Clark County Press, Neillsville, WI July 16, 1992, Page 32 Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon. Index of "Oldies" Articles

Oldies     

By Dee Zimmerman

Music has been am important part of our culture.  The theories of philosophers about the origin of music are various speculations.

Our school systems have encouraged the knowledge of music throughout the years.  Singing and instrumental music classes are required to be in the curriculum each year.

Some students may not have realized their talent until they entered a music class and started practicing singing or playing a musical instrument.  Upon their discovery, for many, music became an experience to be enjoyed through the years.

This photo taken of the 1928 Neillsville High School Band, shows five girls in the class.  They were among the first girls to participate in the high school band program.  Before that time, there were only boys as band students. 

Neillsville High School Band of 1928

Back row: (l to r) Herb Borde, Art Gress, Herb Keller, Walt Weaver, Fred Anderson,

Irv Gerhart, Owen Higgins, and Dale Schweinler;  Second row: Oran Welch, C. Schweinler,

H. Frantz, Bill Gallagher, Herb Kurth, Ralph O’Neill, C. Gangler, H. Hauser, L. Zaeske, and

W. Hemp; Third row: Mary Neverman, Virginia Kleckner, Chet Wagner, Vernon Scholtz, Ed Krantz,

Bud West, Marie Walk, G. Walk, and Marian Huntley; Front row: Walter (Buster) Brown, L. Schoengarth,

Bob Schiller, Bob Unger, and Welton Brooks.   (Photo Courtesy of Clark County Historical Society.)

Years ago, before radios in the homes, many families had a piano, some accordions/concertinas or other musical instruments.  A family member or more knew how to play the instruments.  So with those who joined along in singing the family was provided with evenings of musical enjoyment.

As a youngster, our home didn’t have a piano.  Whenever our family would visit relatives or friends who did have a piano or accordion, I wished that someone would decide to play it while we were there.  The day that my mother sat down beside my grandparents’ piano and chorded along accompanying my Uncle Bill, with the button box accordion, was a big day in my life.  Until that day, I didn’t know my mom was a musician. 

Remember when everyone knew how to whistle?  How long has it been since you heard someone whistling?  It was always associated with an expression of being happy.  By the time a youngster was seven or eight, he or she had learned to whistle. Some became very good at it, being able to whistle many tunes.

Now in 1992, we have so much access to music appreciation.  There are stereo systems in our homes, cars, tractors, boats, the walkmans and any place we choose to listen to music—it can be made available.

Maybe the stereos-radios have made music too easy for us.  We don’t sing, whistle or sit down by the piano much because it’s easier to turn on the stereo and listen.  However, the stereo, tapes and records are a great gift of musical enjoyment taken for granted.

(We found additional information about last week’s house photo.  The house was divided and moved to two different lots, one part of the house was moved on a lot on West 10^th Street and the other on West 1^st Street.  Art Flynn bought the section moved to First Street, paying $100 for it and made it their home.

The house was originally located on the corner of 4^th and Hewett Streets where the Masonic Temple was built in 1928.  It had been the home of one of Neillsville’s first families, the Rings.

There was L. B. Ring and M. C. Ring who were brothers.  One was in the newspaper business with his building where the Badger Telephone building is now.  They also had a farm near Neillsville where they raised English bred horses.  Thanks to Ruth Ebert, Lorraine Flynn and Bill Roberts for their information.)

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Compiled by Terry Johnson

TWENTY –FIVE YEARS AGO

Neillsville Campfire Girls held day camp at Camp Higichari on Lake Arbutus.  Campfire leaders were Glenna Rhoades, Alice Smith, Marjorie Appleyard, Edith Kunze, Kay Johnson and Jane Bertz.  Joanne Grether was the lifeguard.

“Svetlik Transportation Company, which operates Neillsville’s school district buses, has been awarded a citation for safe operation by the safety division of the Wisconsin motor vehicle department for the fifth consecutive year.”

Ollie Poler of Granton, became “Fisherman of the Week” when he caught a one-pound bluegill at Nelson Lake, near Hayward.  He became eligible to compete for “one of 40 trophies and a season-end grand prize.”

“Not so UFO:  A pair of 10-year-old boys from Iron River, Mich., told police they saw an unidentified flying object parked in a yard.  They said it was six feet high, surrounded by three rings and resting on springs.  An investigation revealed the boys’ neighbor had placed the object in his yard.  It was an artificial fountain he had made for a high school prom the night before.”

The thermometer dipped to 50 degrees on July 13.  “The Watchman” column commented, “Lowell Gesche, the friendly planter’s assistant, was worried when the thermometer nose-dived… that he wouldn’t have enough fuel oil to last through the summer.

FIFTY YEARS AGO

Edith Short reported:  “Three schools will operate in the Town of Washburn this coming year.  The three will be conducted under the consolidated plan, with a single school board.  The present consolidated district takes the place of the six original schools and districts.”

“Quite a large crowd attended services at Cannonville Church Sunday night.  There will be a service and baptism again in two weeks.”

Used as filler in this paper:  “A single domestic hot water boiler would yield enough steel for a 37-mm. gun.”

“Earl Bruhn and Martin Feuerstein were at L Crosse on business on Friday.”

Only two traffic fatalities were recorded in the first six months of 1942 in Clark County.

Advertising urged all workers to use 10% of their pay every payday to buy war bonds.  “One $25 bond will buy a field telephone.  One $100 bond will buy a shot line.  One $500 bond will buy 1 propeller for a training plane.  And every 25¢ stamp you buy pays for 5 bullets to down the enemy!”

The Adler Theatre, which – by the way - was air conditioned, featured the film “Sergeant York,” starring Gary Cooper, Walter Brennan and Leslie York.  The ad said it was “One of the Most Heroic True Stories of All Times.”  Sergeant York was called, “America’s Greatest Modern Hero!”

“Atty. H. G. Haight has purchased the former Gus Hosley house on North Hewett Street, which once was occupied by Harry Hewett, a former sheriff of Clark County.  The Haights’ plan to redecorate and will move about September 1.”

“Mr. and Mrs. Herb Free and family and Mr. and Mrs. Emil Schoenfeld helped Hubert Graves celebrate his 79^th birthday Sunday.”

“Seventeen pounds of kitchen fats saved will provide a pound and a half of glycerin, enough to fire 85 anti-tank shells.”

SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

Some Observations by “The Man on the Corner:”  “A man maybe so deaf that he can’t hear his wife when she asks him for money, but he can always hear the rustle of a strange skirt… Every young girl knows her mirror to be a pool of truth, but every woman of 40 knows that the mirror is an awful liar…  It takes a man a year to discover that his wife’s hair is red, and it takes her about that long to discover that he snores.”

“Band News:  The band has opened a park on the bank of O’Neill creek on the Paulus property.  A series of Sunday afternoon picnics will be given with a free band concert and entertainment, the first to be given Sunday, July 22^nd, from 2 to 6 p.m., consisting of the following sports:  Two big baseball games, East end of Hewett St. vs. West Side; Neillsville Kid Team vs. Ridge Road Team; greased pole contest, tub race, swimming race, potato race and other attractions.  Parties dressed to spend the afternoon and evening will find pleasant places to have picnic suppers.  Come and spend the day with the band boys….”

A man named M. F. Beaulieu had an accident with his Ford car on a Saturday night.  “He was driving the car into the barn and for some reason or other was unable to stop it, with the result that it went right on through the side of the barn and dropped off the embankment at the other side…  The car turned over and caught Beaulieu beneath it.”… “He is getting along nicely under the conditions and Beaulieu claims ‘that it will take more than a Ford to kill a Frenchman.’”

“H. W. Klopf and Fred Neverman went to La Crosse to attend the state reunion of Spanish War Veterans.”

ONE HUNDRED YEARS GO

“School Dist. Clerk C. S. Stockwell is busy taking the school census, upon which is based the state apportionment of school moneys.  The amount of the state aid distributed is about $1.25 per child.  C. S. is doing the work thoroughly, and will let no kid escape.”

“Rossman is selling two beers for 5 – one nickel – ‘alf a dime.  This is better than it looks, for it is Pabst beer.”

“Peter Johnson is moving his furniture store to the west of its old location, he having traded for a strip of land with Denis Tourigny, who thus acquires an alley entrance to the rear of his store along the east line of the Johnson property.”

“H. S. North thinks some of occupying the store building now used by Balch & Targsdorf, at the end of the year.  He owns the property, and it is certainly a fine business corner.  The change is not, however, definitely determined upon.”

“Letter-Heads, Note, Bill, Statement Heads, Cards, Handbills, Programs, Pamphlets, etc., printed at the TIMES office in a most artistic manner, at satisfactory prices.  Hand in your orders.”

The body of Elmer Taylor was found “among the logs in the Dells Dam pond…about 9miles south of this city.”  The boy had been playing by the river with a friend, Llewellyn Sufficool, when he fell into the river on May 29^th.  The body was recovered at 8 a.m. on July 10^th.  “The funeral was held at 4 p.m. the same day at the Congregational Church, Rev. J O. Buswell officiating.  The hall… was packed full of people, and the floral display was something almost unequalled in profusion on any similar occasion in the city’s history.  Elmer’s desk at the school house was taken to the hall and beautifully festooned with flowers; and at the cemetery, when the procession arrived there the grove was lined with white cloth and profusely strewn with flowers.”

“Beautify the City:  To make a lot look beautiful the owner should spend a few dollars in grading.  A man with team, plow and scraper will accomplish wonders in a day or two, and transform a lopsided lot into a beauty.  “Examples of persons who had done this and produced beautiful lawns were: J. D. McMillan, Decate Dickinson, the Dewhurst, Huntzickers, and W. G. Klopf, and M. C. Ring.  The editor also noted, “By careful trimming the small lawns on Grand Av. have been made pretty.  The city authorities deserve thanks for the ornamental work done at Hillside Park, as it serves as a suggestion to owners of private grounds.”