Downtown Tricks and Treats

October 30, 1965, Appleton Post-Crescent

Menasha's trick or treaters make a fine display of all the culturally relevant figures for the time...spacemen, Disney characters, as well as the tried and true- clowns, hoboes, and the like.  I wouldn't be surprised if there were a few secret agents and Beatles thrown in too.  And that skateboard is a timely gift as well.

Follow the Crowd

October 27, 1888, Saturday Evening Press

An interesting presentation of an idea by the Tuchscherer shoe store.  Is the store clerk saying, "What did you expect?  We're out of stock."  Or is he so pleased with himself for his sales idea?  He has an expression on his face which will become celebrated years later as the "What, me worry?" look as popularized by Mad magazine.  In an age of journalism that utilizes florid, matter of fact prose to sell patent medicine and youth rejuvenators, this arty cartoon is a refreshing change of pace.  

Parade of Students

November 1, 1977, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

In keeping with the obvious Halloween theme this week, we bring you imaginative Nicolet Elementary students parading in their distinctive Halloween fashions.  An around-the-block parade in the midst of a school day is enough to make anyone positively giddy with excitement, if only for the break from school.  

Every Day's a Holiday....

October 23, 1970, Appleton Post-Crescent

The Left Guard tries its hand at continental cuisine in 1970, importing a European-trained chef and offering something other than the usual steak and potato fare.  

Draftees

June 13, 2001, Appleton Post-Crescent

All sorts of 1950's styles are represented at the CN&W station as we say goodbye for now to Neenah and Menasha's finest.  Is that Fonzie or James Dean at the extreme left of the group?  But seriously, it wasn't so long ago that these same men bid adieu to their loved ones- primarily fathers and brothers- for a different conflict, some less than ten years earlier.  Now, their turn has arrived and faithfully they have responded.  May God have blessed these brave young men, who followed the call to service and brought them safely back home.

Fixtures Galore

October 31, 1969, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Drucks was definitely one great resource for that hard to find electrical bulb or light fixture to complete our home experience.  Today, we might be tempted to find it online and have it shipped directly to our home.  But in the days before the internet, shopping in person at such a store was the only way to go.  For a teenager, Drucks was the place for the latest records or perhaps that new transistor radio.  

Christmas Mice

October 30, 1979, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Isn't it a bit late to start a Christmas Club account in October, and late October, to boot?  I thought the idea was to deposit small amounts all year to make the financial burden seem less harsh.  Oh well, it makes for a cute ad anyway.

Spooktacular Values!

October 24, 1979, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Downtown Menasha gets into the Halloween shopping spirit, some forty years ago. I remember the hardware store only too well.  

Idyllic Scene

October 26, 1986, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Amidst the noise and mayhem, among the hustle and bustle of industry and commerce, there is often a chance to pause and eke out a moment of contemplation.  Herein is just such a moment.  Happy Monday.

Menasha Water Power

October 14, 1880, Saturday Evening Press

Let's end the week with some vintage ads from 1880.  I especially like the secton near the top which acts as an endorsement for the city, as if to school the first time reader of the newspaper of what a great place Menasha is.

Fun With Fallen Leaves

October 14, 1981, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Ah, the fun of fallen leaves.  There's nothing like jumping into a big pile of them and coming out with them sticking to your sweatshirt, not to mention the fun of ticking off your older brother who meticulously had raked them into that pile and was already "late" for an important date, at least by his reckoning.  I wasn't talking about myself, was I?  Oh no, I'd have never done that.

(Peaceful) Atoms at Work

October 24, 1959, Appleton Post-Crescent

1959 was prime time for us all to worry about the bomb and the Cold War, so peaceful applications of atomic energy were on display to soothe the agitated soul in all of us.   It was the Space Age, the era of Sputnik and a race to the Moon was just a few years away from beginning.  Big dreams for atomic power in the Eisenhower era of plenty, and those visitors to Valley Fair were lucky enough to experience it first hand.  Plus, free Coke and those nine cent "hots" had to be a draw, as well. 

Football Fury

October 15, 1900, Oshkosh Daily Northwestern

Back in the early days of football, it was a violent game-  so much so that years after this story, President Theodore Roosevelt managed to save the game from extinction by gathering a number of collegiate presidents and coaches together to create some sanity with enforced rules.  See my post from 2012 which explains his efforts to save the game: https://menashabook.blogspot.com/2012/12/1898-menasha-high-football-team.html

Nevertheless, it is a bit satisfying, despite the serious injuries, that a team of Menasha's "Finest" managed to overhaul the nearby Lawrence University football squad so badly, that subsequent games were cancelled for the remainder of the "season." See below.

October 15, 1900, Appleton Post-Crescent

A Lost Era- The 1000 Yarders Club

February 12, 2012, Appleton Post-Crescent

Seeing as we're in the thick of another NFL season, let's hearken back seven years when the Post-Crescent put together a nicely packaged story of the 1000 Yarders Club at The Left Guard in Menasha.  We even get a nice parade picture of Gale Sayers in downtown Menasha.  The club waned with the increased number of games and runners became more proficient; suddenly gaining 1000 yards wasn't considered such a feat any more when you had more time to get them.  By the late 1970's the club disappeared.  But for a great many years, Menasha, of all places, basked in the glory of the NFL and we were all the better for it. 

Dogtown, and Other Observations

August 24, 2004, Appleton Post-Crescent

I've only spoken about Dogtown sporadically in the past seven years, but you can see my posts by searching for Dogtown in the search box.  Here is a nice column by Nancy Barker from 15 years ago that talks of the area and other unique features of Menasha we never gave a second thought to.  You could always learn something from Nancy.  

Thank You, Nancy

Today is a departure from the usual blog folderol to thank someone special- Nancy Barker.  Without her patronage and cooperation, this blog would not exist.  Let me explain.  

I knew Nancy as a boy, originally back in the late 1960's when her husband, Dan was my scoutmaster.  She was simply Mrs. Barker to me then.  I reacquainted myself with her some 40 years later in 2010 when she was president of the Menasha Historical Society.  I was restless and wanted to do something related to history, but I wasn't sure exactly what.  I had dabbled in various writing projects and when I visited the society in August 2010, the answer hit me like a ton of bricks.  During our visit, she had received a phone call from someone cancelling a meeting she was scheduled to have concerning fundraising for the society.  At that moment, it came to me- what if I helped produce a book about Menasha that could be used as a fundraiser for the society?  After some explaining she agreed, provided I could convince the rest of the society of my intentions.  It wasn't as easy as I had pictured- they must have thought...who is this interloper who breezed into town and now wants access to the society's files and photo collections?  Why, it was like Professor Harold Hill in the movie, The Music Man, trying to sell the River City citizens on the idea of a local brass band!  But over time, I was able to gain the society's confidence and the rest, as they say, is history, no pun intended.  In advance of the book's publication, I devised this blog to help promote it and feature photos that didn't make the cut for publication in the book.

The book was published in June, 2012 and has been sold by the society ever since.  Nancy promoted the book on her appearances on WHBY radio and came out to the Menasha library to support me when I did a presentation upon the book's publication.  She even brought cookies.  I will always be grateful to her for having the confidence in me when I needed it most.  She was a tireless promoter of the book, an enthusiastic cheerleader when the going got rough, and a faithful champion of my efforts.  My mere thanks cannot convey the gratitude I feel for all that she did for me.

Nancy was a force to be reckoned with in Menasha.  She was many things- a wife, a mother, a local alderperson, a Winnebago County Supervisor.  Heck, she was even a bridgetender!   She will be laid to rest today in Menasha, her lifelong home and the place for which she was a stalwart champion.  My only regret is that I cannot attend, but I will be there very much in spirit.  Thank you, Nancy, so much.

In 2015, she sat for this photograph to help promote reading at the library.  I was so honored and delighted to see her posing with our book.  

I've Been Workin' on the Railroad

October 15, 1981, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

For all the train tracks and boxcars sitting around town, it's easy to forget how much work and maintenance goes into the upkeep of the rail lines.   Even the mundane things like replacing old ties is a labor intensive job. And in this case, where the tracks are shared by three different lines, the work can multiply quickly.

Safety Pledge

October 7, 1949, Oshkosh Daily Northwestern

This is a very good idea, but since time immemorial, young people, in the heat of whatever, are prone to not remember such a pledge when the time comes. We were all young once and know how things were.  Still, you have to try and if some took this as seriously as they let on when they signed it, so be it.

Circus Day

October 6, 1950, Appleton Post-Crescent

From the looks of the costumes, it looks as if little Dickie at the head of the line is ready to be shot out of a cannon...that is, if his leather football helmet is any indication of his intentions!  Billy looks to be a clown and Bucky might be a lion tamer.  Not so sure about Suzanne and Patsy, though they could take many roles.  That ticket taker sure is enjoying his job, no?   Dress up days were always fun at school.

Stereo

October 18, 1962, Appleton Post-Crescent

I adored the "hi-fi" we had in our home growing up that looked similar to this.  It was a Zenith however, but the FM radio in it was a marvel- so clear,, no static and exotic offerings, at least in those early years of the 1960s.  Later, FM became more mainstream, more like the Top 40 AM stations that abounded, but back then....ah. 

A Grand ol' Flag

October 12, 1967, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Fifty-two years ago, a new school graced the Menasha landscape and what could be a better indicator that they were finally in business that raising the US flag.  It had to be a proud day for the city, the teachers, and the faculty.  

Making Pennants

October 7, 1970, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Can school spirit be far behind when the student get a hold of these?  Go team!  

March for Politeness and Decorum?

October 1, 1970, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Who ever said Menasha wasn't a hotspot for civil disobedience and social discourse on the issues of the day?  These St. John's students prove those naysayers wrong in their march against discourtesy.  Sure, it's not as serious as marching against the war in Vietnam, but I think the real lesson here is that things can change for the better when you put yourself out there.