Ice Conditions

February 7, 1983, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

What a difference ten days can make, but then experienced anglers in the area surely are used to this.  And I'm not convinced that that is the Menasha water tower in the background. The name escapes me now, but I believe that tower belongs to a plant on that side.  Moreover, the Menasha tower on Ahnaip Street was rather bulbous on top, unlike this one.

February 18, 1983, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Welcome Back

November 6, 1944, Appleton Post-Crescent

Three weeks ago, we featured a letter to the editor (https://menashabook.blogspot.com/2020/01/unpopular-sentiment.html) from a disgruntled veteran who was unable to obtain work after World War II, blaming his lack of quality employment on women who had entered the work force during the war and who seemingly had "refused" to leave.  This article predates that one by a year and a half and sort of puts a pin into that balloon.  I'm not saying that our dissatisfied veteran was wrong, but if nothing else, it sure makes Kimberly-Clark look good in hindsight.  My research continues.

A Wintry Threat

February 11, 1929, Oshkosh Northwestern

A word of warning to the Menasha faithful, don't be afraid to look upward for icy threats.  Methinks the headline was meant to say "Icicles Form Hazard..." instead of what is represented here.  And I don't believe this is just my nitpicky-ness over grammar coming through here, either.  

Weather or Not....

January 31, 1969, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Looks like Gegan School kids had it pretty good in the late '60's.  Yesterday, we highlighted fourth graders testing cheese samples; today it's sixth graders with local TV weatherman, Fred Wagner.  I wonder what other surprises those students would experience later in the school year....

A Cheesy Prospect

February 27, 1969, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Now here's a project I could have gotten behind in my elementary school days.  I can't think of a neater way to get by in school than by eating cheese and finding a way to incorporate it into some school unit on Wisconsin.  Or maybe chocolate would have been better, if a Wisconsin connection could have been made!  Not sure what the final product was-  a poster, a report, or maybe just simple testimonials on what cheese tasted best.  A winner in  my book regardless of the outcome..

Mr. Smith

October 1, 1998, Appleton Post-Crescent

We at the blog, cannot say enough about Mr. Smith and the legacy he left to the city of Menasha.  A young pioneer from Rhode Island, he set out for the west when Menasha was just a village carved out of the wilderness.  He took advantage of the opportunities set before him, thereby creating a business empire that has lasted generations.  His philanthropy was legendary and greatly contributed to the success of Menasha as a premier city of northeastern Wisconsin.  

Looking Back

January 20, 1999, Twin City News-Record

One in a series of look-backs as presented by the local newspaper, a good way to get your suggested daily requirement of local history..

Steam Heat

January 23, 1975, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

The ducks in Menasha always did seem to have it good, especially in the Gilbert Paper Company's pond.

Smokie Links and Ring Bologna

January 7, 1970, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

This is your reminder to get that Super Bowl menu ready.  Despite the Packers' recent performance that fell short of them being in the game itself, it's just a few short weeks away. (You know you're gonna watch it.)  And though today's modern menu lends itself more to buffalo wings and sliders, this throw back from fifty years ago might inspire some of you oldtimers to go retro and really shake up the ol' game day spread!  I can just imagine the faces made by some of the younger attendees....

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

January 15, 2006, Appleton Post-Crescent

We pause from the usual blog revelries to present some essay excerpts from some of Menasha's (and Neenah's) students in honor of MLK Day.  

Winter's Paintbrush

January 15, 1975, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Mother Nature springs forth with a visual celebration in an otherwise mundane winter landscape.  Beauty is where one finds it, in the nooks and crannies, in the unexpected small places that often get ignored.  Stop and smell the roses, indeed.

Auto Correct

January 13, 1975, Marshfield News-Herald

I'm sure the driver said "oops!" or some reasonable facsimile thereof, one that contained refreshing words unfit for a family blog such as this.  

Fuzzy's Florida

January 20, 1967, Appleton Post-Crescent

Looks like ol' Fuzzy was tapped to be the famous face behind this "investment" opportunity.  For a moment I thought perhaps the realty company was headquartered at the actual Left Guard but that turned out to be a ridiculous assertion on my part.  I expect that on this "Holiday Inspection flight," assertive sales agents more than likely awaited on the Florida end of the trip, perhaps a bit more "dynamic" than the ones at your average "free dinner if you sit through a sales pitch" deal.  After all, you paid your money to hobnob with Fuzzy, and at a discounted price besides.  Ya gets what ya pays for.  

Mobile History

January 15, 1970, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

While not as famous as the Batmobile, the Dukes of Hazard's General Lee car, or the talking car, Knight Rider, the historymobile at least taught the students something.  And it wasn't so much as an RV with history inside, but rather a large trailer hauled behind a truck.  You can see a glimpse of it at this link:   https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Image/IM57126

Cursed Cursive?

January 13, 1964, Oshkosh Northwestern

Just when you thought cursive writing was relegated to the list of those skills you learned but your kids or grandkids won't, it makes a resurgence, especially in the South.  I shudder to think of someone being handed a note written in cursive and being unable to read it, as if it were a foreign language, but I believe there is a generation of people who are at risk of experiencing just that.   I won't belabor the reported benefits of having mastered cursive writing.  It might make for some interesting signatures, though my research indicates that no states require a cursive signature; printed versions are just fine.  As late as last month, folks were debating the benefits of teaching cursive in a Baltimore newspaper.  Funny how something so taken for granted and seemingly necessary has become a polarizing issue.

Away Until Next Year

January 8, 1964, Oshkosh Northwestern

This annual chore affects not only the home crowd but also the civic-minded.  Keeping up appearances is a big deal, especially if you are a city trying to put its best foot forward for its residents and visitors.   But, of course, all that holiday spirit has to be put into storage until the next year.  One can judge the end of the season by such benchmarks- the trees lying in front of houses at the curbs, the extra-full trash containers full of boxes, papers, and ribbons, the city crews taking down what you see above. It all tells the tale, but it also can bring a wistful sadness to the soul.  We, at the blog, hope your holiday spirit endures.

Nun Such

December 23, 1950, Menasha Record

Today brings a Christmas leftover, and one too good not to share, is that time that Santa favored the adults over the children.  Many Menasha folks, both past and present will recognize the nuns and their habits from many a day spent in Catholic classrooms tehmselves.  

Night School

January 6, 1941, Menasha Record

If hanging out at the Brin and catching up with the latest Deanna Durbin vehicle isn't your cup of tea, why not learn something by going to Menasha Night School?  It looks like they offered a fun and challenging variety of topics and even some courses that might help towards advancement in a career.  

Unpopular Sentiment

February 19, 1946, Menasha Record

Consider the time of this article and consider the mood today.  A mood that empowers women to be men's equals, for equal pay, whenever possible.  A lot has changed since the time of this ex-serviceman's plea.  The social mores of his time demanded a male head of household and his inability to adequately provide for his family via this set of circumstances must have engendered a woeful frustration to him and other ex-service members.  My own mother left a World War II-era job at Kimberly Clark after my father returned home to became a homemaker full time and raise her children.  To her dying day, she defended that action because in her heart of hearts, it was the right and proper thing to do as those traditional family roles were burned into her psyche.  I am not saying what she did was right or wrong, but merely a presentation of an issue that is often given short shrift in the discussion of World War II and the home front.  Whatever day-to-day societal pressures were put upon women in these positions might have been difficult to endure, as wearing a scarlet letter is always painful.  No one wants to be labeled a labor scab or some such.  But this writer's perceived emasculation leads me to ponder this- if a non-veteran had held that same job, would he also have been asked to step aside to satisfy this guy's need?  Was it simply his lack of being able to get a good job, or more an issue of who was filling that job?

The Ways of the Ice

December 22, 1950, Appleton Post-Crescent

The mode of dress and the equipment might have changed a bit over the last 70 years, but these Menasha old-timers show us the ways of ice fishing on Lake Winnebago.  Be it 1950 or 2020, some things never change.  But at least for today, your high tech hand warmers will allow you to access your smart phone while you're still waiting in the cold for something to happen.

Please Come Back

January 2, 1946, Menasha Record

The Army was well aware of the mass exodus that would soon follow upon the end of World War II.  The stereotypical GI or sailor was, seemingly, more than happy to resume his civilian life after feeling compelled to enlist in the fight against tyranny or who was unlucky enough to have succumbed to Uncle Sam's involuntary conscription of his life for the duration of the war.  But there were those who liked what they experienced and found this new life a chance to make something of themselves.  For them, we bring you this ad, to compel those walking the fence between hometown or seeing the world to decide that staying in uniform wasn't that bad.  And it was as easy as visiting the Menasha post office on Racine Street to raise your hand and sign those papers.  One wonders if the timing of this, so close to the holidays, had any bearing on the success or failure of this program.  I can see many a former service member, glass in hand, pondering the pluses and minuses of such a commitment.

Firemen at the Ready!

January 3, 1972, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

I must admit I haven't seen bottles of RC Cola like this for many a day.  But I also know that such packaging was the norm back in my high school years, so no surprises there.  Gotta love the party hats and whether or not they were worn to amuse the photographer or were a vital part of the revelry (such as was allowed), it matters not.  A splendid time was had by all and in an era when civil unrest was still a concern, as well as Vietnam and all the rest of the hot button issues of the day, there was still time to set aside all of that and to concentrate on having a good time.

Happy New Year!

December 28, 2015, Appleton Post-Crescent

A Happy New Year's wish from all of us at the blog!  (Well, it IS really only me, but I was taken away momentarily with all the excitement.)  Here's hoping your 2020 will give you exciting challenges to meet, accomplishments to celebrate, and love to keep you going.  It's never too late to take that first step towards fulfilling your dreams.  We'll start again tomorrow in trying to make this blog better.  Enjoy your day!