From Our Early Files, April 13, 2022
25 YEARS AGO
April 17, 1997
After a meeting last week between members of the Whitehall city council and the Whitehall district school board, a joint effort to build an indoor swimming pool looks unlikely. The indoor pool had been considered as an alternative to the city’s plan to replace its existing outdoor facility. But cost figures brought up at Thursday’s special meeting turned off school representatives and the city’s pool committee was already leaning against the indoor pool.
Members of the 1997 Whitehall High School Junior Prom Court are Rachel Nordby, Jamie Gomez, Eric Wilmeth, Katrina Shabacker, Tiffany Fawcett, Mike Estenson, Mike Geurink, Amy Halama, Lee Meinerz, Laura Bender, Leah Becker, Jerome Tiffany, Jennifer Larson and Christopher Manka. Miniature King and Queen are Seth Olson and Hannah Steig. Music at the dance will be provided by the “Smokin’ Coyotes.”
“Fiesta Humana” … a celebration of life is the theme for this year’s Miss Arcadia pageant, which will be emceed by Miss New Jersey Jennifer Alexis Makris. Makris was the runner-up in the 1994 Miss America pageant.
The Arcadia Waste Water Treatment facility is undergoing an expansion, which will allow the entity to keep up with the increasing needs of the residents of Arcadia and growing industry.
Members of the Arcadia High school band recently went on a trip to Washington D.C. where one of the big highlights was being able to play on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
The Mississippi River crested Saturday about one-half foot short of projections at Trempealeau, where some township residents had moved out as floodwaters moved in. But, added Lockmaster Dale Ebner at Lock & Dam 6, there have been unofficial reports of a double or triple crest this year, depending on what happens north of here.
Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau school superintendent Bill Zaborowski Monday offered school board members a preview of a 1997-98 budget that will continue the district’s lowering of teacher-student ratios in the earliest grades. Additional teachers for the Galesville and Trempealeau elementary schools make up about one-third of the approximately $240,000 in spending earmarked for staff changes in a budget still being developed, board members were told.
Three weeks of illicit freedom have cost an Ettrick man an additional one and a half years in prison. Kerry Severson, 37, pleaded guilty to walking away from his home where he had been under electronic monitoring while serving time as a habitual criminal on a bad check charge. Authorities say he left home last Nov. 18, apparently for his job in Galesville, and he didn’t return. He was apprehended Dec. 5 in Taylor.
50 YEARS AGO
April 20, 1972
Paul Matthews of rural Independence, one of the five persons charged in the early-March kidnapping of an Eau Claire youth, pleaded guilty Friday. Matthews’ wife, Mary, had pleaded to the charges the week before.
Litigation began last week Wednesday in Trempealeau County Circuit Court before a Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission examiner in the dispute between the Whitehall Teachers Association and the Whitehall district board of education. Testifying on the first day was John Marquardt, chairman of the WTA negotiating committee in 1971.
As part of the National Library Week observance, the Whitehall High Library Club is honoring Everett Long, the area native and WHS graduate who is now an author and foremost authority on the Civil War.
Debbie Maliszewski, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Maliszewski, route 1, Trempealeau, has been selected as Arcadia High School’s representative at Badger Girls State in June.
Russel Weltzien and Bill Wolfe of the Arcadia High School FFA demonstration team placed first in the district contest held last Tuesday in Galesville. They will compete in the state contest in June.
Nine Alice in Dairyland contestants have been announced by Kenneth Kopp, general chairman of the District 6 contest to be held in Galesville on May 13. They are Emily Amundson, Cashton; Jo Ann Gruntzel and Sue Hoffman, La Crosse; Judy Jacobson, Blair; Lynette McKittrick, Readstown; Pamela Servais, Coon Valley; Sharon Sjuggerud, Holmen; Karma Turner, Hillpoint and Mary Waters, Alma center.
Third District Republicans assembled at La Crosse in their district caucus and urged incumbent Congressman Vernon Thompson to seek reelection.
75 YEARS AGO
April 17, 1947
Six new members were seated during the reorganization session of the Trempealeau County board of supervisors held this week Tuesday. Among them were: Henry Russell, town of Burnside, succeeding Peter Woychik; Henrik Herness, Lincoln, succeeding John Sygulla; Henry Paulson, Pigeon, succeeding Oluf Lovlien; Adolph Passon, Third Ward, Independence, succeeding Fred Sobotta; and Attorney Edward Kulig, Third Ward, Independence, succeeding Roy Lyga.
Former Trempealeau County Judge John Gaveney died Sunday at his home, at the age of 84. Mr. Gaveney served as state senator from this district from 1901 to 1905, was one of the organizers of the first telephone system in the county, Western Wisconsin Telephone Co., and served as county judge from 1931 until his resignation last June.
Mr. and Mrs. Adolph Gilbertson returned to Whitehall last week after a seven-week wedding trip, which took them 7,000 miles by train and another 5,000 by car.
Fred Gardner, Trempealeau County game warden, has purchased the A.B. Risberg lot just west of the Clarence Johnson residence and will begin excavating this week for a new home to be built there.
Edward Hulberg of Arcadia, a World War II veteran, has purchased the former Steen Mercantile Co. at Northfield, which has been owned since 1941 by Alvin Thompson. Mr. Thompson is retiring on account of poor health.
Ruth Grotjahn, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Grotjahn, and a junior at Arcadia High School, placed third in the sectional demonstration contest held at Whitehall on April 15. This contest is an annual event sponsored by WLS in cooperation with the homemaking departments in the state.
The valedictorian of the senior class of 1947 of Arcadia High School is Leola M. Myers, who maintained a four-year average of 95 percent and Harvey Arnold who maintained a four-year average of 94 percent had the second-highest grade point average. Myers is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Allie Myers of Arcadia. Arnold is the son of Mr. and Mrs. LeRoy Arnold, also of Arcadia.
100 YEARS AGO
April 20, 1922
Owing to the blizzard, which prevailed here yesterday, the dance and carnival billed for that evening at the Opera House was postponed for one week, or until Wednesday, April 26. The boys have gone to a large expense to provide the best kind of entertainment and did not wish to have it spoiled by inclement weather, hence the postponement.
The Whitehall village board, at its last meeting, made arrangements with Mrs. C.A. Sherwood for 68 elm trees to be set in the park, Alfred Thompson was made marshal. The board also made provision for the purchase of 12 rubber coats and caps for the fire company, and directed that all hydrants be painted red.
The radio craze has hit Whitehall, and we soon will be communicating with distant cities through the air. C.B. Melby has a private aerial, and will adjust his receiver to a phonograph. Wright and Paulson will place a machine of large size in their place of business, with sufficient meter capacity and tuned to broadcast a distance as far remote as Chicago and Detroit.
The following parties are candidates for naturalization at the May 3 sitting of circuit court: William Schaefer, Ignatz Waletzko, Paul Pyka, Tom Prokop, Frank Sonsalla, Blazes Sonsalla, Michael A. Sabotta, Jacob Suchla, Paul Sonsalla, John Sluga, Johnnie Brom, Wilhelm Rohleder, Christ Johnson, Emil Maz Salemka, Arthur Gibbs, Leo Peloski, George Glanzer, Robert Skar, Ole Olson, Even Knudtson, Anton Biglow, Frank Kiekhoefer, Fred Kube and Milhelm Rohleder.
John Ostrum has recently added two more machines to his laundry, and is now in a position to handle any of work.
Sebert Salverson and E.C. Getts are driving new Cleveland cars.
The Syncopated Five will furnish the music for the party given by the freshman class tonight. They also will play at the opening of the barn dance season at Carl Schaefer’s this Sunday.
Prof. R.F. Lohrie, former superintendent of schools in Arcadia, was named superintendent of Chippewa Falls school.
125 YEARS AGO
April 15, 1897
Several local nimrods are on the banks of the trout streams today.
A light snow fell Monday night and Tuesday forenoon, with a large drop in the temperature.
The work of excavating for the Adams and Taylor building has commenced.
The new town officers qualified Monday and are now in the harness.
Sheriff Jensen purchased a 2600 team of E.O. Gilbertson of Ettrick Monday.
The street commissioner has had men looking after and replacing defective planks in the sidewalks this week.
The county jail is now harboring three people, Ole H. Benrud of Blair being the most recent to enter its portals.
The winter wheat crop is reported to have been seriously injured in this county by the frosts of spring. Other localities report similar conditions.
A creamery association was organized at York April 3, and it was also decide to erect a suitable building and begin operations as soon as is possible.
The people in various towns and cities during the past week have reported seeing an airship, beautifully color-lighted, rapidly passing through the sky. It is also notable that these reports come from localities where the voters have decided in favor of license at the recent election.
W.J. Webb has a large force of carpenters and masons at work on his new residence, and a force of men and teams hauling dirt to grade the grounds.
Andrew Stendahl, who has been visiting relatives here since Thursday, departed Monday for Alma, where he is employed as a cook for the Mississippi Logging Co.
Blair -- Considerable interest is felt for the welfare of M.A. Peterson, who has been in poor health for some time and unable to attend to the affairs of his company, which was recently sold to the newly-organized Blair Store Co. On March 31, Mr. Peterson left town for the purpose of visiting a neighbor on the outskirts of the village, but never went to that house, and continued on foot up the railroad track towards Taylor. He was seen at Taylor and by parties between here and there, but at that point all trace was lost. He was well know to the railroad men, and it is averred that he boarded none of the Green Bay trains. He is said to have disappeared in a mysterious manner on a previous occasion, but turned up after a three-week absence.
