Happy New Year!

December 31, 1945, Menasha Record

The end of 1945 brought tremendous relief and hope for a war weary world and the best wishes of Menasha merchants echoed that sentiment. 

While we can agree that there is some degree of similarity, my intent is to not equate the end of this pandemic year with that of the end of World War II.  Yet I believe we can all agree that we collectively have undergone a year of deep crisis that I hope will be replaced with a more hopeful future very soon.  The dawn of 2021 makes me think that things just have to get better.  My wish is that your lives are greatly improved by the coming of the new year.  Thank you for supporting this blog through our bumpy 2020 ride.  Happy New Year!  See you in 2021!

A Study in Black and White

December 29, 1969, Appleton Post-Crescent

Like silhouettes against a vast expanse of white, Jefferson Park gives this day in 1969 to us an interesting study in light and dark, in perspective, and also in minimalism as Mother Nature does her usual thing.  I've often heard that the simplest things can be the most interesting, or most pleasurable.  When it comes to art, less is often best.

Happiest New Year

December 31, 1945, Menasha Record

Interesting, yet puzzling ad for New Years by Menasha Furniture.  The abandoned tank with the rays of a new dawn rising behind it obviously signify the end of the war, yet the text doesn't even mention it.  It's almost as if the words were an afterthought, using text that could have been used in any old year.  Still, I'm sure the sentiment was there as it was full speed ahead after the war. We all know how well that went, with the brighter days and economy to come.  The sky was the limit for most Americans as the country prospered.   

"Tapespondents"

December 29, 1963, Appleton Post-Crescent

While we're all familiar with the concept of pen pals, this took the concept one advanced step further. One wonders what Harry Kurowski would think of today's world where we can habitually (and mindlessly) connect electronically with friends via telephone, computer, or cell phone via emails, texts, social media, Zoom calls, etc.  Looking back at something like this is even more amazing when one considers all the steps involved- compile interesting notes and music, record the tape, mail it off, wait for a response, document the transaction, etc.  Today we get replies in seconds and, sadly, these communiques have as much depth as the seconds used to create them.  With all the record keeping involved, Harry's hobby reminds me a bit of ham radio where devotees would exchange postcards to commemorate their interaction and prove their connection.  While I marvel at his dedication to his avocation, I also mourn the loss of the whimsy of this activity, in a simpler era, where letter writing was a necessary skill and, by today's standard, is a lost art, indeed.  

Yes, Virginia....

December 24, 1935, Menasha Record

The Menasha Record takes a lesson from the famous "Yes, Virginia..." editorial.  Eight year old Virginia O'Hanlon asked the question in the September 21, 1897, edition of The New York Sun and the response has since become part of popular Christmas folklore in the United States. It is the most reprinted newspaper editorial in the English language. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The blog is taking what I hope is a well-deserved hiatus during the holiday season.  I will be back on the 28th of December to help us get ready for New Year's.  My wish for you is the best of Christmases, although I know there are so many limitations during this COVID time.  Be safe, be happy, and look forward, as I am, to a better 2021. Merry Christmas to all and to all, a good night!

Story of Christmas

December 23, 1964, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

A more traditional Christmas play was the subject of Menasha High's theater department this day in 1964.  Today, such a display might not ever happen due to political correctness and the fear of offending the non-believers.  But back in this day, it was still okay and MHS seniors did their utmost to put on a rousing and, I'm sure, a touching show.  

Christmas City of the Valley

December 7, 1964, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

A big draw for downtown for years was the gingerbread house that housed Santa.  Its location might have changed over the years, but it was always available to augment the shopping experience, courtesy of the downtown business association.  In 1964, it was near the public library, which was still located downtown.  In case you've forgotten, the gingerbread house looked like this:  https://menashabook.blogspot.com/2018/12/where-is-santa.html.

Sing Nowell!

 

December 23, 1943, Appleton Post-Crescent

I must admit, I wasn't aware of this show as a Christmas favorite.  But I did a little research and learned that it is based on traditional Anglo-American songs and carols.  Purportedly, the show always features two aspects of the season: the familiar Christmas story as recounted in the New Testament, and the visiting customs involving gift-giving, performing dances and plays, and sharing food and drink with neighbors and family. I'm sure their fathers, serving all over the world during the war, were justifiably proud to receive this photo clipped out of the newspaper and included in a welcome letter from home.

A Variety of Savings

December 14, 1979, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

This hardware store would be resident on Main Street for another six years or so, but for now, with Christmas inching its way towards fulfilling all our wishes in 1979, Menasha Hardware offered an eclectic array of gifts, from the practical to the hardware-specific.  Even Christmas ornaments, lights, and decorations were available to complete that tree, making it a veritable, one stop general store of value. 

Satisfied

 December 18, 1958, Twin City News-Record

The Menasha Rotary Club couldn't have asked for a better result from their pre-Christmas dinner according to this roving reporter.  Children reap the magic of the season and it surely was evident that day, if little Eugene Johnson was to be believed. 

Christmas Spruce Up

December 23, 1954, Appleton Post-Crescent

A remodeled St. Patrick's was finished just in time for Christmas celebrations in 1954.  The elaborate mosaic, using imported Italian stones, took a lot of planning and assembly, even venturing so far as New York in its various stages of completion.  Such a great gift to the parishioners for years to come.  But this day in 1954 had even more great news for area workers as the mills gave their employees a three day weekend and the variety stores of Schultz Brothers gave a bonus to its front line employees.  Many people in the area had a terrific Christmas that year.

Closing Early

December 24, 1941, Appleton Post-Crescent

I'm assuming Ralph meant 10 pm on Christmas Eve, though that isn't specifically stated.  And nice to know we could still rely on him for Christmas Day libations in case we ran out.  Seventeen days earlier, we declared war on Japan after the disastrous Pearl Harbor attack; maybe Ralph knew how much we needed a stiff drink.  The blog first visited Ralph's way back in 2012:  https://menashabook.blogspot.com/2012/11/ralphs-beer-depot.html. 

Time for Change

July 6, 1929, Menasha Record

July 11, 1929, Menasha Record

July 3, 1929, The Daily News-Times (Neenah-Menasha)

Let's take a break today from holiday preparations to go back to a summer that saw the biggest change in US currency since its inception.  Apparently it took a lot of convincing with schematics and reassuring news articles in 1929 to soothe the anxiety our citizens had over the redesign of our paper money.  And while it was a big deal at the time, these changes soon became trivial as the stock market crashed later that year and the country plunged into a depression.  On a more personal note, we've also seen our paper money redesigned in the last twenty years, with the advent of anti-counterfeit measures, such as bigger portraits, special threads, watermarks, and color shifting numerals.

Not Too Late

 November 12, 1958, Twin City News-Record

Great advice for Christmas shoppers, to have had the foresight to put that special bike on layaway (remember that?) so as to have it paid off in time for Christmas giving.  My own Schwinn stingray came from this store, some ten years later, and the memories made with that bike would fill many blog posts.  I'm not sure kids clamor for bicycles like they used to...I'm sure cell phones and video gaming systems come in first nowadays.  But bikes are THE classic Christmas gift and Schwinn, at least during this era, WAS the Cadillac of bikes.

Whew!

December 20, 1948, Menasha Record

Either Santa has asbestos underpants or he really DOES have magical powers!  Assuming he DID come down the chimney, that kid who seems to be warming his hands is darned lucky Santa didn't skip his house altogether!  I'm too young to remember the Menasha Record, but I DO recall Christmas Seals and similar illustrations on the front pages of the Post-Crescent or Northwestern newspapers.

A One-Two Christmas Punch

December 20, 1948, Menasha Record

Even though the movie shown above actually debuted the year before (and in May, if you can believe that!), the Brin had the right idea, recognizing a Christmas favorite if ever there was one and booking it for Menasha to see once again.  What would become a perennial TV favorite this time of year, could, at that time, be seen only on the big screen in glorious black and white.  In the movie, little Natalie Wood wanted a forever home for herself and her Mom, but I'm sure she wouldn't have turned her nose up at the deluxe baby carriage Menasha Furniture was offering.

The Sign of Flavor

December 17, 1948, Menasha Record

Walter Bros. Brewery encourages us to once again "roll out the barrel" during the 1948 holiday season with Gold Label beer. And there's no trouble finding it using the handy list of bars and taverns, to include yesterday's blog subject, the Avalon Cafe Bar. 

Avalon Cafe Bar

We've visited the Avalon a couple of times in the past.  The links below reference those posts, in 2013 and 2016.   To refresh your memory, the Avalon sat next to the rear of the Bank of Menasha on Main Street.  In the early 1960's, the property was sold to one Fred Thurston and his partner who turned the bar into something called The Left Guard.  You might have heard of it.  

https://menashabook.blogspot.com/2016/10/avalon.html

https://menashabook.blogspot.com/2013/04/hustle-and-bustle-of-small-town-america.html

Technical Difficulties

 We'll be back up as soon as I can figure this out.

Downtown Dinner

November 29, 1922, Menasha Record

Above...the menu for Thanksgiving at the Hotel Menasha.  I must admit, despite my advanced age and my growing up in Wisconsin, I was still totally unaware of the famed "Watertown Goose," as presented by the hotel that day in 1922.  The geese were somewhat unique, in that they were filled with German noodles instead of a breaded stuffing. My research found that since the late 19th century, the geese were raised and prepared in Watertown, Wisconsin and found their way to the tables of wealthy people in the east- New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and other eastern cities usually purchased the bulk of them. Orders were placed weeks and even months in advance and some wealthy families had standing orders from year to year to be certain of getting them.  Over the years, the idea fell out of favor, both due to labor intensity plus animal rights concerns and by the 1950's, only one farm in Watertown still produced the birds.  But this link to the Watertown Historical Society tells much more about the geese than I could ever tell:  http://www.watertownhistory.org/articles/stuffedgeese.htm.  It's always fun to learn something new.

I'm taking a little time off over Thanksgiving, so I'll see you next week!  Enjoy whatever time you can carve out with your loved ones, be it in person or via technology.  But please keep yourself and them safe.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Dressed for Dinner

November 26, 1971, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

With Thanksgiving only a few days away, the norm, in former years, might have been for similar scenes at elementary schools nationwide to be played out.  But in these politically correct and pandemic-riddled times, nothing is a guarantee anymore.  So, we here at the blog, will just have to satisfy ourselves with a look back some 49 years at the way it used to be.

Good for Our Souls

November 26, 1937, Oshkosh Northwestern

With Thanksgiving looming on the horizon later this week, this piece from 1937 gives us pause for thought and is as timely today as it was back then.  Pulling the nation out of a great depression was on the minds of everyone then and pulling ourselves out of this pandemic now is our chief concern.  And while the 1937 speaker advocated physically visiting the sick to bolster their moods, such advice is definitely not recommended these days, so electronic means would be a better bet.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

November 20, 1961, Oshkosh Northwestern

With Thanksgiving next week and with the stores all aglow with Christmas lights and trees and other decor for sale, let's step away from election angst and COVID fatigue to focus on what's important.  And although the holiday season might be different this time around, I'm confident we can all overcome those limitations and make this Christmas as meaningful as ever.  

A Horrible Tragedy

March 31, 1999, Appleton Post-Crescent

As disclosed yesterday, avid voter Mr. Brezinski survived a horrible, tragic accident earlier in his life.  Today, we reveal the terrible story of that fateful night in 1911.   His life, and those of so many others, would never be the same.  Thankfully, the version I provided above lacks a lot of the lurid details that newspapers of 1911 didn't mind putting in.  I had difficulty envisioning the site of the accident until I found the diagram below.  The location is a few blocks south of Winneconne Avenue in Neenah.

September 26, 1911, Oshkosh Northwestern

Long Time Voter

November 4, 1980, Twin City News-Record

Mr. Brezinski was a dedicated voter, year after year, never failing.  No excuse was great enough to keep him from the polls.  And yes, he DID vote in the 1984 election.  Within this article you will find another interesting fact, about how he survived that infamous hayride-train collision in 1911.  Most do not not know of this tragedy, but more on that tomorrow.

"Give a Darn"

 November 5, 1980, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

November 5, 1980, Twin City News-Record

The current election is still not officially over, so a few more election-oriented blog posts might be in order.  Today, we see how Menasha's young students went out to urge voting in 1980, even though some were too young to vote themselves.  If nothing else, it's an excuse to see a downtown perspective we cannot see anymore in the top photo.

Let's Go Shopping!

November 15, 1967, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Fifty-three years ago, Menasha banking customers awaited their Christmas Club checks to begin their holiday shopping.  The list of Menasha retailers above brings back pleasant memories, though I find it somewhat humorous that so many "watering holes" were represented.  But, as it was a list of places for cashing the checks, we can give a pass to the funeral homes as well!

Dance

November 17, 1971, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

With Thanksgiving so near, we might see more of students' lessons in the history of the holiday, which sometimes led to learning other aspects of life during that time.  While I understand we live in a more enlightened era, when cultural appropriation is a major issue, scenes such as this are a rarity today.  While we at the blog do recognize this was a different time, we don't disregard the implications of doing this today and make no judgments about the accuracy of any of the above. 

This is How We Do It

November 19, 1974, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

My father also worked on this machine in Banta's bindery department.  Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to tour the plant, as these students did, but he told me about it many times and I understand it was state-of-the-art for its time.  He was proud of what he did.  

Veterans Day

November 12, 1971, Twin City News-Record

November 9, 2007, Appleton Post-Crescent

Not much more to add....I'll let the Post-Crescent's editorial above say it for me.   

Old School Viewing

November 28, 1983, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Was it not so long ago that Menasha residents lived in a more analog era, before cable, before streaming, before Wi-Fi... where something this huge and monumental was necessary to give us more viewing choices?   I know it is hard to believe for the younger blog readers, that there ever was a time such as this, but I am here to testify that it is oh, so true.  Imagine having to get out of our chairs to even change a channel, or to adjust the volume.  Oh, the horrors.  

Rats!

November 5, 1947, Menasha Record

I suppose this is (was) a necessary evil, but I was still startled to see this notice staring me in the face during a cursory look at this edition of the Record. I assumed there had been a significant problem within the city's boundaries to warrant this idea and further research revealed the following from two days' before:

November 3, 1947, Menasha Record

Still, no updates in the public record beyond these two notices, except for a September 1948 notice that Neenah, too, was beginning a war on rats.  I'm assuming the city's efforts were successful.

Holiday Values

 

November 3, 1963, Appleton Post-Crescent

We're entering the holiday shopping season and though times have changed and much of our buying is online, we still like to feature the fabled Valley Fair from time to time.  Please examine some of the anachronistic merchandise above, because, after all this IS 1963. Typewriters were THE lifeline of any office, so it made sense to give your kid a "junior" typewriter, readying him or her for that business future.  Plus, no home was complete without smoking accessories, to include a nifty elevated ashtray which would have been right at home in the finest hotel lobbies and train station waiting rooms.  And that hair dryer...my sister had one like that.  (Do they still make those?)   Putting all those "dated" devices aside, I cannot let it be ignored that I owned that Big Bruiser wrecker from Grant's.  I was a typical boy, engrossed in cars and trucks and all that sort of thing.  That is, until 1964 came, bringing G.I. Joe and 1965 which introduced me to comic books, so cars and trucks intrigued me less and less as time went by.  But this wrecker truck, coupled with my Texaco Fire Chief pumper truck (which shot real water through the hose, by the way) were so emblematic of my childhood. 

The Walls Come Tumblin' Down

November 15, 1973, Twin City News-Record

As we've seen repeatedly in the blog, nothing stays the same, change is always imminent and despite our best intentions, history goes by the wayside, known collectively as "progress."  Sometimes it just cannot be helped.  I do not know the circumstances of this dwelling but obviously the parish had better thoughts in mind.  And so it was in 1973 when the old parsonage came tumbling down on Nicolet Boulevard, while being watched by a bevy of school kids.  

Discussing Operations

November 16, 1961, Oshkosh Northwestern

The US Postal Service has gotten a lot of press this election season with so much mail-in and absentee ballot traffic making its way through postal channels.  Since its inception in the 18th century, the postal service has enjoyed a well-earned reputation of reliability, trust, and efficiency through the years.  And no less important to the USPS are all those letters from America's kids to that jolly old elf this time of year.  Postal staff ensure they all get to the right place in a timely manner.  

Voting Day

Apologies for yesterday's technical glitch but.,.here it is...Election Day!  Today's election has gotten more attention than some in recent years, but let's hearken back 102 years when the big question was, to local voters, ...wet or dry?  In a few years, the question would be moot, when an entire country would have mandated Prohibition until the early '30's.  But let's see what the Twin City voters chose....

April 3, 1918, Neenah Daily Times 

April 3, 1918, Menasha Record

Menasha's response to the question was more emphatically wet than Neenah's, though "wet" carried the day in that city.  Guess Neenah's year of being dry was too much to take. Make of that what you will, but the Neenah newspaper's prediction was inordinately off by a country mile.

Technical Difficulties

 Today's blog post will be delayed until I can remedy some tech issues.

Halloween Fun

 October 30, 1980, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Let's end this Halloween-themed week while featuring the smallest of revelers, the ones to whom Halloween likely means the most.  And while this pandemic is stalling usual efforts to have a great time, let's hope the ingenuity of some of the parents out there can at least salvage some of the Halloween experience while not putting anyone in unnecessary peril.  Happy Halloween, everybody!

Pranks Afoot

October 29, 1890, Oshkosh Northwestern

Halloween was even a thing back in the 1890's, though this article raised several questions in  my mind.  First of all, what was the local grocer going to do with the beans?  Shoot them at offending trick or treaters?  And what is a Hibernian?  Turns out the Ancient Order of Hibernians was (and still, is) an Irish Catholic fraternal organization. Members must be male, Catholic, and either born in Ireland or of Irish descent.  And was the devil himself going to make an appearance at their event?  And what about these "tick-tacks" that are to be employed?  No, it's not the familiar breath mint we now find at checkout counters, but as best as I could find, it was a noisemaker employed to rattle windows and create a scare for the average homeowner.  The article below from a Le Roy, Kansas newspaper (some forty years later, mind you) explains the idea in much detail and it looks rather complicated.  Needless to say, Halloween promised to be quite the event in 1890.  Sadly though, a snow storm hit the area and curtailed activities sooner than desired.

November 5, 1920, LeRoy Reporter

November 1, 1890, Oshkosh Northwestern

Costume Parade

 

November 4, 2004, Twin City News-Record

Not so historical, but yet relevant to our Halloween-themed week is this relatively recent (by blog standards) costume parade outside Jefferson Elementary.  Participants cross the intersection of Second and Ice Streets, showcasing their carefully designed outfits for this, one of the most important holidays to kids nationwide.

Trick or Treating for a Cause

 November 13, 1965, Appleton Post-Crescent

Menasha kids prove it isn't just about them as they collect funds during normal trick or treating for a good cause.  I remember these containers very well and the whole effort beginning when I was in my prime Halloween years in the 1960's.  Undoubtedly, I'm sure many of my contemporaries recall it, too.