Way Back When


 The Thorp Courier  --   August 30, 2006
 


Here’s three little characters all set for their first day of school. Their hair is carefully combed, their clothes finely pressed, and their faces scrubbed till shiny. Who are these three youngsters and which school building are they about to enter for the start of a new year?

Last Week's Photo:

Myrtle Babbitt called in right away to identify [last week's] picture of the old public library as the Thorp Moose Lodge, located at the intersection of North Lincoln and West Main Streets.

Mary Ogurek also called Friday morning with information concerning our library’s history. The Thorp Courier’s editor and publisher, Mr. William Wagner, along with George Parkhill, called upon the state librarian to ask for the official organization of a Thorp Public Library, and in 1898, the library was begun. Its 120 volumes were originally housed in the rooms above the newspaper. Wagner resigned his post in July of 1899, and at that time the Thorp Women’s Union Club was organized for the purpose of raising funds for the library. Books were moved to a location on West Main Street. By 1925, the Women’s Union had raised funds and on February 2, 1926, the Thorp Public Library opened at its new location at the intersection of West Main and North Lincoln Street (building in photo last week). The building’s total cost was $4,202, with the Red Cross raising additional funds for plumbing and heating installation and furnishings. Eileen Frenette called in to say that the librarian at the time was Edith Brunner, whose husband was the town’s blacksmith.

The library remained at that location until November 1, 1969, when it moved to its present location, at the building donated by Francis and Min Conway. Thorp Boy Scouts helped with the move. Juanita Schmidt was the head librarian at that time, and Nyda Ahles and Mary Ogurek were her assistants.

 
"Way Back When" was transcribed by Dolores Mohr Kenyon

 

Submit a Response

 

**This Clark Co., WI Internet Library, ALHN & AHGP website is dedicated to the free sharing of information by researchers, local historians, genealogists and educators.  Because of our non-profit status, submissions are not to be used for profiteering of any kind.   If you are charged transcribing fees or more than the actual cost of information provided by anyone claiming to be associated with this site, please inform us.  We reserve the right to ban the involvement of anyone who intentionally disregards these policies.  Promotion of research services or publications is not permitted on these pages, or by our representatives without the prior endorsement of the site overseers.  If you need professional help, we recommend contacting an accredited genealogist.  Our volunteers do not accept tips.  Please show your appreciation for this database by Becoming a Clark County History Buff or making a contribution to our Support Fund and Perpetual Preservation Account to help keep this Clark Co., WI database freely available on the World Wide Web and free from commercial enterprise.

 

*** This copyrighted Clark Co., Wis. genealogy and history material is used on this nonprofit site with permission of the submitter.  Contact us if you are personally aware of anyone using this submitted data inappropriately.  It may not be copied and posted on any commercial genealogy sites such as Family Tree Maker or the merged companies Ancestry.Com/RootsWeb/MyFamily or sold for personal profit.


Report Broken Links

ALHN & AHGP HOME PAGE

 

This page is a part of the Clark County, WI Internet Library Project

Every submission is protected by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998.

~~The Clark Co., Wisconsin History Buffs maintain these pages in support of Free On-line History & Genealogy~~