Complaint

 May 3, 1924, Menasha Record

The sign in question is pictured below:  

As you can see from the photo, the sign was at the start of Washington Street leading into Menasha, just past Nicolet Boulevard, leading the writer above to complain that it then appeared all of Nicolet Boulevard belonged to Neenah.  

We featured this sign in the Menasha book in 2012, saying at the time that little was known about it and why it was removed, etc.  Since then, I have finally located the following article which gives some insight into its removal:

March 4,1936, Menasha Record

The second to the last paragraph outlines how a vote was taken and the measure won by the vote of 5 to 4 to take down the sign after the scheduled August 1936 American Legion convention held that year.  Attributing concerns to its disrepair and the danger of falling ice from the sign, it looks as if any efforts to win back favor for keeping it up were doomed from the start.  Although I am unsure as to when the sign was originally erected, the writer's letter to the editor dated in 1924 cites the disrepair of the sign, which implies it must have been up there for several years to get into that condition. One day, I will find the entire story of that sign, but until then, it works as a strange but enticing footnote to Menasha history.  

Many thanks to long time blog reader Kris Cowling for reminding me about the sign and inspiring me to further research it.

Vet is Public Opinion

May 31, 1949, Appleton Post-Crescent

This article is a follow-up to last week's news that the 1949 Memorial Day observance would not be a combined Twin Cities affair.  Instead, we got a timely address by a Milwaukee VFW official touting the veteran as a harbinger of public policy, just four years after the end of World War II.  He went on to make other salient points, revealing his belief that public service is a fair trade for all the benefits a citizen could receive and that patriotism begins at home via the parents' influence on their children.  It's good, timeless advice for any era.   

Memorial Day 2023

I repost this every year. 

 

The VFW in 2013 said it well.  I cannot improve on this:

Many Americans have forgotten the true meaning of a holiday that we as veterans hold so close to our hearts. For too many, Memorial Day now signifies nothing more than the start of summer and is celebrated with holiday sales. Trips to the lake and shopping extravaganzas have replaced memorial visits, remembrance ceremonies or simply put, a day to reflect upon all of the luxuries—like freedom—that we as Americans enjoy daily.  

As proud veterans, we know the true meaning of Memorial Day. 

On Memorial Day, we honor our fallen comrades of the United States military in the form of remembrance. And with that, comes a deep sense of appreciation for both their selflessness in protecting the land of the free, and for their sacrifice in ensuring it stays that way. 

Each and every American owes a great debt to the courageous men and women who have given their lives to protect our way of life. While giving back to the extent they deserve is impossible, today, we merely attempt our repayment in the form of remembrance. We dedicate this day to them.

As we go about our activities, we should take the opportunity to not only remember the sacrifices of our fallen and mourn their departure, we should celebrate the spirit with which they served and reflect upon their contributions in making America, truly, the land of the free.

The VFW thanks all service members, veterans and their families for their contributions and service to the United States of America.

Can't We All Get Along?

May 21, 1949, Appleton Post-Crescent

This article proves once again that varying degrees of animosity CAN exist between the Twin Cities, no matter the subject.  But really?  For Memorial Day?  In hindsight, having separate observances was likely the best compromise of all.  

Attractive Annual

May 24, 1930, Oshkosh Northwestern

I think I will pursue finding this yearbook, if it is as handsome as described.  I'm sure I will look it up at the library the next time I'm in Menasha.  I am intrigued at viewing the pictures of the mills within...yearbooks often feature then-current photographs to carry out their theme.  However, I've seen some of those mill pictures so many times I likely could draw them in my sleep!  But a 1930 photo of downtown for example...now that would be an exciting find.  

Caught in the Act

May 24, 1900, Neenah Daily Times

Child labor was generally accepted, especially in the lower classes who needed their child's wages to get by.  Farm labor was always there, what with family farming, but the advent of mechanization in conjunction with factory work in the mid to late 19th century made the allure of using children to do the work, especially in textile mills, almost a necessity for the factory owners' fiscal well-being.  Creation of child labor laws became a movement in the late 19th/early 20th century.  But it wasn't until 1938 that Congress finally passed a child labor law (Fair Labor Standards Act, or FLSA) that would later be upheld by the Supreme Court.  Up until then, use of child labor had often been justified as an incentive to keep kids off the streets and it also fulfilled the Puritan work ethic that enveloped America.   But anecdotal evidence of children as young as 4 years old being employed pushed child labor activists to work even harder to get laws passed.  I wonder how young the kids at the Wooden Ware were.

Clean-Up, Paint-Up, Fix-Up

May 22, 1944, Menasha Record

So nice of Twin City Building and Loan (later Twin City Savings) to offer its assistance in making our properties more sightly.  There's nothing like utilizing the whole war theme to declare war on everything in sight, to include homeowner neglect.  Seriously though, what's the harm in adding a little paint and hammering a few nails to fix a loose "something?"  Besides, it merits something productive in the end while also distracting us the smallest bit from worrying about Junior over in the Pacific Theater.