26 years ago PRESCOTT JOURNAL

Jan. 23, 1996 New telephone system makes schools better and saferBy By R. E. Herman It’s been 120 years since Alexander Bell patented the telephone, but for the first time since its invention teachers at a Prescott school are able to have easy access to the now mundane communications device – and it has many of them quite excited.

Until the installation of a new telephone system in the schools, teachers were almost inaccessible during class hours, and, even after school, they had to wait in line if they needed to call someone.

According to Malone Principal Scott Halverson, the recent early closings of the school have already demonstrated the importance of having more phones and classroom access as the teachers were able to quickly contact all parents who needed to be reached for notification in a much shorter time span. There are now seven classrooms equipped with telephones for teacher use.

“We love it,” said teacher Jane St. Onge. “On the early dismissal days it was really nice. But the value does not stop with this simple practicality…“ It’s been most useful in the classroom,” said Bob Mitchell…In short, Halverson feels the new telephone system improves all those areas of educational and safety concerns for teachers and parents alike. And both groups seem extremely happy with the new system.

40 years ago PRESCOTT JOURNAL

Jan. 28, 1982 City digs out from a 36.9inch snowfall, 17 inches on Wednesday and 19.9 inches on Friday Pierce Voter Poll Reports Reagan policies may hurt farmers Poor economic conditions and a lack of news about Wisconsin government and politics were two major concerns expressed by Pierce County, Wisconsin, residents in a countywide poll taken Jan. 6-9 One survey response pinpoints a problem that is characteristic of many parts of western Wisconsin. Forty-five respondents listed a lack of Wisconsin news as a major problem, and when asked to grade the performance of local legislators, a significant number did not recognize their names. Steve Gunderson, the area’s U.S. representative, received a 36.5 percent non-familiarity response. State Sen. James Harsdorf was not familiar to 26 percent of the respondents. States Representatives Jule Berndt and Robert Harer, whose districts divide Pierce County, were given non-familiarity ratings of 61.0 percent and 70.5 percent respectively.

55 years ago Pierce County Journal Jan. 26, 1967 Doug Murphy in Germany U.S. Serviceman ships out to Frankfurt, Germany from Fort Dix, New Jersey Church Changes Its Name The congregation of the Church of God at Ellsworth has voted to change the name of their assembly to The Apostolic Church. Although it is an independent church, it has been mistakenly identified with a national organization of another denomination on several occasions.

The Pastor of the Church is Rev. Henry E. Peterson, R.R. 3, Ellsworth, who is a member of the International Ministerial Association.

Services are held Sunday morning with Sunday School for all ages at 10:00 a.m. and morning worship at 11:00 a.m.

The Church holds services in the St. John’s building at the corner of Piety and Strickland.

70 years ago THE RIVER FALLS JOURNAL Jan. 24, 1952 Aliens Must Report On Address Each Year Attorney General J. Howard McGrath today reminded all aliens residing in the United States of the address report requirements of the Internal Security Act of 1950. Some aliens are apparently under the impression that if they registered under the Alien Registration Act of 1940 they need not comply with the address report requirements of the Internal Security Act of 1950.

This is an erroneous impression. Resident aliens must file the Address Report EVERY year.

85 years ago ELLSWORTH RECORD Feb. 4, 1937 Mother of Martell Lady Dies In Fire Mrs. T. M. Thorson, mother of Mrs. Neal Hoseid of Martell township, burned to death Tuesday in her home in Dewey township near Superior. Mrs. Thorson, 69 years old, met her death when she ran back into her burning home in an attempt to save some of her personal belongings. The fire in the home was caused by an overheated stove. Her husband escaped uninjured. Her son-in-law, Harry Vicklund, who lives near the Thorson home, attempted to rescue her but was blocked by the flames.

Mr. and Mrs. Hoseid of Martell left for Superior this (Thursday) morning to attend the funeral which is to be held Friday.

Sand Prairie Road Will Be Re-Built The old sand prairie road leading from Bay City toward Red Wing will be improved over its entire length of five miles at a cost estimated at $25,000, it was learned last week after a committee of Bay City taxpayers interviewed Wisconsin Highway department officials at Madison. Work will begin in the early spring, it was promised.

The road in its present condition has had no improvements of any consequence since it was first graded and as a result it is practically impassible in the spring of the year. Lack of drainage facilities causes water to run to the center of the road causing many small pools, sometimes too deep for a car to navigate.

Other stretches still to be improved are from Prescott to Hager City and Bay City to Pepin. 100 years ago PRESCOTT TRIBUNE Jan. 26, 1922 AID THE PREACHER The preachers in this town are doing their best to make it a better place in which to live.

Come and work with them, side by side.

Do not sit in the bleachers and scoff.

No American would live in a town where there are no churches, but churches cannot exist without the hearty cooperation of men and women who want the best for themselves and their children.

Support some church with your time, your energy, and your ability.

Congregational Church invites you.

Curvin Elmer Brenneman, pastor.

115 years ago RIVER FALLS JOURNAL Jan. 24, 1907 Neighborhood News NEW CENTERVILLE Quite a number of logs are being hauled to the saw mill.

John Nelson is convalescing after a severe attack of lung fever. DONEGAL H. J. McMahon is on the sick list.

Most of the farmers in this vicinity are putting up ice.

Charley Stirrat is confined to his home with the measles.

140 years ago

PIERCE COUNTY PLAINDEALER Prescott, Wisconsin Feb. 3, 1882 The Kentucky legislature has defeated the bill restoring the whipping post.

Last season was the largest and most profitable in the history of La Crosse. During the season 140,000,000 feet of lumber was sawed.

160 years ago THE PRESCOTT JOURNAL Jan. 29, 1862 War Correspondence from western Missouri Jan. 17, 1862 Mr. Editor:—The Wis. 12th Regiment are at last “in Dixie.” We left Camp Randall about 9 o’clock on the morning of the 14th. There are few things that are worth mentioning in an ordinary railroad trip, and as the car windows were coated with frost I saw nothing on the journey through Wisconsin and Illinois; so I have nothing to write save the common-place things: that we took coffee at Harvard on Saturday, arrived at Chicago early in the evening of the same day, marched through some of the principal streets to the great Central Union Depot, had coffee served to us in the cars, and left by the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Road at 9 p.m.

(colder as proceeding south, many obstacles such as partially frozen river met and overcome on the way, arrival at Hannibal) They gave a woeful account of things; laid it all to the election of Lincoln; said they might be still enjoying their former prosperity if they had their former president; that the South could never be conquered by abolitionism; they (the South) were fighting for their rights, etc, nevertheless they were good union men (so they said), “as good as the Lord ever made.” I made up my mind that Southern union men were rather shaky…(regiment moves along to Macon City)…As we passed along we were greeted by cheers from unionists, or met the surly glances of rebels. Now and then we caught sight of a picket or a sentinel guarding a bridge. Each place had its story. Here a bridge or station house had been burned, and there the track torn up.

(arrive at St. Joseph, quartered in churches) All sorts of rumors are afloat, but we can only act the soldier’s part, obey and wait.

Yours, B. B. Comstock