Clark County Press, Neillsville, WI, May 25, 2016 Page 9

The farm home of Franklin Zickert near Cawley Creek on Highway 73 was destroyed by fire Saturday morning, the fire originating from an overheated chimney, it was states. The blaze was discovered when the family returned from doing the chores at the barn. The Neillsville Fire Department responded but it was unable to extinguish the fire.

In the District Oratorical contest at Stevens Point last Friday, Milo Mabie of Granton won first place with his presentation of “The Fifth Horseman.”

Five Neillsville Boy Scouts, under Scoutmaster Francis Schweinler, planted 1,000 white and yellow pine trees at the Scout camp near the mouth of the East Fork Sunday. Other members of the troop will make daily trips to water the trees and care for them. Next year they will be taken up and replanted. The work is one of the many worthwhile projects being carried out by the Scouts of this city.

Next Tuesday night, May 12, there will be a dance at Ehler’s barn, music by Big George and His Great Little Whoopee Band.

The county board at its recent session passed a resolution recommending school boards not to hire married women teachers. This rule has been in effect in Neillsville schools for some time, the contract of each lady teacher containing a clause that marriage automatically cancels the contract. The resolution of the county board also implies that the County Superintendent is urged not to recommend married female teachers.

Pete Brown celebrated his 75th birthday Friday. Mr. Brown came to Neillsville 69 years ago. At that time Main Street was a grassy lane, dotted with stumps.

The South Side Service Station will open Saturday, May 16. Eason, Ethyl and Full o’ Pep gas; Quaker State and Highway Motor Oil Free with each 5 gallons of gas purchased, Satruday and Sunday. Agnes I. Cummings, Prop.

Howard Dodge, Ray Munger, R.E. Schmedel, D. E. Peters and Dr. M. C. Rosekrans spent the weekend fishing in the Rush River in Pierce County. They caught a large number of trout, but someone stole the entire catch from their fish sacks as they were eating lunch just before leaving for home Sunday night.

Early Saturday morning the post office at Fairchild was wrecked by an explosion, the debris taking fire and most of the wreckage burning. It is believed that the explosion was the work of yeggs whose design was to rob the safe. The explosion was so terrific and being followed by the fire, it seems as yet it cannot be determined what lot was secured.

Because none of the three men, who were on hand, were acquainted with the operation of the fire apparatus when a fire broke out in a shed at the rear of the new Crandall and Wood restaurant on Fifth Street Tuesday afternoon, the destruction of several buildings, including the city hall, was narrowly averted.

The second story porch, two sheds and a garage belonging to the Crandall building, the city dog pound and several pieces of city machinery were destroyed by the fire, which became a roaring furnace before the water was turned on.

The fire truck was run to Manley’s Hardware store corner and the hose connections made, but no one appeared to start the pump. The men who had been trained for the work are Herbert Radke, Albert Marg and Free Carleton. Carleton was working at the south end of town and ran down as soon as the alarm was given, but by the time he arrived the fire had spread to three sheds and enveloped the rear of the Crandall building.

Mrs. Crandall and Mr. and Mrs. Will Wood had been at work remodeling and decorating the new restaurant for the past ten days, planning to open Friday. Fortunately the interior of the Crandall building had little damage except to the kitchen from smoke and water. Mrs. Gene Crandall of Granton and Mrs. Elmer Kapfer were also at work in the building when the fire started.

The cheese factory owned by Ed Rank, about two and a-half miles northwest of Granton, was destroyed by fire last week Wednesday night. Mr. and Mrs. Rank lived in rooms over the factory and their household goods were also burned. The family was away from home when the fire started.

The greatest gathering of farm folks ever assembled in this section of the state will gather here Monday when between 4,500 to 5,000 member of the Clark County Farmers’ Union and their families stage their annual picnic and dance. The picnic will be held at the Fairgrounds, starting at 9 a.m. and the dance at the armory in Neillsville in the evening.

An elaborate entertainment program has been arranged and there will be something going through every minute of the day.

Recently, O. E. Counsell bought an old barn from Mrs. H. L. Snyder on Fifth Street. In tearing it down, the old shingles were removed; some of them bore the name of D. C. Marikle written on the underside. Dewitt Marikle had a shingle mill near Globe more than 40 years ago. Before that, he lived in Merrillan and was leader of the band in that village.

With the announcement today by W. F. Schiller, his new funeral home on South Court Street and East Fifth Street will be formally opened Friday afternoon and evening and all day Memorial Day, the public is invited to inspect the premises, which are regarded as one of the finest of that kind in this section of the state. Work on the home was started early in February and was completed only a few days ago.

In 1931, W. F. Schiller remodeled the house on the southwest corner of the Court and East Fifth Streets intersection into a funeral home, with grand opening on Memorial Day weekend of that year. Some years later, the business was sold with the name being changed to Georgas Funeral Home. The third ownership was under the name of Gesche Funeral Home, on that site until it was moved to a new building on the corner of West Division and South Grand Avenue in 1998, where it is today (corner of Hwy 73/95 and Hwy 10).

Three hundred school children and civic and military organizations will be in the Memorial Day services and parade Saturday morning; it was announced Wednesday by Art Russell, chairman of the American Legion committee in charge of arrangements. In the line of marching will be Boy Scouts, Service Company, American Legion, Spanish American War veterans, High School Band, Relief Corps, Legion Auxiliary and Gold Star mothers. The two survivors of the Civil War in this community are Nelson Robb and Frank Lavine. They will be accorded a position of honor if they desire to attend the services.

April departed last week in a gust of strong winds, which were almost perfect for flying kites.

That’s exactly what four children were doing on Neillsville’s south side. Duane Sternitzky put together the store-boughten kit, with some advice of Mrs. Heron Van Gorden, who gained experience helping her brother fly kites in Stanley, showing them how. The children, who excitedly watched the kite as it arose in the sky, were Stevie and Bobbie Sternitzky and Howie and Lynn Corey, children of Mr. and Mrs. Gary Corey.

The Hewettville schoolhouse, about a mile east and a mile north of the Silver Dome, will become the “new” town hall.

The town purchased the building from the school district, paying $900 for it. The purchase was made through sealed bids; deed to the property is expected to be delivered to the town this week.

The Soo Line railroad has petitioned for removal of its depot at Withee, long a landmark of the village. The village has been without a depot agent for several years.

The annual F. F. A. Parents’ night will be held in Neillsville School May 11, and will be attended by about 225 parents and students. Alfred Bredlau, president of the Neillsville F. F. A. chapter, will preside. Awards will be made. The F. H. A. will serve the luncheon.

Neillsville High School will be represented in the state music tournament in Madison, Saturday by 11 students. They will be accompanied by Mrs. Louise Nelson and Garth Jensen.

Those going are: Spencer Blum, Cheryl Harvey, Danny Slone, Susan Paulson, Cheri Zajac, Jeanne Svetlik, Rita Spangler, Deon Larsen and Sandra Foemmel.

Fred J. Barr has purchased the John Verhunce farm, formerly the Mike Podobnik place.

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Van Gorden have purchased the Walter J. Rush residence at 100 Grand Avenue.

“The Four Slones,” an ensemble composed of children of the Grant Slone family of Rt. 1 Greenwood, has been selected to present numbers during the annual 4-H club week in Madison in June.

Members consist of Danny, Kathy, Mary and Richard Slone, who are accompanied by their mother, Mrs. Grant Slone. Representing the Happy Valley 4-H Club of the Christie area, they received a blue ribbon rating at the 4-H district music festival in Whitehall April 12.

Also, selected for the state 4-H club week are: Janice Foemmel of Granton, Pleasant Ridge 4-H; Mary Jo Nikolai of Unity, Kountry Kids 4-H; and Albert Schultz of Curtiss, Park’s Happy 13.

Joyce Foemmel of Granton and the Pleasant Ridge Club were selected for the state chorus.

Eleven youth of Zion American Lutheran churches of Pine Valley and Grant will be confirmed Sunday morning by the Rev. Evan Dieck, pastor. AT the 8:45 a.m. service Janice Munkholm will be confirmed.

The following will be confirmed at the 10:30 a.m. service in the Town of Grant church: Greg Mallory, Neil Braatz, Jack Grassman, Gloria Hiles, Lois Mummert, Dale Schultz, Gary and Larry Thiede, Harold Vanderwyst and Michael Winkel.

One hundred ten men attended the 20^th annual bowling banquet at Neillsville Country Club Tuesday evening. Prizes totaling $715 were distributed.

H. H. Quicker was honored as being the only bowler to actively participate in each contest during the 20-year period. In receiving a certificate of recognition award, Mr. Quicker responded with a review of “20 years of bowling in Neillsville.”

Quicker was the first secretary of the Neillsville Bowling Association and served as president from 1950-1954.

John Mattson, who has served one year of a two-year term as president, presided at the banquet.

The Business Men’s League, which has been bowling Wednesday nights, handed out cash prizes totaling $297.50. The Clark County Agency team, composed of Francis Guest, Bob Stoll, Morris Blodgett, Walt Wagner, and Bob Urban, took top team honors and $45.

Second place and $35 went to Thomas Bros. Dairy; third p[lace to Wall’s Service, $30; fourth to Hallie’s Bar, $27.50; fifth to Tibbett’s Ice & Fuel, $26; sixth to Thorp Finance, $24.50; seventh to Mobil, $23; eighth to Becker’s Bar, $21.50; ninth to Vornholt’s Service, $20; and tenth to Tony’s Bar, $18.

An order effecting the largest school consolidation in Clark County this year in the area, and the second largest in equalization, was issued by the county school committee following a hearing in Neillsville High School Tuesday night.

The order combines the levis-Dewhurst district, covering an area of approximately 45 square miles, with the Neillsville School district, effective July 1. Approximately $1,000,000 in equalized property valuation is involved.

The order brings all the southern portion of Clark County into a high school district excepting the Silver Crest district, immediately southwest of Neillsville.

The Levis-Dewhurst district recently started construction of a new four-room schoolhouse on Highway 95, at a cost of from $40,000 to $50,000. This school is expected to be ready for operation by the start of the fall term. Obligations in that connection remaining as of July 1 will be taken over by the Neillsville District.

Four teachers have been signed to teach there: Mrs. James (Irma) West, Mrs. Marie (Thompson) Henning and Mrs. Joyce Richmond, all of Neillsville, and Mrs. Joan Staffon of Alma Center.

Harry Bender, who signed a contract to serve as principal of Colby High School for two years, stayed on that job for 30 years. After retiring from administrative duties, he taught seven more years in the high school. His 44 years of teaching, including 37 at Colby, were recognized at the Clerk County Education Association meeting in Loyal Wednesday evening, where he was honored.

Mr. Bender was born in Viola, October 19, 1889. When 2 ½ years old he lost an arm in a mowing machine accident, but the handicap did not keep him from a live of service, although it did have a part in the type of work he would pursue.

Horse Sale at Mattes Livestock Auction, Inc. Thorp, Wis. Sunday, May 21, 1 p.m. We expect a large run of 200 to 300 Horses, including saddle horses, ponies, colts, and workhorses.

(Oops, May 11th issue “Good Old Days,” May 1956 news should have been May 1951. DZ)

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