Tap-Tap Ease

September 23, 1968, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Remember when this was a big deal?  Who'd have ever thought that this would replace the dial?   Technology is always evolving and the outgrowth of this was the creation of phone "trees" which made the most of this new advance.   A phone tree is an automated telephone information system that speaks to the caller with a combination of fixed-voice menus in real time. The caller then responds by pressing the phone keys which register information or route their call based on the programmed responses.  You know the routine...dial 1 for sales, dial 2 for billing, dial 3 to speak to an agent, etc.  Later, it evolved even further into the caller just speaking words or short phrases, so pushing the keys wasn't even necessary anymore.  After eliminating human interaction as much as possible for these businesses' answering systems, there was no turning back, despite the persistent recordings that tell you that "your call is valuable to us" and "we value your patronage."   

They Walk Alike, They Talk Alike....

 September 26, 1968, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Shades of The Patty Duke Show!  I guess you'd have to be as old as the ol' Blogmaster to know that reference (kids, ask your parents/grandparents....)  Seriously though, nametags seem like the logical solution for this dilemma.  Of course, if the twins are put in separate classes, perhaps it's not such a big deal.  That is, after their true identities are disclosed.    

The Big 1280

 September 23, 1952, Appleton Post-Crescent

Sometimes there was no recourse except to turn on the nearest radio.  If it wasn't on TV, it might have been on costly pay-per-view telecasts in local theaters, though it might not have been available in the Fox Valley.  A fight of this caliber on radio was a steal.  And fans of the time were still used to radio, as television was still finding its sea legs in the early '50's, so nobody thought twice about listening.  Sometime down the road, they might eventually see highlights on a newsreel at the local movie house.  By the way, Marciano knocked out Jersey Joe in the 13th round to take the belt.

Again, With the "Aggregation"

September 28, 1922, Menasha Record

Similar to our football roundup last week from 1899, again we have an "aggregation," this time the Manawa team which is purported to be speedy and husky.  As we've reported before, football at the turn of the century was a dangerous affair, so much so that the country considered banning it permanently until President Theodore Roosevelt stepped in.  When I first saw this article, I thought it might be that it was still looked upon as too dangerous to continue, until this year of 1922.  Instead I found the article below from 1916 which reported that the team had disbanded, mostly due to size problems.  Apparently, the Menasha boys weren't "husky" enough to keep from physical injury.  And, again, it was the Manawa team, which averaged a 30 pound weight advantage.  I guess the Manawa boys were...how should we say...well-fed. 

October 9, 1916, Menasha Record

A for (War) Effort

September 5, 1942, Menasha Record

Much has been said (and written) about the war effort at home and for the most part, we tend to think of Victory gardens, rationing, and Rosie the Riveter, i.e., women joining the workforce en masse in industrial occupations.  But schools made a contribution too, taking part in the obvious rubber and scrap metal drives but also, as shown here, altering the curriculum to reflect an emphasis on getting students ready for military service.  Science and math were especially emphasized, with the faculty knowing only too well that some of their students could be in uniform at any time, especially the older ones.  Some left school early to serve, some waited until graduation.  Needless to say, America came together in ways not seen since that time.

A Winning Aggregation

 

September 25, 1899, Oshkosh Northwestern

In today's blog entry, we end the week with an account of an Oshkosh-Menasha football game...from 1899.  Menasha was victorious that day, 10 -0.  And though that was a satisfying result, the real fun is in just reading this account, full of the syntax of that era.  Believe me, no account of a football game today can compare to this version ("The visitors now resisted determinedly...", "...their rushes were irresistible?")  Amazing.  

Best Yet

September 9, 1969, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

"Today's youth are the best yet."  A comment like that above coming in 1969 might have turned a few heads, considering this was the tumultuous 1960's and "generation gap" was a catch phrase the media couldn't get enough of.  That the words came from a popular Catholic priest, a high school administrator who surrounded himself with 14-18 years olds every day, might have swayed some folks. 

Press

September 6, 1969, Twin City News-Record

I remember seeing this press in front of the Banta plant.  In retrospect, it was kind of a neat thing to see a piece of machinery that had been instrumental in the company's growth be honored like that.  I wonder what happened to it over the years and especially after the company ceased operations in Menasha.  By the way, the phrase is "web-offset" press not "wed-offset" as the caption states.

A Rocky Start

 

September 1, 1979, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Who of us didn't collect things in jars, be it spare change, marbles, or in this case, rocks.  These two young ladies likely didn't find a lifelong hobby in rock collecting, but for their age group, it seemed like a pretty effective activity for the time being.  And never doubt the benefits of pretend anything.  In their universe, they might have been canning vegetables for all we know.

You Never Know What You'll Find....

September 29, 1980, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Fresh produce ruled the day at the "pig fair" on this beautiful autumn day.  A long time tradition at Valley Fair, the event eventually moved to the grounds of Goodwill after a number of years, but the fair faithful followed the fair despite its slight relocation.  Parking might not have been so plentiful, but that did not deter potential customers.

Restyled Elegance

 

September 20, 1969, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Germania's redid their interior with the best 1969 furnishings to provide what was more than likely a then state-of-the-art destination for drink and dining.  I can almost see the suits and cocktail dresses on the patrons seated around the bar.  

May I Take a Message?

September 12, 1969, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Remember when etiquette was a big thing?  When it mattered enough for you to be sent to classes to learn how to be courteous on the phone or how to set a table properly or even, (shudder) how to dance?  Those capabilities have eroded over time obviously.  I recently watched a mini-series on TV about the Gilded Age in New York at the turn of the century and people were aghast at their neighbors coming unannounced to visit at other people's houses.  And Lord help you if you didn't leave your calling card.  Things have lighted up, for sure, and that may not always be a good thing.  But the sight of this photo with students learning how to talk on the telephone (on rotary dial telephones of course!) was too precious to ignore.

Bad Days

 

September 8, 1934, Appleton Post-Crescent

Accidents and carelessness befuddled Menasha this September day in 1934.  Both incidents involved motor vehicles, which, in those days, were quite imposing machines, but these men were lucky the outcomes were not much worse.  

Operatic

 September 23, 1978, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

I know little about opera but I do know this lady was well-respected in opera circles throughout her illustrious career.  And Menasha could claim her as its own.  

A Little Hot Under the Collar

 

September 12, 1978, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

While the temperature sign was malfunctioning, viewers had to know it was a mistake, despite the then-recent unseasonable temperatures in the area.  After all, we hadn't yet reached the degree of seriousness that marks today's forays into global warming.  Undoubtedly Menasha residents could see the humor in the situation.  Banta Credit Union was located at 849 Warsaw Street.

Master Strokes

September 20, 1937, Appleton Post-Crescent

Many Menasha residents have been shown to have strange and interesting hobbies throughout the years of this blog, be it birdwatching, gardening, or model trains.  This particular young lady had a unique skill, one especially suited for an accomplished artist...that of being able to produce finely printed lettering, something suited, perhaps, more for a medieval monk than a 20th century high schooler.  But needless to say, she put her skills to work at her school and in other diverse ways, making greeting cards and sketches to delight the viewer.

Sheesley Shows

 

September 26, 1922, Menasha Record

September 23, 1922, The Daily News and Times (Neenah)

September 23, 1922, Menasha Record

September 27, 1922, The Daily News and Times (Neenah)

The community must have been abuzz with anticipation for this collection of entertainers camping out north of the city for better than a week.  And courtesy of the impresario himself, local newsboys were given the VIP treatment.  Between the sideshows and the big events under the canvas big top, there was guaranteed entertainment for all ages. 

Con Men

September 26, 1922, Menasha Record

A couple of confidence men saw the errors of their ways, courtesy of the Menasha Police Department.  Either they weren't very good at their attempts at extortion, or the police chief was very skilled at seeing right through their routine.   Smith and Jones?  They could have come up with better names.  

Theater Fire

September 9, 1959, Twin City News-Record

The 1959 outdoor movie season came to a crashing end on this September day.  The scheduled movies were Tarzan's Fight for Life and Anatomy of a Murder.  The latter was a pretty good movie, but the jury is still out as to whether the conflagration was better than the Tarzan flick.

Labor Day

September 6, 1983, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern 

Labor Day fun usually involves cookouts...so hey, why not change it up a bit and make it a corn roast?  It looks like it was well-attended and I'm sure, folks were more than satisfied.  

And I hope you are satisfied with a great Labor Day holiday!  I'll be back on 6 September.  See you then!  Be safe!

A Bridge Too Far?

August 12, 1962, Appleton Post-Crescent

This is a a good article, some 13 years before the bridge over LLBDM became a reality.  It gives some historical insights into the need for a bridge to the west and how Menasha thrived for a period, to the point of being an even more prosperous community than Appleton or Neenah.  Many factors may have contributed to the commercial rise of the other communities over time but Menasha wasn't receiving any favors by being hemmed in between the two cities with little or no room for expansion.