10 Years Ago

February 10, 2011

Cartoon: “Doc…What’s it called when you fear the number 13?”

“Triskaidekaphobia, Why?”

“Cuz I have the opposite!!” (Packers 13th ‘World Title’) Superintendent’s Report, by Stanley-Boyd Superintendent Jim Jones.

I read an article this past week in the February 2011 issue of “School News” regarding what has become an alarming gap between achievement in U.S. schools as compared with international schools. The report listed our overall achievement as mediocre and suggested we must act now to save our future economy… This type of data is very worrisome for our country. One can only wonder where we will be in twenty years if this continues to be the case…The best school systems are the most equitable. Having selected “Every Child Will Learn at a High Level,” we pride ourselves ion being accountable for the learning performance of every child, regardless of socio-economic background. Our recent increase in testing performance would provide the data for us to state that we are a leading school in this area…Top performing students attend pre-school. We have had our 4K program running for quite a few years now.

S-B lays out plan to increase technology levels by Daniel Williams The Stanley-Boyd School District has put together a plan as to where they wish to be as far as technology in the classroom and the effective addition to the classroom.

In the executive summary of the plan, which is available online at the school’s website, the plan states that “the school community feels that the environment of our school for technology use requires a shared vision” (story continues).

30 Years Ago

February 7, 1991 Stanley Municipal Court STIPULATIONS Speeding, $85 Failure to Stop For Stop Sign, $61 Passing Vehicle Indicating Left Turn, $97 Speeding, $61 Illegal Operation of ATV on Hwy, $55 (three separate instances) Driving Too Fast For Conditions, $97

Underage Possession of Alcohol, $85 FOUND GUILTY FINED Unnecessary Acceleration, $85.

Speeding, $61.

ADJUDICATED GUILTY – FINED Expired Registration from Eau Claire resident, $49.

Underage Possession of Intoxicants, Park Avenue Stanley, $85.

Thomas L. Thornton, Chief of Police City of Stanley Police reports Snowmobile, Chainsaw, Jacket Theft (separate incidents); two Hit and Runs; Accident; Thefts; Damage Report; Domestic Abuse.

40 Years Ago February 12, 1981 Larry Cortese Speaks!

More Concern For Injuries Sports competition has its ups and downs. Consider the downside on the field, court and the mats. Stanley-Boyd competitors have been lucky thus far this year in avoiding debilitating injuries in football, basketball and wrestling. But the odds are that a serious injury may be just around the corner if the best precautions are not taken.

Football injuries can be avoided with the use of proper equipment…Basketball injuries can also be avoided with the purchase of proper footwear. Buying a more expensive shoe may not be palatable to some parents, but it’s necessary to prevent the kind of ankle injuries which can plague a player long after his bones have stopped growing.

Wrestling injuries can also happen but are not as easily avoided with the proper equipment. Rather, it takes a constant and sharp eye by coaches, referees and parents to spot an injury and take prompt action to avoid further damage to mind and body.

(recounting of championship match play and injury)… A Mosinee and Nekoosa wrestler were grappling when the Mosinee man fell with his full body weight on top of the Nekoosa wrestler…(gasping for air, head injury, discoloration, smelling salts, disorientation match play resumes for one minute)…It was appalling that after a wrestler incurred an obvious head injury, the referee allowed the match to continue. What was surprising was the Nekoosa coach’s decision to allow a potentially fatal decision to develop. Furthermore, where were the boy’s parents? (column closes shortly).

Oriole Wrestlers Win Conference Championship Orioles Squeak by Loyal By Three Points to Take Conference Championship The Stanley-Boyd Oriole Wrestling team annexed the 1970-71 Cloverbelt Conference Championship title Saturday, January 30, 1971. The Orioles took first at the Cloverbelt Conference Wrestling Tournament held in Cadott with 73 points followed by Loyal with 70.

Stanley had nine wrestlers competing in the finals. The wrestlers were: 98 lb. Jim Phillippi, 4th place; 105 lb. Jim Duss, 2nd place; 119 lb. Randy Fitzl, 1st place; 126 lb. Dan Acker, 1st place; 138 lb. Greg Sczypioroski, 4th place; 145 lb. Clayton Herrick, 1st place; 115 lb. Marty Hatfield, 4th place; 167 lb. Randy La-Grander, 4th place and 185 lb,. Mark Eslinger, 2nd place. Oriole wrestlers that did not participate in the finals were 112 lb. Joe Horban, 132 lb. Jim Wirth and Hwt. Tim Kroeplin (results continue).

70 Years Ago February 15, 1951 Congregation Plans Reception To Honor Rev. and Mrs. J. N. Midtlien Sunday, February 18 will be a special day at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, for on that day the congregation will honor its retiring pastor, the Reverend John Midtlien, who has served as minister here since 1913.

From 1913 to 1951 – what an epoch in world history, what a series of events those years encompass!

Woodrow Wilson was president at that time. Stanley was one of the well-known “mill towns” of this area. Those years have been significant in the life of the Reverend John Midtlien, whose resignation as pastor of Our Savior’s Lutheran church became effective January 31, 1951. His service as pastor will end when a successor takes over the congregation that has been under the spiritual care and guidance of one man for 38 years.

What of this man who was called to the pastorate of the Stanley U. L. (United Lutheran) church in 1913?

He came to Stanley with almost five years’ experience as minister in Ottawa, Ill…born in Norway, raised in Coon Valley…He was young in the ministry…Into his teaching through the many years has gone that background acquired in his youth, a background that brooks no frivolity and equivocation with the serious purpose of religious classes. Confirmation classes are an important work, and he is proud of his confirmands, and he feels a special pride in their successes over the years…(the pastor’s wife)…Mrs. Midtlien has a genius for making a caller feel glad he called. During the years she has shared in many family joys and her genuine concern has helped remove sorrow’s sting as she listened to a parishioner’s sorrow or trouble. Her friends are many, young and old, with a special place of remembrance for children.

Never too smothered in details of running a home to neglect friendly acts that endear her to those who know her. (Pastor Midtlien is registered on findagrave.com as buried at Coon Valley Cemetery in Coon Valley, Vernon County, Wisconsin. A first wife named Josephine died just prior to his arrival in the Stanley Country, and is buried alongside him).

80 Years Ago February 14, 1941 STANLEY HIGH SCHOOL CAGERS UPSET BY THORP Locals Drop 31 – 29 Decision, After Trailing All the Way, Play Owen Here, Tonight.

The Stanley High School basketball team dropped a close, fast game to Thorp, last Friday evening, at that place, by a score of 31 – 29.

STANLEY GIRL IS MARRIED AT GREEN BAY Miss Kathleen Bohman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Bohman of the Town of Worden and Robert Parmatier of Green Bay, were married at St. John’s Church in the latter city, on Dec. 28th, 1940.

90 Years Ago February 6, 1931 BOYD AND THORP CARS COLLIDE MONDAY NIGHT The car of John Sohm of Boyd, said to have been driven without lights, collided with the car of Pat Snyder of Thorp, near the bridge on South Broadway about eight o’ clock Monday evening. Both cars were badly wrecked but neither driver seriously injured. Three other occupants of the Thorp car also escaped without injury.

STANLEY MAN KILLED IN AUTO COLLISION Frank Belknap, age 78, was instantly killed last Friday evening about 5:30 when his car collided with a truck driven by Clarence Booth on Highway 29 (County X) near the Huls Pop Factory in the south city limits…(head-on collision while attempting to pass)…The Belknap car struck the truck with such force as to reduce it to a worthless mass of junk and the wonder is that the other two occupants of the car escaped with their lives whereas they were only scratched and bruised slightly, both returning to their homes after an examination at the hospital (story continues).

100 Years Ago February 4, 1921

NO MORE QUARANTINE FOR SMALLPOX IF VACCINATED Fumigation of Homes Following Disease Abolished; State Engineer Hirst Resigns (BY Wm. J. Anderson) Madison, Wis.—Here is good news for families who have smallpox infections in their home: The State Board of Health has issued an order which permits members of households in which there is smallpox to go in and out as usual only that they be vaccinated. Any case of smallpox in the house will be quarantined but no restrictions will be placed upon any others in the house if they are vaccinated. So positive are public health officials of the efficacy of vaccination that the State Board of Health has modified the existing rules. Hereafter it will be necessary for persons having the disease to be quarantined, and other persons in the family permitted to be released immediately after vaccination.

(Highway Engineer Hirst resigns from state after building a great state highway system at 40 years old, with suspicion that another state has offered a raise such that ‘it might still be possible to retain his services’ with implied like compensation).

124 Years Ago May 16, 1896 ‘Republican’ in the newspaper name, explained by W. H. Bridgman in the first issue: …The editorial policy of the Republican shall be to build up, not to tear down. There is trouble enough in this world. These columns will never be used as a medium to vent our personal feelings against anything or anybody, for they are a public, not a private medium. We are not unmindful of the sacred task which devolves upon the editor of a newspaper. There is no more powerful agency for good or for evil. We shall endeavor to to perform our duty conscientiously as we see it, being ever ready to be advised by older and wiser heads than ours. We shall shrink from the necessity of saying ought that is ill of any man but once we are convinced that public welfare demands it, we shall perform this act as fearlessly as any other duty. We trust this necessity will not present itself.

Finally, we shall be Republican in politics. This does not mean that ours shall be that blind unreasoning and ignorant partisanship which has characterized too many representative papers in years gone by. We recognize in the principle of a protective tariff a principle which is vital and essential to the growth of American institutions and which dignifies the laboring man to the lofty plane of American citizenship where he can educate his children and make them intelligent men and women. The policy of free trade, tends to degrade him to the level of the European laborer and make of him a mere automaton. For this reason, we are Republican, but we recognize that wrongs are done by both parties and that within the ranks of the Republican party are designing politicians, unscrupulous as any of their opponents; so credit us with an intelligent partisanship. Our politics will never affect our business or social relations, and may it ever be thus with all good people of Stanley.

Finally we want to know every man, woman and child in Stanley, and remember our latch string always hanging out. If you don’t get acquainted with us, the fault is yours.

Then here’s to the new Stanley. We dedicate ourselves unreservedly to its every interest. “With malice toward none, with charity for all.”

50 Years Ago February 4, 1971