‘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 7, 2011 – Mrs. Payne’s third grade class at Seneca Schools made Florence Kozelka’s 90th birthday extra special by sending her many birthday wishes. A couple weeks later Florence visited the school to thank the students in person. She brought them some chocolate chips cookies and while she was there she gave the children some words of wisdom. Florence said, “be honest with yourself as well as others and read, read, read anything you can get your hands on.”… North Crawford graduating seniors featured in this week’s paper were Megan Cisneros, Kayla Fortney, Lucas Cox, Danielle Furo and Tom Gillespie.
TWENTY YEARS AGO
APRIL 5, 2001 – It is not official yet but it appears Lynxville’s Stan Hagensick may have broken the state record for a flathead catfish by 10 pounds when he landed a monster weighing 74 pounds, 12 ounces while fishing on the Mississippi River. Hagensick says he will probably mount the big fish and may put it on display at the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame in Hayward.
THIRTY YEARS AGO
APRIL 11, 1991 – Due to a policy decision by school officials, one of the state’s best runners did not participate in the Wisconsin Track and Field Association state indoor championships held at Camp Randall Memorial Sports Center in Madison. Heather Murphy, a North Crawford High School athlete, was invited to participate due to her past record. She had won the Class C 800-meter championship in last year’s WIAA meet and also won the WIAA Class C cross country title. Although the invitation was for Murphy alone, Coach Shelly Biggin’s request to send her to the meet was rejected with Robert Formanek, North Crawford principal and athletic director, saying the track program is a team sport and that the entire team should go. Biggin agreed and asked that the entire Trojan team be invited to the meet. Track and Field Association officials agreed. However, another snag developed due to a conflict in events, some members of the track team are in music, and the district contest was scheduled for the same day and therefore the track team was not permitted to run in the meet in Madison. The action to keep the team or Heather, as an individual, from running in the meet has caused controversy.
FORTY YEARS AGO
APRIL 9, 1981 – The second annual April Food program for students at North Crawford middle school had competitors fighting for first place of the loudest cheering section and on the obstacle course, racing with miniature tricycles. The faculty team received a “trip under the sun.” A paper hat which simulated the sun; eight grade was awarded a “diamond pin,” better recognized as a dime and a pin; seventh grade won a “dinner setting,” a paper plate, plastic cup, paper napkin and plastic tableware. A special prize went to the seventh grade cheering section for yelling the loudest; theirs was a new sound system, which turned out to be a plastic whistle.
FIFTY YEARS AGO
APRIL 8, 1971 – Local election results for Village and Town President/ Chairman: Gays Mills, President, Oliver Lightfoot; Mt. Sterling, Chairman, Myles Hanson; Bell Center, President, Leo McDonald; Freeman, Chairman, Alven Natwick; Utica, Chairman, Russell Moldrem; Haney, Chairman, Kenneth Schwert; Marietta, Chairman, Claire Straka; Scott, Chairman, Keith Remington; Clayton, Chairman, Stanley Peterson.
SIXTY YEARS AGO
APRIL 5, 1961 – Town of Utica voters, in one of the most spirited spring elections in memory, apparently voted out taverns Tuesday. This year’s “wet” or “dry” vote marked the seventh consecutive time Utica voters have expressed a preference for or against the sale of beer and liquor.
