From Our Early Files May 5, 2022
25 YEARS AGO
May 8, 1997
A public informational meeting held last week concerning a new swimming pool in Whitehall hasn’t changed the city’s plans. Although questions were raised about a proposed new outdoor pool, and several persons spoke in favor of building an indoor facility instead, city officials say they are going ahead with the former. The city council voted last year to go ahead with the renovation or replacement of the existing 25-year-old pool. Estimates for the project have ranged from $800,000 to $1 million.
Don’t ask Winifred Duebbert for the secret of how to live to be 100 years old. The area native and Tri-County Memorial Nursing Home resident who hit the century mark Sunday, doesn’t think the accomplishment is anything to write home about. “There’s no advantage… you lose all your friends,” she said Monday. “And you get patronized.”
Recognizing our heritage and those individuals who have served in the United States Armed Forces is something that Ashley Furniture Industries Chief Operating Officer Ron Wanek has dedicated a great deal of time, effort and resources to over the last decade. The most recent statues, which will be placed in Memorial Park during the upcoming Arcadia Broiler-Dairy Days celebration, will depict President Andrew Jackson during his days in the military. He was an American soldier during the Mexican War of 1846. A statue of an American soldier and a pioneer family statue with water fountain will also be unveiled.
In addition to the emcee, Miss New Jersey 1995 Jennifer Alexis Makris — the second runner-up to Miss America — entertaining the crowd at the 1997 Miss Arcadia pageant will be Chicago comedian Kevin Barthen; reigning Miss Wisconsin, Jennifer Streblow; Viterbo University vocalist Del Robinson and University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point dancers Libby Woodmansee and Cory Vandertic.
An ad hoc citizens committee has been formed to help the city follow through on its goals for the old Gale College site. Those goals include a city-county museum, privately developed quarters for senior citizens, a youth center, service business and an industrial site, among others.
If being placed on an “endangered list” is any sign of hope for survival, the historic square barn at Eastside Farm in Galesville may have something good going for it. The barn with the unusual mansard roof is one of 10 historic properties that the Wisconsin Trust for Historic Preservation has placed on its most recent list of “10 most threatened properties in Wisconsin.”
50 YEARS AGO
May 11, 1972
C.J. Woychik, president and sole owner of C.J. Woychik Construction Co. of Whitehall, has announced that he has sold part of the business to Richard Jurowski, who has been employed by the firm the past 15 years as a superintendent and construction estimator. Woychik Construction will complete all contracts currently on hand, and auctions will be held later to dispose of the firm’s assets. Mr. Woychik has been in the construction business all his life, having learned the trade from his father.
The Whitehall Volunteer Fire Department has been loaned a two and a half-ton military truck by the federal Office of Civil Defense for a five-year period.
Mrs. Ralph Rasmuson of Whitehall was presented with an award at the Wisconsin Federation of Music Clubs recently, in recognition of her volunteer work in music with patients at the Trempealeau County Hospital.
Don Reck of Whitehall made the first hole-in-one of the season at the Whitehall Country Club Sunday, acing the par-three third hole while golfing with Peyton Johnson.
Bands of the Arcadia Public Schools music department made a clean sweep of first place ratings in the district contest of concert groups held at Holmen Saturday. The high school symphonic band, under the direction of Gerald Gleason, won first rating in concert and sight-reading in the Class A category. The high school concert band, entered in Class B, won a first place rating in concert and the junior high band, in Class C, also won first in concert. Both bands are under the direction of Gary Urness.
Seven Arcadia area girls, all spring graduates of Arcadia High School, have entered the 1972 Broiler-Dairy Festival queen competition, announced Don Smith, chairman of the festival queen committee. Entrants include Barbara Ann Slaby, Sue A. Pronschinske, John M. Schmidknecht, Judy Pienok, LuAnn Hayes, Lori Byom and Jill Sobotta. The contest will be held May 26.
Waumandee area farmer Alois Pronschinske won the coveted FFA Outstanding Farmer award at the Arcadia FFA banquet held last week.
Miss Julie Truax, Fairest of the Fairs, will be a special guest at the district Alice in Dairyland contest in Galesville on May 13. She will be at the Square during daytime activities and also at the banquet at the high school in the evening. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Truax.
The first public concert of the Gale-Ettrick Area Male chorus will be held in the Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau High School auditorium on May 17. Proceeds from ticket sales will be used for various young people’s music scholarships to enable music students to attend summer music clinics.
The 118th anniversary of the Charter of Galesville University will be celebrated in the auditorium building on the campus of the old Galesville University on Sunday. The Founder’s Day address will be delivered by Mr. Winston A. Elkins, a Trempealeau County native who is much interested in the history of the state of Wisconsin.
75 YEARS AGO
May 8, 1947
The Community Telephone Co. of Wisconsin has completed the installation of a new cable system in Whitehall, in connection with which many telephones have been re-wired. All lines in the city are now metallic, and are connected by two wires, rather than one under the old grounded system, which eliminates much of the cross-talk and noise heard on the lines previously. The old poles on Main and many of the city’s side streets, which carried a maze of old iron wires, have been removed. Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, chief operator of the exchange, and her assistants, Ethel Mallery, Cora Arneson, Adeline Gage, Gladys Henthorn, Ethel Johnson and Clara Moe, as well as Alvin Lee, the exchange repairman, are extremely happy over the improvements.
Colonel Larson, manager of the Pix Theatre, is looking for barn dance talent to take part in an amateur program that will be presented at the theatre on May 21. He has already received applications from Taylor High Schools student Bernice Skaar, who styles herself the “Prairie Sweetheart”; Lillian Joten of Taylor, whose stage name is the “Skutley Coulee Cow Girl”; “Happy Hank,” formerly of radio station WTMJ in Milwaukee, who will be master of ceremonies; and from the “Fly Creek Sod Busters,” otherwise known as the Oliver Brothers.
A 4-H club has been organized in Whitehall under the sponsorship of the Lutheran Brotherhood of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church. Hiram Hegge is the leader and the officers are Richard Rice, president; John Speerstra, secretary; Richard Mattison, treasurer.
Excavations are completed for the basement of the addition to the Hagen and Nichols garage and implement shop at Pigeon Falls. Even Finstad is in charge of the job.
Odine Gabriel opened a new restaurant in Arcadia. The restaurant is located in a building owned by Omer Fugina, which has been remodeled recently. It is located just west of the News-Leader offices.
The Stewart bus service between Arcadia and Eau Claire is operating daily and local people have a most convenient means of transportation to Eau Claire or points among the line. The schedule is such that people are afforded the choice of two trips a day each way.
Old Man Winter seemed to be gone, but came back to drop five inches of wet snow.
Lt. Lloyd Rall is home from Japan on a 30-day leave. He has had seven years of service most of which has been overseas. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Rall.
The Zion Lutheran Church has purchased a new organ, a Minshall – Etsy was the decision of the committee. Mrs. A.F. Giere, Mrs. Guy Anderson, Mrs. Paul Thies, Selmer Saeter, Wm. Fisher and John Schilling.
100 YEARS AGO
May 11, 1922
Parents and children are warned that there is a village ordinance prohibiting ball playing on the streets. Whether prohibited or not, this is a very dangerous practice and may result in serious damage. There is also an ordinance against bicycle riding on the sidewalks, and the marshal has been given orders to see it enforced. It has also been suggested that the practice of burning rubbish on the streets is injurious to the pavement and gutters. Another subject pertinent to the welfare of all is the custom of driving autos faster than 15 miles per hour in the village limits.
L.M. Quackenbush is fitting up his entire building for use as his tonsorial and bath rooms. New furnishings will be installed. Mr. Bradison has moved his electrical goods, and when Theo. Kauf vacates the Solsrud building, he will occupy it as a display room.
Several tobacco meetings have been held throughout Buffalo, Jackson and Trempealeau counties, and every one a success. Several hundred acres have been pledged, and reports from other parts of the state are very encouraging.
The Hale School Festival, which has become a regular annual festival, will be held May 17 this year. The exercises will begin at 10 a.m. with a concert by the Cleghorn band, followed by an address by a prominent speaker and a picnic dinner. The afternoon will be devoted to orations and declamations by pupils of the various schools, contests of all kinds, school exhibits and the awarding of prizes. Twenty-nine pens of Durocs raised by the Community Pig Club will contest for prizes. In the evening, the Syncopated Five will provide music for dancing.
Fred Olson, formerly of Taylor, has moved his family here and is occupying the place known as the Wade property on Main Street. Mr. Olson is an expert painter, paper-hanger and decorator.
W.A. Lieberg has torn down the old shed on his residence grounds, and in its place has built a larger building with combination garage, dry cleaning and storage accommodations.
Gilbertson Bros. have a carload of Cleveland cars en route, including one Cleveland sedan.
The East Arcadia baseball team defeated the Glencoe team 9-0 on the Glencoe diamond. Al Soppa, start pitcher of the East Arcadians, struck out 18 men. Wieland for Glencoe nine struck out 10 men.
The class of 1922 of the Galesville High school will have commencement exercise on May 28. There is a class of 23, eight of these are boys.
125 YEARS AGO
May 6, 1897
D. Wood has started the foundation for his large business building on Main Street in Whitehall.
Adams and Taylor received several carloads of white brick for their new building in Whitehall this week.
Robert Engen has purchased the Swarthout lot adjoining his business property to the east on Scranton Street, Whitehall.
W.J. Webb has the frame of his new residence up in Whitehall. It is of mammoth proportions, and when the dwelling is finished, it will be one of the most costly in the county.
Our draymen are more than busy this spring hauling rock, lumber, etc., for the several business blocks and numerous new residences now in process of construction in the village. Whitehall is growing.
Clean up your premises and purify the surroundings. Prompt and thorough work in this direction will not only cleanse the atmosphere of the village and beautify the homes, but it may save jobs by the health authorities later on in the season.
It is with regret that we call the attention of the lot owners in the Whitehall cemetery to the deplorable condition of the “city of the dead.” It would be well for those in charge to look after the dilapidated condition of the enclosure of the premises and to inaugurate a move looking toward cleaning up, improving and beautifying the grounds generally.
