From Our Early Files May 17, 2023

25 YEARS AGO

May 21, 1998

Members of the Trempealeau County Board of Supervisors, concerned about turning over control of county property, rejected a proposed conservation easement for the Trempealeau County Healthcare Center. At their regular monthly meeting, the supervisors voted 11 to 10 to defeat a resolution agreeing to a 10-year easement with the Wisconsin Farmland Conservancy for TCHCC property and another county-owned parcel located in the town of Preston. The easement would have controlled development and use of the county-owned land.

The Whitehall city council will decide whether or not the city accepts a federal grant that would fund a fourth, full-time police officer for three years. The city’s law enforcement committee Thursday deferred to the full council the decision on a Community Oriented Policing Services program grant that has been awarded the city.

Fifty-seven members of the Whitehall High School Class of 1998 will receive their diplomas at the annual commencement exercises on Friday evening. 

This year’s Memorial Day celebration will have more meaning because Arcadia area citizens, local and state dignitaries and numerous veterans will also be celebrating the Sesquicentennial during the Arcadia Broiler-Dairy Days and Memorial Day all in the same weekend. During the Memorial Day program, two statues will be unveiled at the Memorial Park Amphitheater on what will be called Generals Overlook. A statue of former President and Five-Star General Dwight D. Eisenhower and General John J. Pershing will be unveiled. 

Greg and Nancy Thomas of Arcadia have been happier dairy farmers since they started noticing results from bio-logical farming and dairy nutrition. The Thomas family started bio-logical farming eight years ago and started dairy nutrition three years ago. They milk 64 cows and have 133 total. They have noticed an increase in production since they started bio-logical farming. 

After a closed session Thursday night, the Galesville city council approved the sale of the two Gale College dorms and some land to Pat and John Nickles for $1. City attorney Rob Longwell said the city will sell both St. Anne’s and St. Joseph’s and some land east of the buildings, including a steep embankment and some low land to the Nickles. “What’s important to the city was that they (the Nickles) have a proven ability to renovate a building,” Longwell said. 

Gov. Tommy Thompson has tentatively scheduled a stop in Galesville on June 10 to help dedicate the new bridge. According to Mayor Terry Collins, the governor will be in La Crosse that day for a number of other appearances and has agreed to stop in Galesville as well. 

Michelle Frederick will graduate from Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau High school as valedictorian of the Class of 1998. Elaine McDonah is the salutatorian. 

50 YEARS AGO

May 24, 1973

The Norse golf team won the Dairyland Conference championship Friday, beating Osseo-Fairchild by three strokes in the 18-hole match played at Whitehall. Don Reck was the meet medalist with a 75.

Seven more area girls have entered the 1973 Broiler-Dairy Festival queen competition, bringing the number of competitors to 13. The latest entrants are Catherine Chambers, Pat Feltes, Patricia May Gandyra, Ann Herrick, Carol Hesch, Marie Hillig and Sue Sokup. 

Graduation exercises for 104 seniors, members of the Arcadia High School class of 1973, will be held May 31. 

Junior Lager was recently elected president of the Arcadia Education Association for the 1973-74 school year. Serving with him will be Mrs. Mary Ryan, vice president; Mrs. Carmen Killian, secretary and Mrs. Paula Webinger, treasurer. 

The Rowles McBride American Legion members, auxiliary members, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts will assemble at the Galesville Elementary School at 8:30 a.m. on Memorial Day for a program. Members of VFW Post 1915 will hold a program in the Trempealeau Village Park at 10 a.m. The Ettrick American Legion Post and its auxiliary will have a Memorial Day parade under the direction of a committee headed by Arland Hegland, Beach, commander. The parade will start at 10:30 a.m. and will be routed from the park on North Main St. to the Community Hall. 

The G-E-T library club elected officers for the next school year. They are John Douglas, treasurer; Eileen Lettner, vice president; Marilyn Hare, president; Renee Wood, reporter and Ronda Beirne, secretary. 

Four individual records were set as G-E-T captured the annual Coulee Conference track meet in Galesville on Friday. G-E-T scored 52 points, while Holmen scored 48.5; West Salem, 44.5; Arcadia, 44; Onalaska, 29; Melrose-Mindoro, 27; Bangor, eight and C-FC, three. 

75 YEARS AGO

May 20, 1948

The details of the all-county Centennial day in Whitehall to be held tomorrow in Whitehall have been ironed out, and thousands are expected to attend if the weatherman cooperates. A parade will open the morning activities at 10:15 a.m., and the afternoon program will begin with several numbers by a massed county chorus of 500 voices, under the direction of Philip Thomte.

With swollen streams, trout fishing wasn’t ideal on opening day Saturday, Jack Johnson and Richard Mattson each landed four-pound German brown trout. Lee Johnson brought home 10 brook trout, and Mrs. C. Andrew Kuhn, fishing by the Pleasantville bridge Monday evening, landed a 14-inch trout.

A crowd estimated at 200 farmers attended the Jackson County field demonstration day at the Stanley Dettinger and Sons farm near York Thursday. This was probably the largest of the field trips of this kind in the area, and was in the charge of W.D. Bean, Jackson County agent.

Irvin Coulee had a shower of hail about 4 p.m. Sunday.

Pentecost Sunday, May 18, marked a red-letter day for the U.L. congregation at Pigeon Falls, when members who had packed the church for the confirmation of 12 young people adjourned to the site of the new church for the formal ground-breaking ceremonies. Already a low mound of limestone, quarried from the Herman Pape farm near Arcadia, extends for several rods along the building site. Volunteer crews appeared Monday to haul the pews, baptismal font and organ to the parish hall, and will later give time to the wrecking of the old building, so that the materials can be used in construction wherever possible.

Four members of the Arcadia Chapter of Future Farmers, accompanied by their advisor Merrill Pinch, attended the State Future Farmer Convention. Roger Tamke, Francis Schank and Allen Kreher received the Wisconsin State Farmer degree for their convention. This is the highest award that can be awarded to any FFA member by a state organization. 

Three more extensive road projects have been let by the state highway commission, according to Trempealeau County Highway Commissioner Jens Klavestad. The Neuheisel Limestone Products, Inc., of Eau Claire received the contract for the base course and the contract of the bituminous surfacing of 8.59 miles of State Highway 93. 

100 YEARS AGO

May 24, 1923

Heavy rain last Saturday. The weather continues fair.

The law in regards to speeding in Whitehall and past school grounds must be enforced to the letter without regard to the violator, if the safety of human life is worthy of protection. It has become a pleasant pastime for many to make South Main and Dewey streets a race track for speed demons, and the practice will continue as long as the law is not rigidly enforced, or until a human life pays the price for the recklessness, and public sentiment demands the enforcement of the law.

A deal was closed this week whereby Dr. E.A. MacCornack disposed of his practice and interest in the clinic to Dr. H.C. Koch of Taylor. Dr. and Mrs. MacCornack, who came here in 1915, and son Laddie left today for Chicago, to meet with the foreign board of missions and complete the arrangements for entering into missionary work.

Miss Stella Sylfest of Blair has accepted a position as stenographer in the O.J. Eggum law office. She entered upon her duties Monday.

Ever Anderson is building a 30- by 70-foot tobacco shed on his farm in Irvin Coulee. Clark expects to have the shed well filled with his favorite weed next fall, as he is preparing to set out five acres of tobacco plants.

Tostem Lindem of Pleasantville is hauling blocks from Langworthy’s cement factory for a 12- by 30-foot Keystone silo.

Monday evening was designated as cleanup time at the new tourist park grounds. A large number of citizens enlisted, and the grounds are now quite presentable.

125 YEARS AGO

May 19, 1898

The government is now mum.

James Hopkins has his cellar wall well underway for his new residence.

J.C. Southworth has moved his jewelry outfit and now has quarters in Ed Romander’s harness shop.

We had a fine rain last Tuesday night which laid the dust and did considerable good to crops and vegetation.

Rogan is taking some fine stereoscopic views of the village. Every resident should secure a number of them.

The M.W.A. dance at their hall Tuesday drew and immense crowd, and all enjoyed the occasion hugely. Supper was served at the American House.

James Maloney of Hale, while calling Monday to renew his subscription, informed us that he has 315 ewes and 360 lambs. The gentleman is the largest sheep raiser in Trempealeau County.

The Women’s Relief Corps served an excellent chicken-pie dinner and supper at Scott’s Hall yesterday, proceeds of which are to go toward the suffering occasioned by the present war. The means were well patronized, and netted the corps about $15.

Principal C.F. Huleatt has been engaged by the Whitehall school board to preside over out school for another year, also Miss Myrtle Whitney in the primary department. Our people appreciate the services of excellent teachers.

Mesdames W.J. Webb and J.B. Beach are circulating a subscription to raise funds with which to clean up, improve and beautify the village cemetery, and we are pleased to note that their effort is meeting with words of hearty commendation and flattering financial encouragement.