From Our Early Files June 7, 2023
25 YEARS AGO
June 11, 1998
The new Whitehall Family Aquatic Center opened last weekend with only a couple of glitches, but the community will mark the occasion officially on Friday. The official dedication of the $1.2 million swimming pool and recreational facility will take place during an open house to be held during the afternoon at the center. In the evening, a dance will be held as a fundraiser at Whitehall Specialties.
Wisconsin’s official dairy ambassador will be the featured guest at Trempealeau County’s annual June Dairy Month kickoff this weekend. Courtney Ott, Alice in Dairyland 1997, will appear at the “On the County Farm” breakfast, which will be held Saturday at the Hamlin Valley Farm near Strum. The highlight of the morning’s activities will be the coronation of the 1998 county dairy ambassador and her attendant at 10:30 a.m. This year’s candidates are Erin Byom, Megan Drangstveit, Jessica Julson and Bridget Puchalla.
The Arcadia High School track and field teams are on top of the world, or at least on top of the state. Both the AHS boys and girls teams took gold in Division Three at the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association State Championship meet in La Crosse last weekend. It was the first time the school’s girls track team won a state title, while the boys continued like business as usual, having been one of the most dominant teams with five state championships in the 1990s. The Arcadia boys team was led by Jack Knudson, who was crowned the champion in the 300-meter hurdles. Knudson was also the kicker on the first-place 1600-relay team, running with Jeff Rotering, Glen Pronschinske and Dustin Waletzko in a race the team needed to win to clinch the state title. The Arcadia girls 800-relay team of Becky Van Acker, Jeni Boberg, Nicole Pronschinske and Lisa Wozney took first as did the 400-relay team of Van Acker, Boberg, Pronschinske and Jamie Frahm.
The Arcadia High School golf team is in familiar territory this week. They are preparing for their ninth trip to the WIAA State Golf Championships in as many years.
The sound of accordions and drums may not be found on the Top 40, but there are a few musicians left who enjoys the sound of the polkas and waltzes. Two individuals who still create music that would no doubt make your parents and grandparents tap their toes are Kim and Ron Pronschinske of Arcadia. They have spent the better part of their lives playing traditional music with instruments such as accordions, drums and organs. Ron is capable of playing five different instruments and Kim may play even more.
The Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau school board approved the start of middle school contact football for next fall. District Athletic Director Tom Goller told board members the seventh and eighth-grade contact football program has received a $10,000 commitment of funds from the booster club over the next year. The booster club told Goller and high school football coach Jon Steffenhagen they would donate $5,000 initially to the program and promise another $5,000 during the 1998-99 school year.
Rick Sampson, Centerville, husband and father of three, supports his family by hand crafting wooden flutes and banjo bridges. Sampson began his home-based business about three years ago by making and selling his Native American wooden flutes.
G-E-T senior Andy Kiedrowski not only won his first ever gold metal at the WIAA State Track and Field meet, he also set a state record in the discus competition. Kiedrowski’s throw of 179 feet, seven inches was five feet over the standing record at the state meet.
50 YEARS AGO
June 14, 1973
Employees of Casavant Freres Organ Co. of St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, have nearly completed installing a new pipe organ at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church. The new instrument cost about $41,000, and replaces an organ that was used when it was purchased by the church about 50 years ago.
The Trempealeau County Arts Association, which is in its third year of existence, will present the opening night of its production of “The Sound of Music” this Saturday night at Sunset Memorial Auditorium. Carol Ellison and John Syndergaard will play the lead roles.
The Whitehall Tennis Club began summer instruction for beginners this week Wednesday at the new tennis courts in the new municipal park. The club was organized May 17 with about 35 persons attending the first meeting.
Edward Ausderau, University of Wisconsin-Extension agricultural agent in Trempealeau County, was promoted Friday to the academic rank of associate professor by the UW Board of Regents. In making the announcement. UW-Extension Chancellor Henry Ahlgren said Ausderau’s promotion was a tribute to his dedication and persistence.
Ervin Scharlau will be the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce president. Wendell Byom will serve as vice president and Charles Blaschko as secretary-treasurer.
Arcadia’s National Guard unit, Detachment 1, Company C, 1st Battalion, 128th Infantry, 32nd Infantry Brigade, took part in battle training at Camp McCoy last week where it is engaged in annual summer field training.
The G-E-T swimming pool has opened for the summer season. Russell Lund is the pool manager and disciplining matters will be directed to him. Lifeguards and instructors will be Barbara Barenthin, Susan Douglas and Steven Scheller.
75 YEARS AGO
June 10, 1948
The 31st annual meeting of the Community Hospital board of trustees was held at the hospital Monday evening. J.L. Johnson, business manager of the hospital, presented the annual report, said that there were 1,611 patients admitted, with 201 birth registrations and 803 operations, with five surgical deaths.
Each Homemaker in Trempealeau County is entitled to bring a candidate to the queens’ contest to be held at the City Hall in Whitehall on Monday.
Early in the year the state centennial committee requested all citizens who are members of families residing in Wisconsin more than 100 years, to identify themselves. Among those so recognized was Fred Curran of Whitehall, whose grandparents came to Waukesha County in 1847, and to Curran Valley in Jackson Co. in 1856.
Two residents of Whitehall, Mrs. Henry J. Aleckson and W.A. Lieberg, are among the Wisconsin resident who are descendants of the Norwegians who settled in Potters Co., Pa., in the famous colony started by Ole Bull, Norway’s great violinist.
More than 15,000 feet of terraces have been constructed on Trempealeau County farms this spring, reports Jack Dundas of the Soil Conservation district office in Whitehall. Most were created with a town road patrol grader, but several, like those on the Harvey Austin farm in Pigeon, were constructed using a moldboard plow.
The Whitehall municipal summer playground will open on the school grounds Monday, announces Thomas Larson, who has been engaged by the city to have charge of the program.
Louise Erickson left Arcadia for Chicago last week to try out for an All-American girls baseball team. Saturday night, she pitched for the Blue Island Stars in a minor league game. With excellent pitching and good support from the entire team, the Stars won, 24-2. Erickson allowed four hits during the game.
100 YEARS AGO
June 14, 1923
The annual meeting of the stockholders of the Whitehall hospital was held at the Village Hall this week Wednesday afternoon. Dr. R.L. MacCornack was elected to the board of directors to fill the vacancy caused by the coming departure of Dr. E.A. MacCornack. Mrs. E.A. MacCornack tendered her resignation as superintendent of the hospital and training school, followed by a few remarks suggesting that a training school board of directors be elected, which suggestion was favorably acted upon.
The dairy people and others of Pigeon Falls and the surrounding area laid aside their regular duties yesterday to attend the picnic arranged by the creamery organization and held in the Ekern park at that place. Hundreds of people were gathered there at noon, enjoying their dinner among the trees.
Mrs. Martin Allemann of the town of Montana was fatally burned in a kitchen accident at her farm home.
The Revs. Roman Dworschak and Joseph Cysewski said their First Holy Masses at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, following ordination at St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minn.
M.L. Gogeboon and G.F. Chandler, new owners of The Unique Theatre, moved to Arcadia with their families from Mauston. The men had purchased the business from Mr. Tickochinsky.
J. O. Halderson has opened a rent information bureau for farms, houses and rooms. He is keeping a record without charge.
Through the generosity of the Rev. and Mrs. C.B. Bestul of Frenchville, who gave $1,000 to the endowment fund in memory of their son Erling, a sincere thanks goes out to them. Their son died at the age of 14 just a few days before he was to enter Gale as a student.
Galesville Hustlers were organized with Ezra Becker as president. They met for a brief meeting in the school on May 2. Ruth Hammer will be local leader; Ralph Lyon, vice president; Geneva Amundson, secretary; Anna Dopp, treasurer and Ray McKeeth, program chairman.
125 YEARS AGO
June 9, 1898
Contractors Wood and Stevens have the frame up and nearly enclosed for James Hopkins’ new residence.
J.W. Becker is under the weather. He stuck a sliver in his hand last week, and the member has since given him considerable trouble. The pain extends into the arm, and causes much apprehension as to the outcome.
H.H. Scott and A.J. McNaughton were trout fishing the first of the week. Their catch was small. The opinion seems to be that successful trout fishing is playing out in Trempealeau County. The number caught grows perceptibly less each year.
I.H. Whitney has sold his flouring mill and residence at Coral City to A. Jacobsen of Misha Mokwa, Buffalo County, possession to be taken July 1. Mr. Whitney contemplates removing, we understand, to British Columbia, to engage in business with his brother George, who was lately in business here.
M.E. Lamphere, Lincoln’s veteran berry grower, is the first to market home-grown strawberries in Whitehall this season. The gentleman left at our office Tuesday a generous donation of a new variety of strawberry, Lavette, which he is cultivating. It is extraordinarily large and of excellent flavor.
Elk Creek -- Nels Moen visited friends at Pigeon Falls Sunday, riding over on his wheel. By the way, this is quite the locality for bicycles, there being 14 within a radius of three miles, and more yet to be heard from.
