Oregon History Timeline for December 2018
1918 (100 yrs. ago)
On December 1st a telegram was received by Mr. and Mrs. Christopher T. Johnson informing them of the death of their son, William M. Johnson, on November 4th. Somewhere in France while serving with Co. L, of the 353rd Infantry.
He had arrived in France on the 25th of September as a part of the Black Hawk 86th Division. He was to become the only serviceman of the Village killed in action during World War I.
At the end of the first quarter of the school year examinations were given to the sixth graders prior to their promotion to seventh grade. Those passing their examinations were Helen Crotty, Charles Oswald, Maxwell Gefke, Bernice Barry and Emerald Herring. The Sixth Grade first honors: went to Helen Crotty (general average 95 2/3) and second honors, Bernice Barry (88 2/3). Also listed were the Fifth Grade first honors, Cyde Powers (93 1/2); and the second honors, Verdie Olson (93 1/3) .
Thomas Walsh was released from his duties at the post office as of November 1918 and Donald McGill was appointed Acting Postmaster.
Harold Thompson, son of Mr. and Mrs. R. L. Thompson, was a sailor aboard the U. S. S. George Washington which carried the presidential party to the peace conference.
Richards & Roberts shipped 25 hogs last week that weighed 12,020 pounds; an average of 480 pounds. One hog weighed 700 pounds and bought its owner $112.00. The 25 hogs netted the farmers $1,955.54. It was noted that the shipment marked a record that will stand for a long time in Oregon.
The Oregon High School basketball team played the High School Alumni at the Oregon Opera House. The alumni team consisted of Alex Anderson, Lyman Jackson, Bud Tipple, Ted Elliott, Burr McWilliams, Burton Franks—-all former Oregon High School basketball stars. However, the alumni went down in defeat 18 to 26. Admission was 15 – 25 cents. A dance was held following the game.
Mr. and Mrs. George Thomson, Jr. are the new proprietors of the ice cream parlors and confectionery shop next to the opera house.
The Mother Goose Christmas festival was given by the Presbyterian Church Sunday School.
Tea, any one? “Instructions have been sent to all English army and navy canteens to save all used tea leaves, which are to be carefully kept in muslin bags and forwarded to central depots. The old leaves are not to be used again in making beverages, but are needed in connection with munition making.”
1968 (50 yrs. ago)
The Oregon Elementary School students grades 1,2,3, and the sixth grade chorus presented a Christmas program, “Winter Kaleidoscope”. Mrs. Elisabeth Howe directed the third and sixth grade choruses. The first and second graders were directed by Miss Norita Seawald.
The Flint Homemakers held their last meeting at the home of Mrs. Arlene Spink. The topic of the program, “Was I Caught Napping During the Social Revolution?”. It was presented by Mrs. Olaf Lunde and Mrs. James Lunde,
The newest group organized at OHS was the Girls Glee Club. Members of the group included Mary Oelmann, Sheila Benson, Virginia Handel, Sue Gouker, Kathy Rygh, Joyce Kulp, Mary Moore, Mary Wernick, Sue Burkland, Patty Greene, Ann Leslie, Sue Pollow, Jackie Gefke, Sandy Sacks, Judy Genske, Debbie Nyhus, Sue Schneider, Kathy Christiansen, Linda Larsen, Nancy Stoneman, Liz Cox, Mary Packard, Sue Tracy, Rosemary Smith, Miki Caroll, Diane Waefler, Darlene Zimmerlee, and Renee Supple. They sang at the OHS Christmas Program in floor length black skirts and white blouses.
The OHS Players presented a production of Arthur Miler’s “The Crucible” at the annual Christmas party of the Oregon Woman’s Club. The cast consisted of Jeannine Halverson, Rosemary Smith, Mary Oelmann, Helen Xander, Linda McManus, Nancy McManus, Bob Navis,
Keith Knutson, Paul Hanson, Jim Wolf, Mark Kellogg, Chris Kowing, and Don Alme. The cast won two “A”‘s at the sub-district and the district and a “B” at the regional competition. Mrs. John Hauser directed the group .
Athletic Director, Erwin Kissling, organized an intramural basketball program. The eight captains chosen by Kissling were Jerry Burns, Gus Dreher, John Fuller, Dave Kapusta, Dave Decker, Denny Bavery, Chris Kowing and Jim Anderson. Greg Judd would be helping Kssling with the officiating. Teams would be formed by the captains. If enough interest was shown, other sports would be added to the program.
1993 (25 yrs. ago)
The Lioness sponsored their 3rd Annual Holiday Tour of Homes. The tour included the homes of Larry and Donna Mahr, Dave and Barb Reinstra, Al and Pat Wilkening, and Sue Wickhem.
Foxboro Golf Club encouraged customers to stop in and enjoy U.W. sports events on their BIG SCREEN TV.
The following local dancers perform in the Nutcracker Ballet at the Oscar Mayer
Theatre in the Madison Civic Center, Alicia Crook, Emily Gehn, Emmy Pickett, Natalie Crook, Shannon Barrows, Victoria Bertus, Alexandra Bogucki, Rebecca Crook, Gwen Stark, Melanie Cain, Melissa Ganshert, and Mickie Waterman.
The Badger Conference Honors Orchestra performed at Bethel Lutheran Church in Madison. Representing Oregon High School were Jeffrey O’Malley, Connie O’Brien, Julie Wood, John Wilson, Sarah Halverson, Andrea Vaughn, Sarah Hoekman, Jennny Williams, and Sarah Orloff.
Fred Villari’s Studio of Self Defense opened at new location at 797 Market Street.
Heather James, a senior at OHS. was the winner of the 1993 Whitewater Creative Writing Festival for her story in the category of science fiction/fantasy,”The Man Who Made Change”.
Emma Madsen was hostess for the South Side Birthday Club which met at the Oregon Family Restaurant on December 17th.
Jo Dosch, owner and proprietor of Dosch Floral Shop, which opened in 1979 in the Oregon Plaza and later moved to 105 South Main St. will be closing after the Holidays.
The Oregon Chamber of Commerce started the “Chamber Bucks Program” where by gift certificates to participating Chamber merchants can be purchased, encouraging people to do their Holiday Shopping locally.
The Oregon Village Board voted to approve spending up to $25,000 for a consultant to study the feasibility of a business park in the Village.
The construction of new homes in and around Oregon hit an all-time high. In 1993 the Village granted permits for 119 new single family homes.
After 3 l/2 years in Oregon, Pastor John A. Moldstad leaves Faith Lutheran Church for Bethany Lutheran Seminary in Mankato, Minnesota. Pastor John Peterson of Grace Lutheran in Madison will be serving the congregation during the vacancy.
The Oregon School District in partnership with Johnson Controls and Wisconsin Power & Light completes an energy audit that will lead to savings at the high school and swimming pool buildings.
The Oregon Middle School was listed as one of the nation’s most outstanding educational facilities in the November issue of American School and University (a national magazine for school and university administrators).
10 yrs. ago (2008)
The Village Board meets with an engineering consultant about the coming changes to U.S. Hwy.14, i.e. roundabouts and the expansion to four lanes of the hwy. around the village at the time the Intersections are rebuilt. The Village Board also approved to spend about $15,000 for a feasibility study to determine whether a roundabout would be more suitable than traffic signals at the intersection of Janesville and Park Streets.
The Oregon Chamber of Commerce and Oregon Horse Association sponsored the First Annual Holiday Horse Parade. There were sixty-four entries in the event. Winning entries were Chari Madigal riding Deseret Ser Magic for Best Holiday Costume; The Christmas Gang – Ellizabeth and Olivia Wisden and Ashlee Leslie and Leah Heffron, Best Group Theme; Jenny Cifuentes, Most Creative; and Lauren and Megan Andraski, Most Humerous.
Rosalind Gausman retired as Clerk/Treasurer for the Town of Dunn after serving the town for the past 33 years.
School crossing guards make it safe for kids crossing busy intersections. The crossing guards were Blanche McCallum (Lincoln and North Main Street); Nina Noyce (Soden Dr. and East Lincoln Street); Frankie Jones (Grove St. and North Main); and Willie McCarville (Oak Street and Nygaard Street.
Neil Peiffer takes over as coach of the OHS boys swimming team.
Brothers, Dan and Mark O’Brien, owners and operators of O’Brien Hybrids, received a USDA marching grant for their value-added product dealing with corn and soybean seeds.
The School Board approved three high-level classes that students would be able to sign up for in the coming academic school year. The three approved were “Advanced Multimedia and Video Production”, “Honors Government and Politics” and an advanced placement calculus course.