From Our Early Files Sept. 27, 2023
25 YEARS AGO
October 1, 1998
In newspaper publishing, Robert Gauger has done it all. Gauger has, formally or informally, held nearly ever title, and every job possible in a family-owned newspaper. Except one. On Oct. 1, he’ll have that one too. That’s when Gauger becomes Publisher Emeritus of the Whitehall Times. Gauger’s son, Charles, follows his dad’s footsteps, becoming the next publisher of the newspaper.
The Whitehall district school board got some bad news Monday night, an omen of trouble when it comes to levy property taxes. District administrators reported that total enrollment in the local schools, based on the annual third-Friday head count was down from the preceding year. The total district enrollment reported was 777.5, a decrease of 19 students from 1997.
Following a public hearing held Monday night, the city of Whitehall will go ahead with a sidewalk project sought by the Whitehall School District. The special city council committee voted following the hearing to adopt amended plans for the walkway on the east side of Sheila Boulevard, located about a block from Sunset Elementary School.
For several months, five community-led task forces have been working together with aquatic center engineering firms, city leaders and fundraising consultants to assess plans for replacing the 45-year-old Paetow Pool.
The 1998 Arcadia High School Homecoming Court members are: Jessie Severinski, Crystal Slaby, Mandy Kupietz, Lynn Patzner, Jamie Frahm, Jessie Frahm, Glen Pronschinske, Eric Losinski, Rich Kiekhoefer, Dustin Waletzko, Jon Dorn and Tony Bawek.
Rebecca Ziehlke, CNM, FNP, recently joined the family practice staff at Franciscan Skemp Healthcare Arcadia Campus. “Becky’s qualifications make her an excellent addition to our medical staff. As a midwife and family nurse practitioner, she will be able to serve a broad spectrum of patients,” Dr. Jeffery Flynn, Chief of the Arcadia medical staff, said.
The 16th annual Apple Affair will be held this Saturday on the Square in Galesville. Apple Affair will include all the old favorites, according to one of the organizers, Mary Knappen. Attendance is expected to be high, as usual.
Slightly more than 71 percent of this year’s Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau fourth graders are “advanced” or “proficient” readers, according to scores they received on the 1998 Wisconsin Reading Comprehension Test. The test, given to last year’s G-E-T third graders, more finely measures a student’s ability to comprehend what they’ve read. And, according to G-E-T reading specialist Carolyn Pederson, the test represents a new era in educational testing.
50 YEARS AGO
October 4, 1973
The Whitehall area this week appeared to have a fuel oil-supply problem, but nobody is sure just how serious it really is. The problem began a couple weeks ago, when Union 76 dealer Roy Harnisch closed his dealership. Company policies required that Harnisch’s allocation of fuel be split up amongst other dealers elsewhere. A new mandatory allocation program was announced by the federal government Tuesday, but it is not known if that will solve the problem.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice has suggested that the Pigeon Falls Volunteer Fire Department offer a refund on tickets purchased for a drawing being held to raise money for a “brush buggy.” The department has been cracking down on such fund-raising projects.
Kevin Wozney, three-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Wozney of Arcadia, received minor injuries when struck by a car driven by Mrs. Michael Pavlicin on Main Street in downtown Arcadia on Friday. According to witnesses, the child darted into the street from between two parked pickup trucks, directly into the path of the car.
The Arcadia Community Chest total was just short of $500 Tuesday, with two days of the regular Chest drive completed, reported Wendell Olson, chairman. Olson stressed that individuals and businesses giving their “fair share” during the Community Chest campaign will be under no obligation to give again to any participating organizations during the year.
New teachers at G-E-T Junior High are Warren Selk, principal, and Bruce Johnson, seventh grade math.
A letter of commendation honoring her for her high performance on the 1972 Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test has been awarded to Connie Stage, a student at G-E-T High School. The National Merit Scholarship Corporation has named 38,000 Commended students throughout the United States. These students are among the upper two percent of those who are expected to graduate from high school in 1974.
More than 50 Trempealeau County Extension Homemakers members met in the courthouse in Whitehall for their annual fall council program.
75 YEARS AGO
September 30, 1948
John H. Johnson and son Clarence of the town of Pigeon received injuries Thursday afternoon when the car drive by the former they collided with a car drive by Jalmer Nordby on a town road leading into Fitch Coulee from Hwy. 53 near the Daggett school. John Johnson was rendered unconscious and remained so for about an hour.
The Rev. E.B. Christopherson of Pigeon Falls Friday collected the bounty on a red fox that he struck with his car while returning home a night last week. Unfortunately, the pelt was not prime, otherwise the accident would have brought more remuneration.
John O. Gilbertson of Whitehall has been elected president of the Bowlers of the Bisek Lanes at Independence. Chuck Keilholtz is a vice president, and E.L. Gilbertson of this city is a director. Men and women have both organized leagues for the season. For the Classic League, Alvin Windjue of Whitehall was chosen as president, Lyle Pavek of Chimney Rock, secretary; and Dr. A.O. Torson, Independence, treasurer.
On Sunday, Oct. 3, the Synod Lutheran church at Pigeon Falls will have a re-dedication of the church building, which was remodeled this spring. A complete basement was built, a furnace and water system were installed, the exterior was painted and an exit and fire escape from the balcony were installed. The afternoon service beginning at 2:30 p.m. will consist of the cornerstone-laying and re-dedication.
The bow and arrow deer season in Trempealeau and surrounding counties opened Saturday and will continue until Nov. 7 with a bag limit of one deer per season, any age, or sex, according to the new laws and regulations issued by the state conservation department and now in the hand of Game Warden Fred Gardner.
100 YEARS AGO
October 4, 1923
The interest shown in the parent-teacher meeting at the high school auditorium last evening was gratifying. About 100 parents attended, the largest attendance ever assembled at such a meeting. The interest shown assures the faculty of the cooperation of the parents in this important work for the remaining meetings to be held during the school year.
John Holtan of Stoughton, warehouse manager for the tobacco pool, was at Whitehall last week. Mr. Holtan is looking over sites for the erection or purchase of warehouses in this section. It is practically decided that Whitehall will have a warehouse, but nothing will be done this fall on account of the large tobacco harvest being lost by the early frost.
The local 40 et 8ers are becoming known in Whitehall for their novel and unexpected celebrations. Our townsmen are becoming accustomed to the sudden booming of giant shells, the flare of colored signals and the battle cries. Monday evening, their demonstration was preceded by bills announcing a “noise festival,” and a large portion of our population met at the Village Hall to share in the charivari.
The first baseball game of the season for Whitehall High was played here last Wednesday with Independence. The teams were well matched and a good game ensued. The Independence boys were hard hitters, but with Bennie Mahle on the mound, he managed to keep the hits well scattered. The game was decided in favor of Independence7 to 6.
Ole Jacobson rode home from Independence Saturday night with a friend who was in too much of a hurry to insure Ole’s safe arrival. He tried to make the driver travel at a more reasonable speed, but without result, so Ole jumped from the car and suffered a badly sprained wrist.
Parents of children who are indulging in the popular pastime of rolling auto tires on Main Street in the business section should warn the children of the danger of being struck by cars. While the practice is clean, wholesome sport, the danger is too great to be allowed in the business section.
The North Creek Elephants won the Sunday kittenball game against the Arcadia Tigers.
Billie Williams and his Golden Derbies of St. Paul, Minn., a red hot band consisting of banjo, trumpet, trombone, piano, drum and saxophone was playing at Hannon’s Pavilion in Arcadia.
The Leader published a full page of pictures showing devastation in Tokyo and Yokohama, Japan, following a major earthquake.
Beginning Sept. 18, the La Crosse bus will discontinue running to Ettrick.
125 YEARS AGO
September 29, 1898
The brick work on C.E. Scott’s new building is underway. Masons from Independence are laying the brick, and Wood and Stevens are doing the wood work.
Richard Mattson and crew are building a new barn for Mrs. Christian Everson, in place of the one struck by lightning and destroyed the latter part of August.
Charles Gilbertson of Hale fell off a load of lumber Tuesday, the wagon passing over his leg and breaking it between the knee and ankle. Dr. Parker set the fracture.
The Whitehall village board met at the hose house Tuesday evening for the purpose of considering a proposition for the organization of a village library and making an appropriation. H.L. Ekern of the committee presented a list of 25 subscribers to a proposition favoring an appropriation of $300 to $700, the list representing heavy taxpayers who together pay taxes on a personal property valuation of $33,000 out of the $49,000 valuation in the village. Mr. Melby, also of the committee, renewed his offer of the best lot on Main Street as a site, and it was noted that W.J. Webb had offered to donate all the lumber, and A.W. Anderson, the stone for the foundation. The resolution to appropriate $500 for the purpose, however, failed on a 3 to 2 vote.
There promises to be an animated but good-natured fight at the Republican county convention here tomorrow.
Pigeon Falls -- Jens Staf, Peder Bjordahl and Nels Nelson returned this week from a four months’ visit among friends and relatives in their native country, Norway, all of them reporting a summer exceedingly well spent.
