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Echos of the past week of July 22
Old Fennimore Main Street
    ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO (1919)—The village board adopted a resolution to become a city of the fourth class and calling for a special election on Tuesday, Aug. 19 to choose city officers. The population as shown by a census taken June 3 is 1368, considerable more than the required number. —Will Beetham arrived home from overseas. —Harry Fox, Fern McKichan, and Chester Tucker arrived home from Camp Grant. —Postmaster J.  J. Scanlan received word that his son Gerald, in the Navy, had been discharged at Norfolk, Va., and would soon be home.
    NINETY YEARS AGO (1929)—Lawrence Anderson, the popular manager of the Anderson Cafe, took time out one day last week to go fishing and after trying his luck in Green River, the Bailie stream and other places, landed down on the old familiar stream at Castle Rock and picked up a beautiful 14 inch rainbow trout not far from the big spring.
    EIGHTY YEARS AGO (1939)—George F. Frantz and Leo J. Brechler moved their office equipment into their new quarters in the Kolb building. They have the back half of the second floor and Dr. C. F. Lehman will occupy the front part of the office space. —Dr. C. F. Lehman is presenting a clinic “Dental Medicines” at the National Dental convention in Milwaukee. He and Prof. F. C. Mayer of the faculty of Marquette dental school are collaborating on the clinic.
    SEVENTY YEARS AGO (1949)—Principal E. M. Woll has announced that the Union Free high school will start its instrumental music program on Aug. 1. The new band instructor, James Jorgenson, will assume his responsibilities at that time. —Royce Doan has opened the Sinclair service station north of the Gilbert’s garage. —The 19 Star Post No. 7499, Fennimore Veterans of Foreign Wars, have taken positive steps toward eventual construction of a clubhouse. Last week a deal was consummated in which the post purchased  1 1/3 lots from Harry Thompson and 2 1/3 lots from Mrs. Anna Smalbery, in the Heberlein addition of the fourth ward. They intend to build a basement to serve as a temporary meeting place until the building can be completed.
    SIXTY YEARS AGO (1959)—The Municipal Swimming Pool project, which has been held up in recent months pending investigation of current trends in construction, received a “shot in the arm” at the city council session Monday evening, when two important decisions were reached. A resolution was passed requesting the Marsden Park Board of Trustees buy back the land sold to the city for a swimming pool site on the park’s west side, at the same price at which it was purchased, $2,000. The resolution designated the block south of the high school owned by the city, commonly referred to as “Vetville,” as the site for the pool. Another resolution authorized the city clerk to obtain revised estimates on pool costs.
     FIFTY YEARS AGO (1969)—The Office Occupations Department of Southwest Wisconsin Vocational Technical School officially moved on July 10 to its new headquarters in the former St. Mary’s parochial school classroom building in Fennimore. —Bruce Schellinger tied for third place  in the state tractor operators’ contest held July 9 in Madison. Bruce is a member of the Stitzer Go-Getters 4-H Club.
    FORTY YEARS AGO (1979)—The “key issue” at the upcoming Fennimore School District annual meeting will be the possibility of purchasing an 8.02 acre parcel of land from Mr. and Mrs. Theran Dempsey for a bus repair garage. The meeting will be held July 23 at 8 p.m.
     THIRTY YEARS AGO (1989)—A budget of $4,466,999 for the 1989-90 school year was adopted by the Fennimore Community School District Board of Education. —Kimberly Goold received a letter from Barbara Bush, wife of President George Bush. Kimberly had sent a letter to Mrs. Bush after Millie, the Bush’s dog, gave birth to a litter of puppies.
    TWENTY YEARS AGO (1999)—“As well or better than expected” is the report from those involved with the Wisconsin Farm Progress Days Show held on a host of farms west of Lancaster last week.
    TEN YEARS AGO (2009)—Emily Doan received the Resident of the Year Award from St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa, given to a university resident who exemplifies the qualities of an “Ambrosian.”