marilyn Sveen and Paul Trygstad.
Fred Thompson was presented with the Norse Award, and Jay Risberg was the recipient of the National W Award, at the Whitehall High athletic banquet held Monday at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church.
Bill Gamoke and Mike Pavlicin will represent Arcadia High School at the 31st annual Badger Boys’ State on the Ripon College campus June 17-23. Gamoke is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Gamoke and Pavlicin is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Pavlicin.
Arcadia High School art students Marie Hillig, Joe O’Brien and Cathy Chambers have had their artwork selected for exhibit in the Milwaukee Journal’s 28th annual Student Art Calendar competition.
An open hours and reception honoring W.B. Gautsch, retiring administrator of Arcadia Public Schools and an educator in Arcadia for more than 40 years, was held in the high school auditorium with about 300 people attending.
The Trempealeau County Extension Homemakers Spring Rally was held at Blair on April 17 with 120 members attending. The Hamlin Homemakers, Strum Center, had 100 percent attendance with 16 members. The Nightingales, Arcadia Center had 14 members attending and Decora, Gale-Ettrick Center, had 12 members.
75 YEARS AGO
April 24, 1947
The unusually-late spring weather which is retarding farm work is not stopping construction in Whitehall. Harold Pryse, who purchased a lot on West Dewey Street from Wilbur Foth, has the basement wall in and carpenters will soon begin work on his new home. Game Warden Fred Gardner, who bought the lot immediately west of Clarence Johnson’s, hopes to start work in the near future on a new residence. Excavation is completed for a basement on the lot on Hwy. 53 west of the former Mrs. Ole Erickson residence, where Ronald Bautch will build a home. Mr. and Mrs. J.E. Rhode recently purchased a lot from Alvin and Alice Speerstra north of their farm home, and have begun excavating. William Brakebush is making preparations to erect a Quonset building near the Peterson Implement Co. in east Whitehall.
The spring term of circuit court which was opened at Whitehall by Judge R.S. Cowie was adjourned last week Wednesday, following several intermittent sessions. It was the longest session in several years.
Three of Whitehall’s forensic team members, Irene MacCornack, Solveig Sletteland and Edward Larson, won the opportunity of journeying to Madison to compete in state contest Saturday.
Harold Ellickson of Pigeon Falls and Floyd Chandler and Leland Lyons of Hixton left by car Monday for an extended automobile trip over the Alcan Highway through Canada and Alaska.
Four schools within the vicinity of Pleasantville, namely Bruce Valley, Caswell, Pike and Pleasantville, will give a music festival at the Pleasantville church Monday evening. A chorus of 50 children representing those schools will sing the songs taught by Professor Gordon on the radio.
Art Schlosser, new proprietor of Club 93 on Highway 93 midway between Arcadia and Independence, announced the grand opening this Sunday afternoon and evening. Music for a dance in the afternoon will take place from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. Mr. Schlosser has done some remodeling since first purchasing the establishment from Theodore Pierzina and Clarence Wiersgalla.
Fireman were called to the Anton Fueling farm home Saturday on the former George Schmidt farm to extinguish a roof blaze believed to have started by sparks from the chimney. About half of the roof was damaged.
Lightning struck at the Dr. F.C. Krumholz home Wednesday morning of this week, damaging wires throughout the house. Cables leading into the basement were burned and they were without electricity until repairs could be made. There was also some smoke damage in the house.
A social session of the baseball annual banquet was held April 1947. Irvine Klien entertained in group singing with one of their classical gems: “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.”
A horse sale was held in Galesville with 30 head of work horses disposed of at the county fairgrounds. Lester Olson and Leo Schwert, owners, and Geroge Barry, Arcadia, auctioneer.
100 YEARS AGO
April 27, 1922
The state board of health has made a report on the water supply in this village, and recommends a chlorine treatment pending an investigation of a safe supply. A committee of the village board is now making such an investigation, and deep well propositions and filtration of the present supply are being considered. It is safe to say that the present system will soon be abandoned, and that Whitehall will have goo water for all purposes in the near future.
Last Sunday night, sneak thieves broke the plate-glass door in the rear of the school building and made a raid on the teacher’s desk. Much damage was done, and the spoils, a few scattered pennies, carried away.
Judge Hensel is holding citizenship classes every evening this week, preparing applicants for citizenship for their examination, which will be held before Judge E.C. Higbee on May 3.
The baseball season opens in Whitehall with the first game on May 7, playing the fast Legion team from Winona. The fans have done considerable planning for the coming season, and have been fortunate in securing Art Johnson and C. Kappers of Eau Claire as their battery, and also have Hilbur and Bitter, who played here last year. The balance of the team will be composed of Wood, Libowski, Rhode, Hough, Engen, Gilbertson and Butler, who are well-known in this area as good ballplayers. With this lineup, we expect to give the fans a brand of ball never seen here before.
Tony Dieckman, until recently employed at the W.P. Massuere Co. vulcanizing shop, opened his own shop in the new building opposite the Massuere Co. store between J.B. Sobotta’s and the Home Bakery.
A total of 24,000 trout fry were received from the state fish hatcheries and placed in the feeding pond to be cared for by the local rod and gun club until they are large enough to be placed in area trout streams.
The Arcadia Viking Booster Club has announced that the speaker for the annual banquet will be Carl Eller of the Minnesota Vikings. Eller has been an all-pro defensive end the last four years. Last season, he was named winner of the NFLPA George Halas Award, given annually to the best defensive player in pro football.
The Galesville Library has designed Religious Book Week in April. They want everyone to read one religious book this week. They will display religious books of all churches.
The city of Galesville will train the eyesore the marsh or swamp extending from Ridge St. to a point near Gale College. Old settlers said that at one time the channel of Beaver Creek ran through the upper and lower tables. Beavers dammed the channel throwing water to a course near the mill. The plan is to drain the marsh into Beaver Creek, west of town. If this is accomplished, most valuable land for building sites will be restored.
125 YEARS AGO
April 22, 1897
Dr. Parker broke ground yesterday for his new residence opposite the courthouse.
A.L. Sherwood has sold his residence property to Arne Thompson, who is moving in today. Mr. Sherwood will leave for South Dakota May 7.
A stable, granary and barn on the Gile Cripps farm in Burnside burned Tuesday night, along with considerable grain. The loss was $1,600, insurance $1,100 in the Trempealeau County Mutual.
H.H. Scott had a runaway Tuesday, his team tearing down Main Street at a fearful speed, demolishing the wagon. There was no injury to the horses, and a new wagon has been procured and farming operations resumed.
As a result of the good work of the recent Methodist revival, 10 converts were baptized at the close of the service last Sabbath morning, and two were had the sacrament administered earlier.
County Clerk Johnson and Treasurer Larson are beginning to handle the spring crop of wolf and fox scalps, but they are not anticipating so large a business as formerly, when it becomes generally known that the county bounty on young wolves has been reduced from $5 to $2. The Winnebago looks terrified when tendered $2 in place of $5 for his hard-earned scalps, and is informed that the state offers no remuneration.
