The Bunny Says

April 4, 1949, Menasha Record

Whether it be getting good service for your car or just getting things ready for this Sunday, the blog (and the Easter Bunny) wishes you a Happy Easter.  Enjoy the day and your family traditions.  

Open House

 

April 12, 1945, Appleton Post-Crescent

The Twin Cities' young people gather at the Y to have a nice evening of games.  And a chance to meet others of the opposite gender.  This day was important in history in that President Roosevelt passed away on this day.  The war in Europe raged on but would be over within the next month.  By the end of summer, the war in the Pacific will have ended as well and these kids' loved ones would be returning soon.

Chamber

 April 11, 1960, Twin City News-Record

The Menasha Chamber was formed around 1919 while the Neenah Chamber organized in 1940. In 1946 the Directors of the Neenah Chamber invited Menasha businesses to join with them and reincorporated into the Neenah-Menasha Chamber of Commerce.   In 1976, the business community realized that bringing the two largest area chambers together would provide even more of an impact on economic growth. So the Appleton and Neenah-Menasha organizations consolidated to become the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce and Industry, creating a broader geographical service base and range of business interests.

Like Menasha, the Fox Cities Chamber celebrates its 150th birthday this year, as it charts its founding from a day in August 1874 when the Appleton Chamber of Commerce was first organized.

Junior Birdmen

March 7, 1960, Twin City News-Record

Here are some proud kids showing off their bird house technique, placing in the competition sponsored by the Menasha Rec Department.  

(For the unititiated, the title of our blog post is a jab at The Junior Birdmen of America which was a national organization for young people interested in aviation and model plane building.  It was founded in 1934 and promoted by the Hearst newspaper chain, with the cooperation of the U.S. Bureau of Air Commerce.  Over time, the newpspaer chain divested itself of the club and an organization separate from the papers took up the matle.  By 1939, the whole thing had gone belly up, unfortunately.  But for that five year period of time, it was a hot ticket, to include it's own newspaper columns and a song "Up in the Air, Junior Birdmen", which has been sung with a variety of lyrics over the years to mock would-be or inexperienced aviators.)

Addendum to the comments:

To be done, while singing the song. 

Lovely Gift

April 11, 1960, Twin City News-Record

With Easter right around the corner, fresh flowers for the dinner table are always a great idea.  But aren't these tulips?  No matter, Linsdau's had all the bases covered, whatever your tastes.  

TV Hospital

March 15, 1960, Appleton Post-Crescent

Treating your television as if it were a member of the family, or even your pet dog or cat!  I'm surprised these guys weren't dressed as doctors, complete with that stereotypical strappy round head light that used to signify a doctor in the old days.  Instead, we've got futuristic sci-fi looking technicians with devices, one of which looks suspiciously like a cell phone of today!  Wild.

Nice to be Wanted

March 12, 1968, Twin City News-Record

Statistics like this would be the envy of any newspaper today.  Instead, the internet is available to probably almost 10 out of 10 Neenah-Menasha homes and people get their news from that.  Or their phone.  Or their televisions.  Yes it was a different, slower era where the news wasn't considered stale if it sat long enough to be printed on newsprint. And industrious young people would go from house to house delivering it.  I'm sure you had someone like our photographed model bringing your newspaper to your homes.

Spring Essentials

March 7, 1967, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Easter is right around the corner and coupled with that (ever since Valentine's Day of this year) has been the onset of Lent.  So, kismet or not, these two adjacent advertisements in the Northwestern play right into the trends of the season; cleanse your soul and also save on Easter goodies for the big day.  Just a friendly reminder from your Spring fever-ish blogmaster.  

Famous Mentalist

 March 7, 1930, Menasha Record

 March 14, 1930, Menasha Record

People have always had an interest in mentalists and fortune tellers.  It's just human nature to want to know the unknown.  And for as many believers as there are out there, there are likely just as many discounters.  For example, the famous magician and escape artist Harry Houdini was a big skeptic of the trend.  But in spite of big name doubters, the trick could still bring in the crowds, as evidenced here at the Brin in 1930.  And having one of the star attractions give out answers for free?  Why that was a terrific way to get folks into the actual performance.  

Slenderizing, Vitalizing, Nourishing?

 March 25, 1939, Menasha Record

I've heard some great excuses for drinking beer but this advertising claim is amazing. Perhaps because there's more malt in the beer and it is sweeter and stronger alcohol-wise, maybe the diet claims come into play because you might not imbibe as many?  Or am I stretching the truth here, too?  Whatever the facts about it, I'm convinced it was a hit regardless, especially at the "first class" taverns.  Lord help you if you asked for it in some second class dive.  

8, Count 'Em, 8 Barbers

 March 10, 1965, Appleton Post-Crescent

I used to like going to this barber shop because they had comic books for me to wile away the time with, unlike some of the other shops that didn't exactly have kid-friendly materials lying around.  Plus it was near Woolworths which had a spin rack of Gold Key comics for sale- the company that published the Looney Tunes and Walt Disney comics in the '60's.  (Can you tell I liked comic books?!)  Lots of good reading for 12 whole cents.  

I'm putting the blog on hiatus for the next week.  See you on the 18th!  

Ether Waves

March 26, 1924, Menasha Record 

While the technology is old, the sentiment still rings true today, be it video games, or cell phones, or whatever- Moms trying to reduce distractions in order to have a decent sit-down dinner once in a while.  

Kiddie Shows

March 29, 1965, Twin City News-Record

Now there's a view of days gone by.  Loads of unattended children waiting for the show to start.  If I look closely, I might even be in that crowd!  We didn't know how good we had it, did we?  And look at what we had to look forward to:

March 21, 1965, Appleton Post-Crescent

Just make sure the kiddies are hustled out of there by 4:30.  We wouldn't want them corrupted by the 2 "adult" comedies that followed!  

Happy Birthday, Menasha!

Today is the day, March 5th.  If you can, make your way to City Hall for the birthday celebration.  Details are at this link:  https://www.menasha150.com/menasha-birthday-party.   And yes, there will be cake and other surprises. 

An Act to Incorporate the City of Menasha....

March 11, 1874, Wisconsin State Journal

Published in the state's newspaper of record, March 11, 1874.  I have included Chapters 1 and 14 only, as the document is so lengthy it encompasses two full pages of the newspaper in laying out the city's officers, taxation, etc.   As noted above, this had been in the works since 1866.  

(It takes a true student of the city's history to decipher the exact definitions of Round's, Reed's, and Darling's additions in the making up of the ward boundaries as described in Chapter 1.  Unfortunately, I am not that student, though I look forward to researching this and ascertaining the boundaries if for no other reason than my own self-development.)

Gym Rats

March 17, 1972, Twin City News-Record

There's something about physical activities like this while wearing street clothes that doesn't seem too appealing to me.  But I'm looking at it from an adult perspective and I guess kids don't care, as they get to expend some excess energy and it IS better than sitting at a desk all day. Heck, I'm sure I would have welcomed the activity when I was their age.  I wonder if any of this inspired these students to go further in gymnastics.

(You may have heard a little something about Menasha's year long sesquicentennial birthday celebration.  Well, Menasha City Hall is having a 1-hour presentation on March 5th to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Menasha becoming a city. I heard a rumor that there'll be cake at the end of the presentation.  I'd be there if I could.  Consider this your reminder.)