Dog Days?

 February 2, 1983, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Let's start our Monday with some cute kids.  Dogs in kids' stories have a long history and what better way to get kids to read than to meld the two together and invite one's special friend into the classroom to help out.  And presenting awards in an impromptu pageant later helps the cause.  

A First for Milwaukee

February 23, 1964, Appleton Post-Crescent

Last week I featured an article about how the railroads came to northern Wisconsin.  Today, I feature an extension of this, about how the first locomotive came to Milwaukee, years before Menasha was even a village.  Having to do with The Milwaukee Road and its predecessors, this story is related to Menasha if only because that rail line has a history of travelling through the Fox Valley, to include your home town.  And I think it's okay to occasionally veer outside the city limits when it comes to this blog.

Setting the Pace

 March 14, 1942, Appleton Post-Crescent

When the going gets tough, the tough get going, or so the old saying went.  Members of what has been termed "The Greatest Generation," once again pitch in to do their part for the war effort.  Be it scrap drives, Victory Gardens, or air raid drills, members of the populace at large stepped in to pick up the slack while "our boys" fought overseas.  That even included having some nice little touches like knowing first aid, for one never knows when such a skill might come in handy.  World War II was the last big event the whole country rallied around, to my knowledge.  In today's splintered political climate, one wonders if we could ever again achieve that level of dedication to a cause.  Yes, one wonders....

Nice to Be Wanted

                                                                           February 20, 1970, Twin City News-Record

Today's post is a trade ad for the News-Record.  And if it wasn't funny enough during 1970 to see the parents waiting for the kids to finish the newspaper, imagine how much this cartoon is an anachronism for 2022, a time when most households don't even receive a newspaper anymore.  If printed today, the above view would more likely have all four family members with their faces embedded in their phones.

Washington's Birthday

February 14, 1878, Saturday Evening Press

I must say I'd never heard the legend that President George Washington was a "dance master" as the editor puts it here.  But I'm sure, dancing notwithstanding, that there had to be SOME patriotic occurrence that commemorated the day.  If not, the traditions were certainly resurrected in subsequent years as evidenced by the great record of oratories, pageants, and other events to honor the father of our country.

"Chop"ortunity Days

 

February 20, 1964, Appleton Post-Crescent

Valley Fair gets in some well-worn Washington's Birthday puns and tropes in order to sell some merch.  Cherry pie is the watchword at the Birchwood Restaurant.  And I'm really interested in those "Beatle" belts that Walgreen's is selling.  After all the Beatles came to America just less than two weeks before and anything with a Beatle name on it is fair game.

All Your Shopping Needs

February 23, 1964, Appleton Post-Crescent

This was extracted from a wedding supplement to the Post-Crescent which, over the course of seven pages, followed this engaged couple from business to business within the confines of Valley Fair Shopping Center and featured them shown being served at many of the shopping center's retailers.  I selected this photo as it showed some of the mall through the restaurant's windows.  If I remember correctly, Woolworth's was to the left of Wohlford's and the center court and main entrance was to the right of that store.  And I think you can catch a glimpse of Fanny Farmer's through the last window to the right.  Ah, good memories.

Pencil Portraits

February 1, 1890, Saturday Evening Press

Lots of good little tidbits in here, to include the obituary of Menasha's first mayor, Orville J. Hall, as well as a discourse on the importance of the month of February.  Naturally this includes mention of the two namesakes for Presidents Day,  for which the city had a proud tradition of honoring at events held in local churches or the fellowship halls where patriotic orations and songs would be presented to an appreciative public.  Yes, believe it or not, programs similar to the patriotic pageants we put on in elementary school, entertained the general public at large.  Also, we find here some heartfelt wishes for the good of Menasha, wishes for improved school facilities as well as encouraqing comments about the city's economic progress.

Honoring America

                                   

February 25, 1983, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

With Presidents Day approaching, it's time to get patriotic.  And what could be more patriotic than raising and lowering the flag at school?  What an honor.  

How the Railroads Came to Wisconsin

 

February 23, 1964, Appleton Post-Crescent

This is a good article about the formation of the Wisconsin Central Railroad in Menasha, its glory days and eventual downfall when financial problems raised their ugly head.  It discusses the animosity fueling Neenah to convince the railroads to route the rails around Menasha, leaving a big obstacle (Little Lake Butte des Morts) between the trains and the city's industries.  

A Valentine's Scolding

A Menasha Blog Encore

February 17, 1872, Saturday Evening Press

Oh dear writer, thy sting is hard to contain, for I, as well as many others, have fallen prey to love's slings and arrows and partaken of mere commercial offerings to demonstrate my love to my betrothed.  I beseech thee, to forgive my transgressions and hold me again, closer to thy bosom, amidst an outpouring of your genuine love.

Sorry, I couldn't contain myself.  But he certainly told us off, didn't he?  And this was 1872, not 1972, nor yesterday, as the author of this piece bemoans the commercialism of his day.  What would he (and surely, in that age he was a he) make of today's retailing practices which engage the shopper months in advance of the special day, rolling out the holiday merchandise, one special day after another, as if by rote?!  Christmas is barely put away before the Valentines come out, quickly followed (to a lesser extent) by St. Patrick's Day, and of course Easter, usually simultaneously, with a sprinkling of Mardi Gras beads and King Cakes there for extra spice.  Lord knows, after this, there'll be a long dry spell until the patriotic paraphernalia comes out in enough reds, whites, and blues to make Uncle Sam bust his buttons.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Forgive me, but I couldn't resist rerunning this blog post from a few years back.  Its timeless message has a lot to say.  But in spite of that, Happy Valentine's Day!

View of the Dam

We've seen this view before but not this particular postcard.  Looking east, the Mill Street Bridge looms in the distance near the Menasha dam.  St. Mary's rises from the trees, punctuating the skyline.  To the right is Island Paper, to the left is the Menasha Woodenware, featuring one of its iconic oversized boxcars, a former circus conveyance, picked to accommodate the extra barrels it could hold.  

At Your Service

February 23, 1969, Appleton Post-Crescent

The staff of the First National Bank stand at the ready to fulfill all your banking needs, even while wearing what looks to be a uniform in the top photograph.  I liked banking there.  If I had more involved business, I'd park at the back, enter the back door and take the escalator up to the main lobby.  I think it was the only escalator in the city, now that I think about it. 

True?

St. Mary's Cemetery is said to be the only cemetery in the US with active railroad tracks running through it.  I don't know if that is really true, but it makes a good piece of local folklore, enough to be repeated again and again since I was a boy in the 1960's.  

TV Times

 

August 1968

Who of us remember strolling into a Morton's Drug Store and picking up one of these goodies for the best price of all...free?  A simpler time before cable grids and hundreds of channels, getting something like this was of great value.  Plus it saved Mom or Dad from shelling out the then 15 cents for a real TV Guide.  In spite of the humorous cover, this issue is especially meaningful as it couldn't begin to predict the turmoil that was to come in the streets of Chicago during that 1968 Democratic Convention that year.  All captured on television as the protesters chanted, "The whole world is watching!"  

Ample Praise

Neenah Daily Times, February 1, 1895

Seeing how this was a Neenah newspaper, it is eye opening to see how complimentary the editor is to Menasha in what is obviously a chamber of commerce-like endorsement of the two communities.  Perhaps this was for the benefit of visiting readers of the newspaper.  Menasha gets the lion's share of praise in this instance.  I'm guessing it was a gentleman's agreement between the city's papers since I've seen Neenah take most of the praise between the two cities in other editions of this newspaper.  

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My vision has improved greatly after my eye surgery on January 4th.  I had a partially detached retina, which, if left untreated, would have left me blind in my left eye.  My vision now is at 20/25, so obviously I have mended well.  Thanks so much for all the well wishes and support.  You guys are the best!