MEETING MINUTES
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
Thompson Community Center
PROGRAM SUMMARY
“Growing Up in Appleton in the 60s”
CALL TO ORDER BY PRESIDENT TOM SUTTER
TOTAL ATTENDANCE: 144 (New Attendance Record)
OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE:
Tom Sutter, Christine Williams, James Richter, Laura Leimer, Mark Moderson, John Marx, Brian Schneider, Gwen Sargeant, Linda Muldoon, James Krueger, and Diana Sandberg.
REVIEW OF UPCOMING MEETINGS AND PROGRAMS:
August 23 – Cemetery Walk – “Meet the Mayors” – Riverside Cemetary
September 9 – The History of Catholic Schools by Deacon Tony Abts
October 14th 100 block of E. College Avenue - Dave Buss and Christine Williams
November 11 – Appleton Picture Show
December 5 – 11th AHS History Fair, City Center
APPLETON HISTORICAL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION:
AHS Officers:
A. President - Thomas Sutter
B. Vice President - Christine Williams
C. Secretary – James Richter
D. Treasurer – Laura Leimer
AHS Board of Directors:
A. Terms through November 2017:
1. Mark Moderson
2. John Marx
3. Laura Leimer
4. Diana Sandberg
B. Terms through November 2016:
1. Linda Muldoon
2. Jim Krueger
3. Gwen Sargeant
4. Brian Schneider
C. Terms through November 2015:
1. Tom Sutter
2. Christine Williams
3. James Richter
Committee Chairs for the organization are as follows:
A. Mark and Karen Moderson, Principal Organizers
B. Brian Schneider, Technical Resources
C. David Buss, Research Specialist
D. Gwen Sargeant, Public Relations and Web Page
E. Christine Williams, Monthly Programs
F. Gwen Sargeant, Publications
PRESIDENT SUTTER ANNOUNCEMENTS:
A. Greetings extended to members and guests.
B. Introduced Officers and Board Members.
C. Tom recently purchased an historic Wisconsin Gazetteer book (1853) and read a quote from it (Page 41):
“APPLETON, It is about 125 miles northeast of Madison. The Lawrence Institute is located at this place, and the surrounding country is very healthy and fertile. Population 800; 275 dwellings, 10 stores, 5 hotels, 4 saw mills, 1 flouring mill, 1 edge tool factory, 2 planing mills and a paper factory. It is situated on the Lower Fox river at the Grand Chute Rapids, 30 miles from Green Bay. It’s hydraulic advantages are equal to any in the United States, the aggregate fall being 40 feet. It is in direct line between Manitowoc on the Lake, and Stevens Point on the Wisconsin River, between which places a plank road is in process of construction.”
D. Thanks to Dan Flannery for July’s program “History of the Appleton Post Crescent”.
E. Reports sale of our book Images of America-Appleton continue to go well. Copies are available at the registration table.
F. The Fox River Navigational System Authority group will be celebrating it’s 10th anniversary on August 25th. Congratulations on your efforts and best wishes for a long future.
G. The Outagamie Insane Asylum Cemetary has been in the news of late. The research and efforts of a dedicated groups of volunteers has learned much about the cemetary and those who rest there. There will be a special memorial dedication at the site on Thursday, September 24th, at 5:30 p.m.
H. Thanks to the Post Crescent for it’s announcement of tonight’s meeting and all of it’s support.
I. Reminded us all to view the exhibit on the second floor of the Appleton Public Library “Camp Appleton – the P.O.W. Camp”.
J. Provided a list of upcoming programs and events.
K. The door prize of a Fazoli’s Gift Certificate was won by Don Hameister.
AHS COMMUNICATIONS REPORTS:
Dave Daelke, AHS Member:
1. Explained an exhibit he has provided for the audience tonight. The display just to the west of the stage has at it’s center two historic flag groupings that were on Floats in Appleton parades during 1939 and 1940 events. These are surrounded by several large pictures of the float and others during these parades.
2. He invited all to view the exhibit at the conclusion of the meeting.
PROGRAM : “Growing Up in Appleton in the 60s”
Presenter: Jim Krueger
Speaker’s Background:
Jim was born and raised in Appleton. He married Lori Rohm and together they have three boys, Joshua, Tyler and Alexander and two grandsons, Ayden and Chance. Jim is a lifelong member of Saint Joseph’s Church where he has taught children’s liturgy for the past twenty five years. Jim’s career spanned 45 years working at Presto Products for 33 years and at Larson converting company for 12 as a safety manager and is now retired.
Jim has a lifelong passion for Appleton History and is currently a board member of the Appleton Historical Society. He enjoys collecting Appleton history and preserving her memorabilia. Most of all he enjoys sharing his memories and collection with the public.
Jim has an extensive collection of Appleton, memorabilia and artifacts that he intends to donate to AHS when they get their own museum. Until them Jim shares his passion for Appleton history and his collection with the public at the Appleton History fairs. Jim is very proud to have been a part of the group that published AHS’s own book of Appleton history. His favorite Appleton items to collect included: First National Bank, Lawrence University, Templin’s Beer Depot and Adler Brau Brewery and all other Appleton memorabilia. His other collections include a large Coca Cola collection as well as an automobile memorial collection. Jim’s wife sometimes refers to him as "Hector the collector".
The Program:
This program is about my life, my family and my experiences in the wonderful City of Appleton. I am sure most of you had a similar experience growing up. As we review this period we can reminisce together. I want to thank my family and special friends that came into night to hear the program.
How I Became Interested in History:
My Grandfather, George William Krueger, stimulated my interest in history. He showed me these two pictures when I was young. One was Grandpa working at age 14 working at Giebish’s Meat Market, 530 W. College Avenue. The second photo shown was taken by Grandpa Krueger in 1915 at age 15-it features 33, 1915 Chevrolets parked diagonally on the 400 Block of West College Avenue. Turns out it was a publicity stunt.
How It All Started:
James William Krueger was born at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital on August 28, 1952. His mom had to stay in the hospital with him for five days. Our three sons were born at this same fine hospital. Personally I am all too familiar with this hospital from my many injuries and broken bones.
Growing Up in Appleton:
Our family home was located at 1013 N. Mason Street. (showed a number of pictures of the house in 1952, 1969 and today. Also showed pictures of his family in the early years and today).
His First Job:
Collecting soda bottles for a two cent deposit and taking them to Templin’s for the refund.
His Second Job (Templin’s Beer & Liquor):
Templin’s Beer and Liquor, 1117 N. Mason Street:
A. (Showed pictures of early advertisements of the store).
B. Site was originally McGilligan’s Beer Depot.
C. Clayt Templin purchased the business from Mr. McGilligan in 1948.
D. Clayt ran it for two years under the McGilligan’s name and then in 1950 he purchased a large new neon sign from the Appleton Neon Sign Company with the business’s new name, Templin’s Beer and Liquor shown on it. This sign is now in Jim’s possession and wil be on display in our future AHS museum.
E. Clayt and Red Templin happily ran the liquor store. Clayt’s son Bob and Jim have been best friends for decades.
F. (Showed pictures of Templin’s 1965 Econoline pickup delivery truck). As an employee, Jim drove the truck and made deliveries of customer orders all over the city. Jim worked there from 1968 through 1970.
G. After 50 years of being open, Red closed the business.
H. Now showed a picture of the George Walter Brewery, 210 South Walnut Street:
1. Every Friday Jim would take the company truck to the brewery and pick up one week’s supply of beer for the Store.
2. He would pay cash for the order!
3. 75 to 100 cases of beer each week were hand loaded using a skate conveyor that led out a small window located under of one the large arched tunnels.
4. Free beer taps were available at several locations in the building, even outside.
I. Things I learned from working at Templins:
Customer service, cleaning and neatness., money handling, the entire city map of Appleton, how to manage a time schedule, how to work hard for a fair wage and how important my first mentor Red Templin was to his personal development.
Appleton’s First National Bank, 200 W. College Avenue:
With all the money that Jim made with his first two jobs he opened a bank account at the First National Bank.
A. Showed pictures of: the original building (Gothic or Roman Style Architecture); the current building built in the 1960’s and President Kennedy campaigning in the front of the bank in the 1960’s.
B. Jim’s sister worked at the bank and he developed a close relationship with the staff.
Payday Was a Big Deal for the Whole Krueger Family:
A. Once the check was cashed the family went to downtown Appleton for shopping needs.
B. Their stops would include Woolworth’s or the S.S. Kresge dime store. They would get a treat at the lunch counter. He always got an Auburn Rubber Toy Car or Truck.
He stored the collection under the family’s living room sofa.
His Third Job (Black’s Drive In Restaurant, 1204 N. Mason Street):
A. Showed pictures of the drivein and some of it’s advertising.
B. Also showed a picture of the David Black family. Mr. Black was a teacher and a coach at West High School and bought the place for his family to operate.
C. They did neat things or events at the restaurant, like a Free Back to School Dance held on the Parking Lot on August 28, 1965.
D. He cleaned tables, chairs, floors and windows for $1.25 an hour and a weekly paycheck of $5.00. Later worked at the counter and in the kitchen making food.
E. In 1968 Black’s closed and the building became the Harold Weiland Insurance Agency.
F. Things I learned from working at Black’s Drive In:
Customer service, food preparation and presentation, and how to work with a variety of people money handling-even cranky adults.
1968 Was a Tough Year and Large in Appleton and Krueger History:
A. We lost our dear Clayton Templin on January 8, 1968, at age 47.
B. A man was slain at Cloud Buick.
C. Black’s Drive In announced it was closing.
D. I found a man dead behind the beer depot while I was working.
E. My friends were leaving to fight a war in Vietnam, when some came home they were never the same.
F. Jim was involved in a serious motorcycle accident by school. He broke an ankle for the second time.
Cloud Buick, 2445 W. College Avenue, the End of Innocence in Appleton:
A. A night watchman was slain on January 20, 1968. He was killed during a robbery attempt at the dealership.
B. This murder went unsolved until 2005.
His Fourth Job (Consolidated Gas Station, 224 N. Richmond Street):
A. Jim started working weekend nights from 5 to 10 p.m. at age 17.
B. Station was unique because of it’s premium giveaways. Glass display cases were located on the pump islands and contained glassware, Kleenex, dish soap, laundry detergent, cleanser, toilet tissue and bar soap. You could also get trading stamps for bigger items.
C. (Showed many pictures of the store and it’s advertisements-including one with Gas War prices of $.239 for regular and $.259 for premium).
D. Told a story on Fast Freddy, who would occasionally drive through the station at a high rate of speed in his 55 Chevy. He would come right up to the door, toss in a Frank and Pat’s Pizza, and blast a way in a flash.
E. One morning at 2:00 a.m., a guy came in for gas, he was drunk. We had a dispute over how much gas he ordered. Suddenly he held Jim up against the wall with his feet dangling above the floor. All I could think about was that I am going to die for $2.00. Then like a knight on a white horse the Street Sweeper man ran into the building, got the man off of me, subdued him and called the Police. Sweeper man always stopped by at that time every Sunday morning for his break and we would have a coke together. Thank God for small miracles.
F. When Jim was working at the station during the summer (1970) we were having Gas Wars. We had a competitor across the street who was having a tough time competing against us because of our premiums. To help improve sales the station across the street hired a free spirited blond female to pump gas. She came to work in short shorts and only a white tee shirt. Needless to say, sales jumped drastically for them and she was a hit all summer long.
G. Things I learned from working at the Consolidated Station:
Selling gas could be dangerous to my health, how to wash windows with rag real good, customer service with a smile for a $1.00 purchase that included washing the windows, checking the oil and all four tires, that Corvairs didn’t have radiators, how to clean rest rooms to a sparkle, how to keep the white islands bright with paint, how to handle money, and that not all my co-workers were honest?
The Historic Appleton Police Department and Jim’s Encounters With It:
A. (Showed a picture of the Police Station when it was at the Northwest Corner of Morrison and Washington Streets).
B. He and his brothers regularly went down to the station to get their bikes registered and licensed. Everyone wanted a single digit number.
C. For a long time we went down to the station every Saturday to look for my brother Jeff’s new Schwinn bicycle that had been stolen. After a few weeks we found it in the stolen bike garage. The police had dragged it out of the Fox River, displayed a picture of the bike.
D. Then there was the day the four Krueger boys went missing. Four policemen even came to our house, and everyone was out looking for us. My dad gave us a thrashing we will never forget, mom said because he loved us!
E. Then there was the day Jim was stopped by Officer Head and found that my Learner’s Permit was not valid for driving a motorcycle-just two weeks before my sixteenth birthday. Officer Head gave me a Warning, made me walk my bike home, and he followed me home to be sure I got there!
F. (Then showed pictures of Officer Nettekoven at a National Police Week Display at Valley Bank on May 15, 1968, and another with Nettekoven and Appleton’s first metermaid in 1961, and another with a Police Three Wheeler Motorcycle. Also a picture of Officer Earl Jackson (Jim’s favorite) at a car accident, another of one of the police’s 1965 Rambler American, 6 cylinder, squad cars, and of a 1967 Dodge Coronet, 8 cylinder, squad car.
The Historic Appleton Bike Shop and Jim’s Encounters With It:
A. (Showed a picture of the bike shop’s exterior in the 1950’s and another of it’s interior in the 1960’s. Then one of his first Schwinn with Jim riding with a broken ankle, another of a bike license collection, and of a Schwinn Stingray bike).
B. Jim and his friends rented Stingray Schwinn’s from the Bike Shop for 50 cents an hour. Problem was no one had a watch to tell when to take them back!
C. Police Station when it was at the Northwest Corner of Morrison and Washington Streets.
D. He and his brothers regularly went down to the station to get registered and licensed. Everyone wanted a single digit number.
His Next and Consecutive Jobs as a Newsboy:
A. Jim had a Milwaukee Journal route in 1966 and 1967. (Showed pictures of their Quonset Building Office that was located on the 800 Block of West College Avenue across from Frank and Pat’s Pizza).
B. He enjoyed his customers on his Journal Route that was downtown. All except for the Lawrence College Students, who often told him to come back next week for payment-right to the end of the school year, when they left town without paying. He decided to quit because of this.
C. In 1966 my brother took over an Appleton Post Crescent route from Dale Rohm, combined as a family we kept it until 1974. (Showed pictures of the Post offices at it’s then and current location on 306 W. Washington Street-also shoulder bags and bike bags for delivery.
D. Then Jim had a Bargain Bulletin route on which he delivered 225 papers for $2.25 a week.
E. He was one of seven Krueger children and all seven pitched in to fold the Post Crescent or place rubber bands on the Bargain Bulletin.
Jim’s School Experiences in Appleton:
A. Started at Lincoln Grade School, 1000 N. Mason Street.
B. Went through two years of Kindergarten.
C. Then went to St. Joseph Grade School at 202 S. Elm Street from 1958 to 1966 -first through eighth grades. (Showed pictures of the north and west sides of the school at that time).
D. The family has always gone to St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 404 W. Lawrence Street. (Showed pictures of the exterior in the 60’s with Bleier’s Tavern and the Adler Brau Brewery in the background, the interior of the church, and then the fifteen nuns that served the parish and school at the time).
E. Things I learned while attending St. Joseph Grade School:
How to be a good person, honesty, right from wrong, how to get along with many different types of people, to share my faith with others, I have been a youth minister for 25 years, to share my time and talent and talent freely. I would believe kids today would benefit greatly from an education like the one our teachers provided us. (Then showed pictures of St. Joseph School being built and then tragically being leveled years later).
F. Jim then went to Wilson Junior High School at 225 N. Badger Avenue for the 9th grade. (Showed picture of the school’s exterior as it looked then).
G. Finally went to Appleton West High School at 610 N. Badger Avenue for Grades 10, 11, and 12. (Showed picture of the schools exterior at that time).
H. Things I learned while attending Appleton West High School:
He developed a vast knowledge of woodworking, carpentry, and mechanical skills. He then completed a two year co-op course in metal fabrication which prepared him for his fifth and permanent job.
His Fifth Job at Presto Products, 670 N. Perkin Street:
A. Jim spent eight years using his shop and mechanical skills.
B. He then became the Corporate Safety and Security Manager and had a very successful career working for 33 years at Presto.
The Greatest Single Thing I learned was who my wife would be:
Jim met Lori Rohm in 1968 and has been married to her for 43 years.
THEN SHOWED A TERRIFIC VIDEO WITH NARRATION TITLED “LOOKING BACK ON APPLETON IN THE 1960’S”:
Post cards and pictures of significant scenes in Appleton’s history. Background music was Kenny Rogers singing Twenty Years Ago.
A. A.A.L., 222 W. College Avenue.
B. H. C. Prange Company, northeast corner of College Avenue and Appleton Street.
C. Pahlow’s Leather Store.
D. Sears, Roebuck and Company, 318 W. College Avenue.
E. Viking Theater, 344 W. College Avenue at Division Street.
F. J. C. Penney Co., 300 W. College Avenue at Superior Street.
G. Hotel Appleton, 127 N. Appleton Street.
H. Ford Rexall Drug, 322 W. College Avenue.
I. Gloudeman and Gage Co., 400 Block W. College Avenue.
J. F. W. Woolworth Co., 100 Block East College Avenue.
K. Cinderalla Ballroom, 2121 S. Oneida Street.
L. Heid Music Company, 308 E. College Avenue.
M. Conway Hotel, Southeast Corner of Oneida and Lawrence Streets.
N. St. Joseph’s Old School, 330 W. Lawrence Street.
O. Geenen’s Department Store, 100 Block East College Avenue.
P. Erb Park Bird Path Pool
Q. George Walter Brewing Company, 222 S. Walnut Street
R. Dag’s Drive-In Restaurant, 1309 E. Wisconsin Avenue
S. Templin’s Beer and Liquor, 1117 N. Mason Street
T. The Terror’s Den at the Appleton YMCA, 100 W. Lawrence Street
U. First National Bank, 200 W. College Avenue
V. Henry’s Drive-In Restaurant, 432 W. Wisconsin Avenue
W. Montgomery Ward, 100 E. College Avenue
X. Schlafer’s Hardware, 100 Block of West College Avenue
Y. Jones Park, 200 Block W. Lawrence Street
Z. Black’s Sno Cap Drive In, 1204 W. Mason Street
AA. Vietnam Plaque
BB. Appleton Public Library, Old, 100 S. Oneida Street
CC. Stop & Shop (now Flanagan’s), 522 W. College Avenue
DD. Appleton Foxes Baseball at Goodland Field, Corner of Spencer & Outagamie Streets
EE. A&P Supermarket, 300 Block of West College Avenue
FF. Appleton Family YMCA, Old, 100 W. Lawrence Street
GG. St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 404 W. Lawrence Street
HH. Pond’s Sport Shop, 100 Block of East College Avenue
II. College Avenue at Christmas
JJ. S. S. Kresge Co., 110 W. College Avenue
KK. Frank and Pat’s Pizza Palace, 815 W. College Avenue
LL. Koepke’s Family Restaurant, 345 W. College Avenue
MM. Wichmann’s Furniture Co., 500 Block of West College Avenue
NN. Old Appleton Water Tower on 200 N. Walnut Street
CONCLUSION:
Jim then thanked all of the people who had brought him to this point in his life, and all those who attended tonight’s presentation.
He then responded to many questions from the audience.
James L. Richter, AHS Secretary
August 20, 2015