From Our Early Files Feb. 2, 2022
25 YEARS AGO
February 6, 1997
There probably have been thousands of marketing efforts attempting to capitalize on the success of the Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers. So Norm Herman’s creation could get lost among the other songs, t-shirts and silly headgear. Except that, perhaps, people will perceive the recordings made by the Whitehall resident as being labors of love. Herman has released the songs “The Frozen Tundra Waltz” and “The Packer Fan Polka.”
The Independence School District and the city of Independence will split the cost of putting in the streets and utilities that will serve the new school to be built starting later this year. The district board of education and the city council tentatively agreed on that cost-sharing arrangement during a joint meeting held last week.
A local couple migrated to New Orleans to see their beloved Green Bay Packers in the Super Bowl and they were not disappointed. Betty and Jim Wozney of Arcadia traveled down south to watch their favorite team defeat the New England Patriots in the big game. “It was quite overwhelming for us,” Betty Wozney said. “It was so nice to watch our favorite team win the NFL title once again after all these years.”
Krista Mathwig was recently hired by the Arcadia School District as the new high school English teacher. The position that was held by Chad Nyseth, who left to take a job as a technical writer for a firm.
“It was very close, we were definitely sweating it out. We didn’t think it was ours all the way,” pompon coach Valerie Jostad said Monday. Despite those doubts during the state pompon competition in Wisconsin Rapids on Saturday, the Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau squad emerged as state champions among small schools in a combined division.
Neighbors of the Rockin’ Rooster Drive-in on Main Street said they were tired of eating dust, so the Trempealeau village board Monday decided to let a rezoning bid for a full-time restaurant there simmer a bit. First they will talk to a prospective buyer about his intentions for paving the parking lot and to put up a courtesy fence to screen nearby homes. The drive-in has a conditional use permit to operate in a residential neighborhood, but an application to change the zoning to commercial was before the board. Village residents expressed concern about the hours the establishment would be open and the dust that has been kicked up from the parking lot when the establishment was previously open.
50 YEARS AGO
February 10, 1972
The city of Whitehall has been granted an extension of the deadline for the construction of a new wastewater treatment plant, until June 1973.
A special referendum election will be held Feb. 28 in the village of Pigeon Falls on the questions of whether a municipal waterworks system will be constructed.
An annual tradition at Whitehall High School was eliminated this year when the junior class voted 46-13 recently to not hold a Junior Prom. Reasons given were cost, lack of enthusiasm and the proximity to the junior class play.
The Norsemen extended their winning streak to four games last week by defeating Osseo-Fairchild and Eleva-Strum Central. Fred Thompson, who scored 26 points against the Chieftains, was named player of the week.
Dominic Okuraja, senior cooperative officer with the Cooperative Department at Kampala, Uganda, Africa, spent last week in Arcadia as guest of A-G Cooperatives while studying A-G’s facilities and integrated operations. He has been a student at Cooperative Education and Training, Inc. in Madison since October. He will complete his studies and return to Uganda in March.
Arcadia’s New Years babies are twins, a boy and a girl, born to Mr. and Mrs. Jack Bautch of Arcadia early Friday afternoon. Kerry Lee Bautch was born at 12:31 p.m. and his sister, Karen Marie, was born at 12:35.
Miss Catherine Ellen Chambers, a junior at Arcadia High School, has been chosen to participate in the 1972 Congressional Seminar in Washington, D.C.
The Trempealeau Businessmen’s Club met Monday at the village community room with Dennis Sacia presiding. The club instigated the beginning of a community chest in Trempealeau by appointing committee as follows: Mrs. Kenneth Hovell, Howard Coyle, Mrs. Irvin Brommerich and Mr. Winston Elkins.
At this time of year it becomes necessary to remind all persons receiving mail on rural routes that snow must be removed to make boxes accessible to rural carriers. If this is not done, carriers will return mail to the post office until this requirement is met.
The winners of the first event at the Centerville Mixed Bonspiel were the Loyal Van Vleet rink, beating the LeRoy Hovell rink. Members of the Van Vleet rink included John Jick, Elaine Jick, Helen Van Vleet and Loyal Van Vleet.
75 YEARS AGO
February 6, 1947
When the groundhog ventured from his den Sunday morning, he had no difficulty seeing his shadow in this area, as Sunday was a pleasant winter day. But if he did not duck back into his hole, he was caught in the most severe winter that has struck this section this season, a strong northwest gale accompanied at times by snow. For the first time in several years school was closed here Tuesday, because of drifted highways.
John Sygulla, incumbent town of Lincoln chairman, was renominated for that office at the caucus held Saturday, but with opposition. Henrik Herness, who has been serving as a town supervisor, was also nominated to appear on the April ballot, and received 15 votes to the seven cast for Sygulla. Joe Kulig was nominated to oppose Clarence Schaefer for first supervisor, and Roy Rebarchek and Ralph Sygulla were chosen to vie for Herness’s supervisory seat.
A famous movie horse contest being sponsored by the Pix Theatre offers $5 in cash prizes and 50 movie tickets.
Mr. and Mrs. Emil Johnson have traded their city residence to P.M. Paulson for his 40-acre farm, located on Hwy. 121 just west of the Kulig curve between Whitehall and Independence. The farm, known as the Rombalski place, was purchased by Mr. Paulson about a year ago. Mr. and Mrs. Harold Wood have rented the former Johnson house from Mr. Paulson.
The musical numbers contributed at the U.L. Luther League in Pigeon Falls Sunday night included a solo by Joan Anderson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joel Anderson, who sang “Faith Knows the Way,” a song composed by her mother. She was accompanied by Miss Stella Windjue.
Dr. Henry Bucksdorf, who was employed at the MacCornack Clinic here for a short time several years ago, has opened an office at Lyndon Station.
The Independence CYO team defeated the Whitehall Merchants 58 to 46 in the polio benefit game played here Friday evening. Butch Sobotta led the scoring for Independence with 18 points, and Willie Smieja scored 14; LaVerne Nelson had 12 for Whitehall.
Work on the installation of a new and heavier electric transmission line to carry a load of 69,000 volts from the Dairyland stream plant in Alma to the substation in Independence to feed in to the REA system in this area, is making good progress at the present time when weather permits.
Fire destroyed the farm of Willie Lingenfelter, a bachelor farmer on the former William McDonah farm near Centerville. Mr. Lingenfelter had returned that night from a motor trip to Dallas, Texas.
Miss Yvonne Olson, senior at Stout Institute in Menomonie, will be the new home demonstration agent for Trempealeau County to fill the vacancy left by Mrs. Blanch Mulry, who resigned after two years.
100 YEARS AGO
February 9, 1922
The Mendelsshon Music Club will play at the Village Hall in Whitehall next week Friday evening at eight o’clock. This club ensemble has played for three seasons on the Wisconsin University Extension Circuit, and have been well received everywhere, often playing the same town several seasons in succession. Admission will be 50 cents per adult and 25 cents for children, with reserved seats 10 cents extra.
The tobacco warehouse opened Monday with 25 hands for the packing of the 1921 crop. Farmers are coming in daily with their crops.
Milton Lindsay, known to our people as the man who took L.D. Parson’s fur coat from the entry of the Baptists church several years ago, and sojourned in the county jail for several days as a consequence, spent Saturday night in the lock-up and was escorted out of town the next morning by Marshall Thorp.
Mr. S.N. Hegge, a member of the school board, visited school Tuesday afternoon. The students were surprised and alarmed at the sound of the fire alarm and they filed out, showing Mr. Hegge the system of the drill.
The Whitehall ski enthusiasts will have a contest at the Stuve hill next Sunday. They defeated Pigeon Falls last Sunday, and this is a return contest, and it will be spirited. To enable much longer jumps, a 25-foot scaffold is being erected, and there will be some records made at this event. Spend the afternoon on the hill and witness this splendid winter sport.
Northfield — A sleigh-load of “Jolly Good Timers” from here went to Hegge Coulee below Pigeon Falls Sunday to witness the skiing contest.
Obituaries included Grace Marcella Urbik, two-week-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Urbick.
A carnival dance sponsored by Martin A. Erickson Post 17, American Legion, promised to be one of the finest and biggest times of the season.
125 YEARS AGO
February 4, 1897
Frank Bowen ought to have a medal as champion wood-sawyer of the town. He sawed three cords of green wood in nine hours yesterday.
Joseph Bishop, representing the firm of Bishop and Zastrow, merchants tailors at Arcadia, was taking orders in Whitehall Tuesday.
William Johnson and Dock Davis, both residents of Davis Valley in Buffalo County, were committed to the county jail here Friday by Justice Whitney of Independence and brought here by Marshal Coy. They were convicted of the larceny of 14 sacks of grain from George Fagan’s sleigh, and fined $15 each and costs, or 30 days in the county jail. They chose the free board for 30 days.
Whitehall Camp No. 2549, Modern Woodmen of America, are sending out invitations for a social dance and supper, to be given at Opera Hall next week Friday evening. This will be another of those occasions when everyone attending will have a tip-top time. The Woodmen pay the freight. It will cost you nothing.
County Clerk Johnson will open bids today for furnishing 25 cords of wood to the county. Tomorrow bids for publishing the board proceedings in pamphlet form will be considered, and on Saturday the blank and stationery printing bids will be examined.
The closing exercises of the Coral City school were held at the Presbyterian church Friday, and consisted of songs, recitations and an essay, “Life’s Opportunities,” by Miss Stella Van Sickle, who has just completed the course outlined for the common schools of this county. The church was filled, many from outside the district being present. The manner in which the program was carried off reflects much credit upon the efficient and pain-staking teacher, Miss Letitia Wright, who has labored in that field for the past three years.
Hale — The meeting of the Elk Creek Literary Society was well attended, and a good program was rendered. The debate, “Resolved, that the Negro has made more progress in civilization than the Indian,” was decided in favor of the negative after a close contest.
