Clark County Press, Neillsville, WI May 7, 1992, Page 24

In the earliest days of Clark County, its population consisted largely of men; few women and children lived here until after 1855. Settlements were isolated, consisting of a few houses here and there near a mill or temporary lumber camps.

James O’Neill, in 1854, was made Superintendent of schools of Pine Valley, then including the whole county, and a school tax of 2½ mills was voted.

In the next twenty years school of a primitive sort were established in various neighborhoods, at a rate of about two per year. The first rural schoolhouses built during that time were made of logs. The school building was used also for religious services in some areas or vice versa, the small churches were used for schools.

The first school report appearing in the county records was rendered by R. J. Sawyer, Superintendent November 1874. On August 1, 1873, there were 1.718 scholars in the county between the ages of four and twenty years. There were thirty-eight schoolhouses valued at $12,210, having maps, supplies, etc, valued at $1,254, capable of accommodating 1,481 scholars.

On August 1, 1874 there were 2,000 scholars between the ages of four and twenty years, fifty-one schoolhouses, valued at $31,500.39, capable of accommodating 2,798 scholars. The expenses were $26,010.52

Then five years later, in 1879, there were sixty-three school districts; in 1889 there were one-hundred-six with 6,396 students.

The 1890 census recorded three high schools as well as one at Unity (one-half of its territory was in Clark County) the other three were Neillsville, Colby and Humbird.

At one time, there were two school buildings located on the block between State and Court Streets with Fifth (Fourth) Street on the north side of the block. The graded school building along State Street (to the left in the photo) was built in 1872. It served for the elementary grades and high school classes until 1906 when a new building (to the right) was erected. The new facility was for high school students and the old building served as the grade school. A third school, the Northside School (as the name implies) was located between 11^th and 12^th Streets, along Prospect Street. (Photo provided by Ken Olson.)

The Columbia School was a two room building for many years. In the early years, the Dewhurst School was about a mile and a half south of Columbia. It was known as the Primmer School and existed until the larger school in Columbia was built. It was the first school in Wisconsin to have school buses for transporting its students to and from school. Then the two consolidated. The photo was taken in about 1906 with Mr. Barber as the teacher. (Photo contributed by Ruby Yndogliato.)

“Thirteen municipalities of southern Clark County Monday night entered into a formal agreement to establish a Municipal Ambulance Service… The agreement is the culmination of several weeks of consideration…. “

“Approximately 115 members of Royal and Accepted Mason lodges in central Wisconsin attended a banquet observing the diamond jubilee [50 year] anniversary of Neillsville Chapter No. 66, R. A. M., in the Masonic Temple here last Saturday evening.”

An “Auction Calendar” on the front page listed seven auctions in the eight day period from April 15 through April 22.

“Ministers of four area denominations will take part in a panel discussion on the meaning of the ecumenical council and what the future holds at a meeting of church women in the United Church of Christ today… A film entitled, ‘A Foundation for Dialogue,’ will be shown as a part of the program.”

Page 1 lead story, “Hediger-Swiss Bells installed in Tower at the United Church; Dedication is planned May 14.” Four photo-engravings showed the bells and the process of installing them. The 15 tune bells were manufactured in a 700 year-old bell foundry in Switzerland and they range in weight from 75 pounds for the smallest to 3,300 pounds for the largest.

“A grand opening of the Sears Catalog Merchant store in Neillsville, under the new ownership of Bob and Anita Lulloff, will be held this Thursday, Friday and Saturday.” Roses, yardsticks and balloons were given out all three days. Drawings were held for a portable radio, a clock radio, and five prizes of Wisconsin cheese.

“Press moves to New Home This Week-end; Will Occupy Its Permanent Location On Seventh Street, Neillsville.” In connection with the move, a subscription special was in effect: persons bringing in eggs they had produced would be credited at 5¢ above market value for each dozen. There was also a cash reward for the heaviest egg and the egg which traveled the farthest distance. The offer was later made in the Granton area and then in the Willard area as well.

At this time, Wells F. Harvey was the editor and publisher, Robert Harvey news editor, John Harvey advertising manager, and Wells F. Harvey, Jr., was circulation manager.

The Press placed first in the state in “contributions to agriculture in 1941-42.” The article which announced this detailed the entry and also stated, “In the last four years The Clark County Press has been awarded firsts in the state competition for community service, circulation promotion (in both of which it received top national recognition in 1940) newspaper promotion, local reporting, front page makeup, and contribution to agriculture.”

Neillsville High School graduation was set for Tuesday, May 5 at the Armory. A canopy to be hung over the auditorium was an American flag fashioned of tissue paper. Additionally, of the 75 class members, one third would wear red gowns, one third white gowns, and one third blue gowns. You probably know some of the members of the class of ’42. here are just a few: Art Drescher, James Hauge, Marvin Hemp, Billy Kuechenmeister, Donald Kunze, and Milton Schoenfeld. Baccalaureate services for the class were scheduled for Sunday evening at the Methodist Church, with a baccalaureate sermon by Rev. Obed Asp.

A Central Press photo on page two showed a “Sure Sign of Spring—The Circus.”

The local Coast-to-Coast store advertised tools “For Your Victory Garden.” Prices ranged from 19¢ to $1.15.

The Inwood Ballroom at Hatfield advertised a dance scheduled for Thursday, April 30 with “Moeller’s Accordion Band.” It continued, “Playing Choicest Old Time and Modern Music! W. O. J. Recording artists, Bohemian, German, Scandinavian and American Music.”

“Dan Wallace has taken the position as buttermaker at the Globe creamery and has moved here from Alma Center… “

“C. M. Moody was a pleasant caller at this office Monday and stated that he had had a most peculiar co-incidence called to his attention by John Hadley of Waukegan a short time ago. Mr. Hadley was one of seven brothers, six of whom were killed by lightning in different parts of the world, Mr. John Hadley being the only surviving member of the family.”

A front page editorial dealt with a public condemnation of the paper by an itinerant preacher “at a dry meeting Sunday night.” The preacher criticized the Times for publishing “an advertisement authorized and paid for by wet advocates.” The editorial explained, “Advertising is the stock in trade of a newspaper and is sold in much the same manner that the merchant sells his dry goods, drugs, hardware or groceries. Were it not for the advertising, a country newspaper would be a very unprofitable line of work and the newspaper man is indeed fortunate who can afford to discriminate and refuse one man’s money for his stock in favor of another.” Also in the Times’ defense, the editorial continued, “It is not prima facie evidence that because the Times advertise Calumet baking powder that the editor uses it; that because W. J. Marsh advertises ladies coats and suits in the Times that the editor wears them; that because C. C. Sniteman Co. advertises louse powder that the editor uses it; that because Stelloh Bros. advertise automobiles that the editor owns one…” The appropriate headline for the editorial was “You Are Damned If You Do and Damned If You Don’t.”

Page 5 carried some reprints from other publications. Some were more literary in type, such as “Lost On The Desert,” by W. W. Price, in Overland Monthly: It began: “I now had every reason to believe that I was lost, yet a half hope that I might find some trail leading to the other side rolled me on. The sun was low in the west, and long shadows stretched from the rocky peaks over the bleak brown hills. A lonely feeling of fear and baffled plans came over me. Night was approaching; I was lost in the desert hills, without water and without grass…”

And quoting the N.Y. Herald, under the headline, Dangerous Experiments”: “There is a scientific person in England just at present who apparently spends his whole time in hanging newly born infants to a branch of a tree; or rather it is the infants who hang themselves, in consequence of the scientific person’s encouragement and advice. The branch is put in an infant’s hands, and is then lifted into the air, when it is found that the infant will retain its hold and remain suspended by its hands for fully two minutes. The object of this performance is to show that man is descended from the monkey.

It is the scientific person’s opinion that if an infant instinctively hangs by its hands from a branch of a tree it is because it has inherited a fondness for that athletic sport from its simian ancestors.”

Another item on page 5: “In February, 1877, Queen Victoria received from the empress of Brazil a dress woven entirely of spider’s webs, which for fineness and beauty is said to surpass the most splendid silk.”

Back page, “Local Matters,” “A mud-curdling rain fell Wednesday morning.”

“Officers have a clue to the dog poisoner, and arrest will follow in a few days. The clue is a sure one. We advise the party to skip out and stay skipped.

“Berton L. Bailey of Greenwood has gone west, to work at his trade, and for his health. He will settle in Colorado, Kansas or Arizona.”

“The B. R. Log D. Association has commenced the construction of a log boom at Ross Eddy, south of the city, to keep the logs in the current and protect property.”

“A 12 year old son of Register of Deeds Zassenhaus broke his arm last Saturday in a fall to the ground and Dr. Esch set the bone and put him on the way to recovery.”