MEETING MINUTES
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Thompson Community Center
PROGRAM SUMMARY
“The Appleton Picture Show”
CALL TO ORDER BY PRESIDENT TOM SUTTER
TOTAL ATTENDANCE: 50
OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE:
Tom Sutter, James Richter, Laura Leimer, Mark Moderson, John Marx, Brian Schneider, David Buss, Gwen Sargeant, Linda Muldoon.
REVIEW OF UPCOMING MEETINGS AND PROGRAMS:
December 6th AHS History Fair, City Center, Downtown Appleton
January – Hearthstone –“ The Making of a Museum”, Ed and Clare Hilgendorf
February - Valley Fair Mall - Jason Weber
March - St. Joseph’s – Frank Groh
April – Secura Insurance – Steve Smits
May – Jews in Appleton - Jerry Zabronsky
August – Growing up in the 60s – Jim Krueger
November – Appleton Picture Show
APPLETON HISTORICAL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION:
· AHS Officers:
A. President - Thomas Sutter
B. Vice President - Christine Williams
C. Secretary – James Richter
D. Treasurer – Laura Leimer
· AHS Board of Directors:
A. Terms through November 2017:
1. Mark Moderson
2. John Marx
3. Laura Leimer
4. Diana Sandberg
B. Terms through November 2016:
1. Linda Muldoon
2. Jim Krueger
3. Gwen Sargeant
4. Brian Schneider
C. Terms through November 2015:
1. Tom Sutter
2. Christine Williams
3. James Richter
· Committee Chairs for the organization are as follows:
A. Mark and Karen Moderson, Principal Organizers
B. Brian Schneider, Technical Resources
C. David Buss, Research Specialist
D. Gwen Sargeant, Public Relations and Web Page
PRESIDENT SUTTER ANNOUNCEMENTS:
A. Greetings extended to members and guests.
B. Our thanks to Sandy Benton and Fox River Academy 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade Students for last month’s program on Appleton’s Ravines-Rivers Ran Through Them. Our own Gwen Sargeant also participated.
C. As reported previously the AHS Board has been working with Matthew Payne on solutions for acoustics and sound in the Thompson Community Center Main Hall. We have made arrangements and any of the audience who are hearing impaired should see President Tom for assistance.
D. Our deepest appreciation goes to Tim and Margie Garvey, who in a letter to AHS Treasurer Laura Leimer, have donated a check for $1,000.00. The donation was made in memory of Willard J. and Mary Garvey. The money will be used for AHS media projects. 1. Raw videos have been made by Matthew Payne and Kay Forton of all our Public Meetings. The Board has voted to use the donation to put these in a professional format.
E. Historic Lock Tours will be given by the Fox Wisconsin Heritage Parkway to a pre-sold group tour from the Milwaukee area on June 24, 2015. This will also include several boat excursions.
F. We also just received a donation of $100.00 in memory of Betty J. Steffens Engstrom.
G. We do not meet in December, but will have our History Fair on December 6th in the morning at the City Center and the indoor farm market. Be sure to attend and let your friends know about it. Heck, even let your enemies know about it—we will make them friends of history.
H. The door prize of a Two Bergstrom Car Wash Tickets was won by Dave Kalz.
I. Sutter recognized all members, guests, and volunteers for making our meetings and special events a great success in 2014.
AHS ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING:
Sutter reminded us that November 12th is our Annual Business Meeting:
A. 27 Voting Members present.
B. Treasurers Report presented.
C. Proceeded with election of Board Members, elected to serve three year terms ending in November 2017 are: Diana Sandberg, and re-elected are Mark Moderson, John Marx, and Laura Leimer.
D. Special thanks to David Buss for his service on the Board as he steps down after three years.
AHS COMMUNICATIONS REPORTS:
A summary of upcoming programs and events was presented.
SPECIAL GUEST REPRESENTING EINSTEIN MIDDLE SCHOOL:
Donna McClelland, 8th Grade English and History Teacher at Einstein Middle School reported on a project her classes chose for 2014-2015.
A. This year McClelland and her class wanted to do a local history project:
1. They wanted to include a historic fiction piece.
2. One project accomplished was titled “Marking the Fox”.
3. She asked Tom Sutter for help.
4. She also spoke to Nick Hoffman at The History Museum at the Castle.
B. She and her class put together 120 historic stories this year:
1. Each author/student made a plaque with a picture or object, beneath which their story or description was shown.
2. School Tech Ed classes assisted with making the plaques.
3. The History Museum at the Castle displayed all the items at the Castle through the past summer. They expect to continue the display until February.
AHS 9th History Fair:
Jim Richter, Co-Chairman, of the AHS History Fair spoke on extensive planning underway for our 9th History Fair, which will be held on December 6, 2014. He and Co-Chair Mark Moderson have arranged a wide variety of historical exhibits. The focus of this event will be on “Appleton Christmas Past”. Exhibits will include Appleton’s Toy and Children’s Furniture Manufacturers, Tuttle Press Christmas Products, and Victorian Christmas Items.
He urged the audience to contact he and Mark if anyone would like to exhibit or supply items for exhibit on the above mentioned items, as well as other Appleton historical pieces. All were urged to attend the event which has free access.
PROGRAM : Appleton Picture Show
Presenters:
AHS’s own Gwen Sargeant and Brian Schneider.
The Presentation:
Gwen and Brian explained that for the past three years we have been allocating our November Regular Monthly Meeting to a show and tell session. We invite our members and guests to bring in for the meeting their historic pictures, and artifacts. We then scan and project these items on a large screen for all to see. The provider is given the opportunity to explain a bit about the item and how they obtained it. By scanning these items AHS has been able to have a continuous record in our files. Many of these scanned items will be appearing in our Appleton History Book that is being published.
Tom Sutter added that we are looking for old home movies of Appleton, parades, sites, etc. that we can group together. Maybe we can have a movie night at one of our future meetings.
Items Projected to the Audience with Providers Comments:
A. Gwen Sargeant:
(A) 1956 Picture of Appleton Papers Employees, including Bernice Gosz- a rare female employee.
(B) 1941 First Communion Class at St. Therese Catholic Church, includes student Bernice Gosz.
B. Larry Bell:
(1) 1st Appleton Hockey Team, which included his dad Walter, uncle Bruno Bell, and well known Appletonian Percy Sharp.
(2) Several pictures of his family.
(3) Picture of Appleton Pure Milk Company truck just off Richmond Street. Larry’s dad drove a truck for them in the 1940’s.
(4) A wicked winter storm.
(5) Zwicker’s Shoe Repair Shop, 100 Block of South Walnut Street.
(6) Several pictures of the first Memorial Drive Bridge (then Cherry Street) under construction.
(7) Appleton winter scenes with trees bent over from heavy snow.
C. Terry Timmers:
(1) Fifth Ward School (known as Washington School) 1921-1922. Building is on 800 Block of West Elsie Street. Picture portrays his father Bob Timmers in his 1st Grade Class.
(2) Again at same school, The American City League Softball Champs for 1933. Bob Timmers was a team member and the team was sponsored by Voelker Bakery.
D. Lynn, (Family Pictures):
(1) A Picture of a funeral procession down College Avenue after World War I. Her grandfather’s body was being transported.
(2) Gmeiner’s Ice Cream Parlor, 135 E. College Avenue, Pre 1937. Her aunt, an employee is pictured.
E. Lawrence University Pictures:
(1) Campus view.
(2) Ormsby Hall in distance.
(3) Russell Sage Dormitory.
(4) Main Hall.
(5) L. U. Memorial Chapel.
(6) 1st College Avenue Bridge built about 1959.
(7) Masonic Temple, now the home of the Outagamie Museum.
F.Miscellaneous Pictures Origin Unknown:
(1) Original Appleton YMCA at corner of Lawrence and Oneida Streets:
(a) Had rooms to let.
(b) Appleton High School Terrors Den was at the south entrance.
(c) Had cafeteria in basement.
(2) Sherman House Hotel at corner of N. Oneida and Washington Streets.
(3) L.U. Russell Sage Dormitory.
(4) Princess Confectionery and Florist.
(5) Outagamie County Insane Asylum.
(6) St. Elizabeth’s Hospital – 1920’s.
(7) Original Appleton Memorial Hospital.
(8) A J. C. Penney Ad Card on “Jumping Jacks”.
(9) Downtown AAL Building looking west, note big AAL sign at top).
(10) Original Faith Lutheran Church at the corner of Glendale and Union Streets.
(11) Marcell’s Restaurant (current site of the P.A.C.).
(12) Outagamie Bank and it’s new building in the 1960’s.
(13) McDonald’s Ad Card early years.
(14) Original Holiday Inn on Highway 41 at County U.
(15) Wisconsin Michigan Power Company Office and retail store at northeast corner
of Washington and Appleton Streets. (later site of Appleton City Hall) (currently
parking lot for the Appleton Public Library.
G. Peter:
(1) Appleton Memorial Hospital, February 1958.
H. Carol McIntyre (Liethen):
(1) Charles Bohl family near Mackville Road (a thrashing scene).
(2) Aerial photo of old Appleton Yacht Club and up Pierce hill going to AYC (early
1940’s).
(3)Aerial photo of north end of Stroebe Island (had a large club house on end of
island).
(4)Aerial photo of AYC, along with Pierce and Alicia Parks.
(5)Outagamie Airport when located at corner of Glendale Avenue and Ballard Road.
(6)Aerial view of Erb Park “Birdbath Pool”.
(7)Water level view of Appleton Yacht Club.
(8)Liethen family first yacht at the Appleton Boat Club.
I.David Kalz:
(1)Stereograph of 1867-Outagamie Mills and the Chair Factory.
J. Terry Maves:
(1)Picture of Ballard Farm, an octagon house (site of current Ballard Road
Community First Credit Union branch). Originally owned by C.E. Ballard.
Terry’s mom was one of C.E.’s five daughters. Harry Ballard started the First
English Lutheran Church.
President Sutter’s Closing Comments:
Let us recognize how much this organization has accomplished in a mere four years of existence. He quotes from the Karen Probst funeral eulogy; "From the past will come the future. What it holds a mystery." But nothing in history or life is inevitable and it takes the good efforts of us all to work towards a better world for us all. May the blessings of the holidays and the New Year be with all of you.
Respectfully, James L. Richter
AHS Secretary, 11/29/14