‘Years Ago’ is a compilation of newsy tidbits as published in the Crawford County Independent & Kickapoo Scout on this week ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty or sixty years ago.
TEN YEARS AGO
APRIL 14, 2011 – Local organic orchard owner, Greg Welsh received the Ray Hass Pioneer Award last Friday night during activities leading up to the Organic Valley Annual Meeting. Welsh, who owns the Turkey Ridge Organic Orchard near Gays Mills with his wife Faye, received the award for a lifetime spent working in and advocating for organic agriculture… Faith Morga as Little Red Riding Hood questions the identify of the wolf, played by Dylan Finnell, in North Crawford’s fourth grade class performance of ‘Little Red Riding Hood.’
TWENTY YEARS AGO
APRIL 12, 2001 – Water cascades out of a tub at Star Valley’s new bathtub spring. The latest version replaces the old spring, which was shut down by the county last year when the water in it was found to contain coliform bacteria. No one seems to know who’s responsible for creating the new spring including the bathtub and stainless steel pipe. According to Pearl Swiggum, the popular watering spot was started before she was born. Pearl lived across the road from the spring for years, and remembers that it was used by many people including teams who came by to water their horses, and others who came from all around to fill jugs with the drinking water.
THIRTY YEARS AGO
APRIL 18, 1991 – The Madison Arts Players is comprised of six musicians who are students at UW-Madison. They will hold two performances at North Crawford High School on Monday. The group includes Craig Baldwin, piano; Anna Gmur, mezzo-soprano; David Gibbs, saxophone; Jon Vriesacker violin; Deanna Gibeau, soprano; Betsy Rhodes, French horn… The Big Buck Rod-n-Gun Club held its fourth annual turkey calling contest at the American Legion Hall in Soldiers Grove. The judges were Norm Sandmire, Bob Gates and John Nelson. The winners in the 11 and younger category were Laramie McClurg and Sheena George; in the 12 to 17 year group Jesse Knoble and Tim Schultz; and in the adult category, Larry Maier and Tim Timmerman. Dave Benzing won the owl hoot contest.
FORTY YEARS AGO
APRIL 16, 1981 – Kim Eick holds the record for situps at Seneca South Elementary School. Kim did 1,010 situps in one hour and 25 minutes as part of a physical fitness test being conducted at the school. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Roger Eick of rural Ferryville… Readstown produced one of its heavier turnouts in an election that was hotly contested in local races. The big issue was the sale of alcoholic beverages on Sunday and voters approved it by a three-vote margin: 101 yes, 98 no.
FIFTY YEARS AGO
APRIL 15, 1971 – Emerth Aspenson, rural Gays Mills, Chairman of the Crawford County Farm Bureau’s membership drive, made his quota of new members and won a trip to Washington, D.C. Mr. and Mrs. Aspenson with a group of 85 Wisconsin Farm Bureau members boarded a charter plane at Madison for a two-day tour of the nation’s capital… A semi-truck carrying three new farm tractors went off Highway 27 at Mt. Sterling at 8:15 a.m. on Tuesday.
SIXTY YEARS AGO
APRIL 12, 1961 – Representing Gays Mills High School at the state Solo-Ensemble Music Contest in Madison will be Roger Churness, baritone solo, and Judy Burkum and Greg Curley, soprano and tenor duet. They competed in the music contest at La Crosse on Saturday. In the new system of contest grading there are five possible grades in three classes and only the winners in class A are eligible for state competition.
