TEN YEARS AGO

Thursday, Dec. 9, 1976

            The Whitehall school board voted Wednesday afternoon to implement a bookkeeping plan that will allow it to find out where the district stands financially, follow monthly changes in financial status and revise and simplify the present system. The special informational meeting was called to discuss why the board was not informed that it owed $53,700 in accounts payable. The meeting also raised questions about the district’s auditing firm and its services.

            About four inches of snow which fell overnight Sunday erased all doubt as to whether winter was really here. Temperatures dipped below the zero mark early in the week.

            The Whitehall Community Chest drive is about $100 short of its goal of $3,500, slightly ahead of last year’s fundraising effort at this point.

            It now appears that former area resident Robert Lewis, who was recommended for the job by members of the Wisconsin congressional delegation, will not be named secretary of agriculture in the new Carter Administration. Lewis, a 1936 Whitehall High graduate, is not mentioned in recent speculation about who will be appointed to head the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

            Reserve guard Scott Moen scored all six points, all from the free throw line, in overtime as the Norse boys defeated Independence 66-60 Friday night. Combined with Whitehall’s win over Alma Tuesday, and Osseo-Fairchild’s loss to Alma Center on Jim Lechy’s 45-foot shot at the buzzer, the victory put the Norse in first place in the conference.

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO

Thursday, Dec. 9, 1971

            The city council last week Tuesday night approved a $427,145 budget for 1972. The increase in spending for next year, about $140,000, is mostly for parks, recreation, the swimming pool and municipal improvement.

            The Rev. Richard Kelling, the new assistant pastor at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, will arrive in Whitehall Jan. 1. Pastor Kelling has previously served as a chaplain with the federal Bureau of Prisons.

            Odell Borreson, a Whitehall area dairy farmer who manages trees as a hobby, has been named Wisconsin Tree Farmer of the Year by the Wisconsin Tree Farm Committee. Borreson was honored at the annual meeting of the Wisconsin Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts held at Wausau Dec. 8.

            The Norsemen upped their record to 1-2 in conference play Friday by defeating Alma Center Lincoln 64-56. Fred Thompson had 20 points for Whitehall, Doug Knutson and Dave Schroeder had 14 apiece and Andy Johnson added 13.

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

Thursday, Dec. 14, 1961

            Clarence Johnson, Trempealeau County Clerk of Courts for 18 of the past 22 years, will resign effective Jan. 1 to become county court reporter for Judge A.L. Twesme. Basil Erickson of Whitehall was appointed last week to succeed Johnson.

            Although the calendar doesn’t say so, winter has arrived in the area. The first big snowstorm of the season hit Friday night, and another six inches of snow fell Monday. By Wednesday morning, thermometers read 26 degrees below zero.

            The Whitehall fire department was called to the Rev. Warren Henderson home in this city Sunday evening to extinguish a fire in a davenport.

            People coming into Whitehall will notice new road signs which state, “Green River Ordinance Enforced.” The ordinance, in effect for some time, prohibits unlicensed peddlers from selling their wares door-to-door.

            Bernice Van Tassel and her mother, Mrs. Amanda Van Tassel, both of Madison, suffered minor injuries in a car accident near Black River Falls Saturday. The women were enroute to Whitehall to pick up a car which Miss Van Tassel had purchased from her uncle, Ray Hagen, and to visit relatives in the area.

            The Norsemen scored only nine points in the first half en route to a 51-37 loss to Independence Friday. Jerome Halverson of Independence led all scorers with 29 points. On Tuesday, Whitehall bounced back to beat Blair 61-37 behind Francis Kokott’s 17 points and 12 from Harlan Thorson.

FIFTY YEARS AGO

Thursday, Dec. 10, 1936

            The slaughterhouse owned by Norman Foss and located on the Ole Foss farm east of town was destroyed by fire Monday afternoon. The building, equipment and three dressed hogs were consumed, and the loss is estimated at $250. Earlier that day, a fire extinguished by the Whitehall fire company did $625 in damage to the Wevell garage on Scranton Street, owned by H.D. Briggs.

            At age 87, Amos Jacobson of Coral City is probably the oldest active miller in the state of Wisconsin. He seldom misses a day of work at his mill, which he operates with his son John, and walks to work every day, a distance of some three miles.

            The fall of snow which covered the area the first part of the week caused rejoicing among members of the Whitehall Ski Club, who are preparing in earnest for the annual ski jumping tournament, to be held Jan. 3. A caterpillar tractor was in use several days last week preparing the hill, and within a few days the slide and landing hill will be in tip-top condition.

            The city basketball team lost its opening game of the season at Arcadia Sunday, 34 to 29. Whitehall had but six men — Gardner and Pavek at forwards, Swenson at center and Dick Bitter and Ernest Steen at guards, and substitute Hiram Hegge — but its lineup will be strengthened by the return of Vernon Schaefer, Basil Erickson and Donald and Wayne Wright.

SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

Thursday, Dec. 14, 1911

            The village election Friday, at which was voted upon the question of borrowing $12,000 from the state to build a village hall, was carried in favor of the proposition by a vote of 94 to 62.

            Anton Nokelby of Pigeon went to Winona last week to try railroading.

            Weather the past week was favorable for tobacco growers, and many began stripping the weed.

            Paul Zilla of Burnside had his hand badly mutilated in a wood sawing machine last week.

            Found — A sum of money on the street. Describe the pieces, pay for this notice, and take the filthy lucre.

            Bibles and Christian books in different languages for Christmas presents for sale by Rev. N.L. Sweet, Whitehall.

            Ray Van Horn met with a serious accident at Independence last Saturday afternoon while attempting to board a freight train. He made a misstep and a wheel crushed the left foot at the instep. His leg was amputated between the ankle and knee at the Winona hospital, and at the latest reports the young man is doing as well as can be expected. Ray’s many friends regret his misfortune.

            Our village stores are well stocked with holiday goods of every description, and the people will find that they can supply their Christmas wants at a moderate outlay right at home.

            The heavy rain Sunday caused considerable damage at Black River Falls. There was a nine-foot raise in the river, and a pontoon bridge just completed was broken and a portion of the cofferdam under construction was washed away.

            Blair — John Wall of Ettrick was in town Friday. John is naturally a good boy, but when he gets to weighing 20 ounces to the pound, his fighting weight, he is not an agreeable fellow.

            Blair — Three threshing machines passed through the village last week. Two of them have finished their fall’s run, while the other has much more threshing to do before it winds up.

            Ettrick — All the Nelsons and Quinns in town were out deer hunting yesterday. On the way home a deer almost ran them over. The boys are great sportsmen.

            Pigeon Falls — The library established here four years ago was sold at auction recently for lack of patronage.

            Pigeon Falls — Threshing is mostly finished in this section. Big Slough is the only place where threshing is still in progress.

            Pigeon Falls — School began in the new schoolhouse this week, with 40 pupils and H.A. Anderson as teacher. Many young men just over from Norway will attend our school this winter.

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO

Thursday, Dec. 9, 1886

            Fine winter weather.

            As high as $8.30 per ton was paid for timothy hay here yesterday.

            D. Wood and B.F. Wing and Co., the hay men, are running their presses to the fullest capacity, and the enterprising firms enter into considerable strife on the streets in the purchase of hay.

            The stockholders of the skating rink have finished the improvements in the interior of the building and the structure is now in excellent condition for the enjoyment of the pastime.

            The editor of an exchange says: “The longer we run a newspaper and write about people and events, the more we realize how utterly impossible it is to scratch every man on the spot where it itches the most.”

            Saturday was another gala day for the businessmen of Whitehall. Upwards of 2,000 bushels of grain were marketed here, and trade boomed to such an extent that few businessmen got an opportunity to partake of their noon meal.

            Hale — P. Ekern, of the Pigeon Falls creamery, has paid an average price of 16 1/2 cents per gauge for cream for 1886. We doubt if there is a creamery in this part of the northwest that has done better.

            Hale — We are glad to see that Messrs. Lamberson and Stratton, of Lincoln, have bought some fine Durham stock, and this reminds your correspondent to say to the board of the agricultural society that we will have the best show of stock at their first fair next year that has ever been shown in our county or this part of the state. Do your part well gentlemen; the farmers will be on hand at the proper time.

            Unity — The debating club will meet Saturday night of next week. The argument will be on saloonkeepers and machine agents. At the last debate, it was decided that the agents do more damage to business than the saloonkeepers.

            Albion — Arrangements are being made to build a shed back of the church for the accommodation of people with teams who have come some distance. Those that have had to tie their horses to the fence will no doubt be pleased to hear of this.