Pride in Speed

July 24, 1963, Oshkosh Daily Northwestern

Sometimes the mission of the local newspaper isn't just the reporting of current news, but also educating its readers with anecdotal accounts of historical items that they might not have known.  Such is this case with this accounting of the streetcar "speed", designed to delight the early 1960's sensibility of what speed truly is.  For that era, when solid steel-finned automobile gas guzzlers ruled the roads, it must have seemed laughable to imagine a vehicle traveling so slowly on city streets.  Such stories provide an interesting contrast with current life.

Birthday

June 11, 1977, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Some of the dates in this article make no sense, but until I realized that, I thought it was a nice timeline depicting the history of the organization.  If it was founded in 1852, wouldn't its 127th birthday be in 1979?  This article is dated 1977 so that makes it seem like the company was founded in 1850 but then the timeline in the article says its 127th birthday was in 1974, so that equates to an 1847 start.  Maybe the writer was calculating from the origins of the pail factory that was in business before Mr. Smith purchased it in 1852.  Still confusing.  Other than that, the other dates make sense from what I understand from history.  Maybe the writer was having a bad math day. 

Rite of Summer

June 13, 1960, Appleton Post-Crescent

I suppose we could wax poetic about the annual rites of summer, little league and the like.  Write like George Will or Roger Angell or some other famous baseball writer, of how it's a timeless game, with no clock, and how the game is a metaphor for life somehow.  But just to know that it was good clean fun for all those years for thousands of Menasha kids over the decades is enough testimony to its value.

Waterfront Project

June 19, 2003, Twin City News-Record

It seems longer than fifteen years ago that this project took root and once again transformed the downtown area.  The sands of time disguise our day-to-day routine and before you know it, we're standing on the sidelines wondering where it went.  

Pack the Kiddies in the Car....

March 28, 1961, Appleton Post-Crescent

Could this be the inspiration for the famous (infamous?) Fox Point jingle?   Or just an illustration of it?  We first ventured there in 2013:  https://menashabook.blogspot.com/2013/01/fox-point-shopping-center.html#comment-form

Fill 'er Up

June 14, 1978, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Though the Menasha lock is closed (yet again) for the 2018 season, here's a happier picture from forty years before when things were a bit more normal.  With hopes that the round goby will be eradicated someday, scenes like this will become commonplace once again.

Smith and Banta

June 22, 1969, Appleton Post-Crescent

We've read their stories before, but to me, there cannot ever be too much emphasis on these two individuals who helped make Menasha great.  As the article states, chance, or fate may have helped to bring their successes to the fore, but their acumen helped them maintain their high position in Menasha's business world.

Raindrops

June 16, 1978, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

The late 70's was still a time before political correctness became the watchword and free range children still roamed the streets, devoid of constant parental overwatch.  This young lady was able to explore her neighborhood and her entire town, for that matter, like most youngsters of that era.  I know it's hard to imagine a time without all the fears we've instilled into today's over-scheduled, screen-tethered kids who live with them daily.  And look...no helmet, using only one hand to steer, and with a dangerous, potential projectile in her hands as well.  Why, she might as well be running with scissors!

Becker Retirement

June 30, 1969, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Monsignor Joseph Becker was an institution at St. Mary's as evidenced by the caption above.  Heck, it could be argued that he WAS the institution.  I was fortunate enough to have had the benefit of Monsignor Becker's religious instruction while a student in the grade school and I know my own siblings and mother were touched by his presence as well in the previous years.

Back in Time

June 26, 2003, Twin City News-Record

Today we venture back in the newspaper archives to find some interesting anecdotes about the area.  Included is a nice photo of Mr. Smith's (Menasha Wooden Ware) mansion, this time on the Neenah side of the island.  As the caption says, many local notables may have made their marks in Menasha but chose to live in Neenah for various and sundry reasons, to include tax-related considerations.

Mark of Summer

June 24, 1964, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Living three blocks west of Jefferson Park while growing up, it was a definite rite of the season every year to hear the engines racing from that direction on a certain weekend every summer.  While I didn't care that much for the action on the water, I was more than happy to partake of the events and concessions within the park and the usual fireworks that concluded the event.

Badger Highways Overlook

June 14, 1968, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

This full page ad from the 100th anniversary edition of the Northwestern gives a nice bird's eye view of the quarry and surrounding area.  I believe I can see my grandparents' house off Airport Road to the north of the quarry.  Lord knows how many times I'd find myself and my brother wandering away from Sunday visits there to go explore in areas we weren't really welcome. 

We first visited the quarry in 2012:  https://menashabook.blogspot.com/2012/12/badger-highways.html#comment-form

Steamboat Idea

June 14, 1968, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Printed on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the founding of The Northwestern comes this article about a dream some had about a waterway linking Green Bay to the Mississippi.  At the end, all this shows is that there is always a precedent for throwing good money after bad, especially when ill-informed people jump on the bandwagon.

Checking It Out

June 5, 1958, Appleton Post-Crescent

Aside from the fact that I was a bit short of two years old when this photo was taken, that could be me with my friends, checking out any new construction in the area.  One thing I'll say, the view hasn't changed much in sixty years.

Equal Time

June 14, 1928, Oshkosh Daily Northwestern

Since I featured what I thought was St. Mary High's first graduation last week (with my miscounting), it was only fair to include Menasha High's from that same year.  I was encouraged by the graduation speaker's advice- get sleep and do some wholesome thinking.  I guess that's good advice for any era.  (And I won't make any comments on which numbered graduation this one was!) 

First Graduation (Updated)

June 13, 1928, Appleton Post-Crescent

For those of us who think St. Mary's has been around forever, guess again.  This year's graduating class is only the 90th, to date.  The first was in 1928 as evidenced above.  And, it's only fitting that I should post this on the 43rd anniversary of my own graduation from that esteemed institution.

 

UPDATE (June 9, 2018)

 

I offer my thanks to two vigilant and faithful readers of this blog- Robert Quella and Larry Ciske- for pointing out my error that this was NOT the first St. Mary's High graduation.  That would occur the following year, in 1929 with 14 graduates.  Please see the article below. 

June 11, 1929, Oshkosh Daily Northwestern

Apparently, the original article from 1928 details an eighth grade graduation.  But this is still the 90th graduation since 1929 (I miscounted).  I regret the confusion and misinformation that resulted from this error, but again, my thanks to Robert and Larry for setting me straight on this matter. 

Be Sure You Start Right

February 20, 1886, Eau Claire News

If you've been a reader of this blog for some time, you know I'm a fan of the old railroad time tables and have been enamored of the language contained therein for just as long.  Maybe they are products of their time, but nothing says "grandiloquent" as the flowery language describing the trains' efficiency, luxury, and speed. 

Modern Methods

April 23, 1968, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

It's been a while since we featured a local grocer, so there's a nice pic of the dairy case at Herb's Food Town.  At this juncture, Herb's would have another ten years of life left.  See last year's entry: https://menashabook.blogspot.com/2017/10/herbs-food-town-closes.html

Old Paper

June 13, 1928, Appleton Post-Crescent

Nothing like an account of finding an old newspaper from eighty years before.  It brought as much interest and fascination as if it had been found today.  Two interesting things to me:  the terming of the newspaper as "ancient" and the editorial about the Mexican War at the end of the article.  Such stilted language shall never be heard again.

Skyline Changes

June 23, 1967, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

I sure didn't have $200 to get the free electric hot tray but if there were free pens or matches laying about, you could be sure I filled my 10 year old pockets...assuming I wasn't thrown out of there!

Fast Trains Between Chicago and Milwaukee

June 26, 1893, Oshkosh Daily Northwestern

It's hard to remember a time when there was so much transportation activity through the Twin Cities but these schedules tell the tale.  The railroads advertised their speed and luxury, something akin to what the airlines did in later years as the railroads' influence died out locally.