This week in local history

Waverly Newspapers has old issues in bound volumes going back to at least 1971. We are taking advantage of this vast historical resource to take a trip down memory lane, recalling what was once newsworthy and seeing how much things have changed over the decades.

50 years ago

The Waverly Jaycees started Jaycee Week by honoring community leaders in business, religion, education, farming and community service, including the husband/wife team of August Waltmann (Distinguished Service Award) and Barbara Waltmann (Outstanding Young Religious Leader), we learn in a front-page story in the Jan. 21, 1975, issue of the Bremer County Independent.

Other award winners were Harvey Brinkman (Boss of the Year), David Epley (Outstanding Young Farmer) and Ed Van Hemert (Outstanding Young Educator).

A two-day Dairy School Jan. 30 and Feb. 6 would discuss topics of current interest and concern to Butler-Bremer dairymen, a front-page article in this issue reports. On the schedule were talks about improving a herd through genetics and the advantages of artificial insemination versus natural sire use. The program would be held at Carver’s Restaurant in Waverly.

Also in this issue, we see that Waverly’s four letter carriers would start handling parcels as well as letters, using their Jeep carriers and moving away from parcel delivery by truck. The carriers were John Droste, Robert Bowen, Leo Sinnott and Bob Sebilsky.

We read in this issue that Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Poock of Readlyn had recently attended a national no-tillage and farm business conference in Honolulu, Hawaii.

“The conference focused on methods of no-tillage farming and included tours of no-tillage plots planted especially for the conference so that farmers could view no-till crops at the growing,” we learn.

Fifty years ago, The Waverly Theatre was showing “Pardon my Blooper” (“based on radio & T.V.’s most hilarious boners!”) and “The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams” (“The True story of a man exiled in the wilderness and how he learns to survive”).

This week in 1975, American Legion Post 176 was offering its annual oyster stew and chili benefit supper for $1.50 at the Legion Hall in downtown Waverly; at Jack & Jill Food Center, Braunschweiger was 69 cents a pound; and at the Allen Travel Agency on West Bremer Avenue, a 17-day Florida “Fun In Sun” scenic tour with Hawkeye Stage cost $355 per person.

40 years ago

Information about a “Send a Singer” fundraiser for the Waverly-Shell Rock High School Choir was published in the Jan. 22, 1985, issue of the Bremer County Independent.

“Chamber Choir members will be selling special McDonald’s certificates which can be redeemed at McDonald’s restaurant at Willow Lawn Mall in Waverly. McDonald’s will contribute 50 cents for every certificate sold by the Chamber Choir,” the article states. Money raised was to help fund the Chamber Choir trip to Vienna the following summer.

The race for the Bremer County Beef Queen had commenced, we see in a top story in the Jan. 24, 1985, issue of the Waverly Democrat. The six candidates seeking the honor were Debra Lohmann of Readlyn, Robyn Pipho of Tripoli, Lisa Poock of Sumner, Kristi Pries of Waverly, Kelly Rich of Sumner and Kendra Schweer of Readlyn.

A front-page story in this issue discussed the three-year nursing program that had previously been offered by the Sisters of Mercy at the old St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Waverly, from 1909 to 1931. Two former graduates, Anna Gerken (age 94) and Mattie Lynes shared memories of their time there.

“In those days, the hospital was at the edge of town and its large plot of land included two barns where the Sisters kept cows, chickens and pigs which were cared for by the janitor,” the article reads.

“Mattie Lynes, 84, of Waverly, entered the nursing school in 1924. At that time, student quarters were on the first floor of the hospital, ‘except when you were on night duty, and then you slept in the attic,’ Lynes recalls.”

After completing a probationary period, the nursing students were paid $5 per month their first year, $6 per month their second year, and $8 per month their third year, according to Lynes. Many of the classes were taught by Dr. W.A. Rohlf, founder of the Rohlf Clinic in Waverly.

“Lynes said Dr. Rohlf frequently performed ‘kitchen surgery’ at residences in surrounding areas for people who couldn’t afford to come to the local hospital,” the article states.

“Many people brought in canned meat to help pay for part of their bill,” Lynes noted.

This issue shared a five-generation photo of the descendants of Mrs. Emelia Sommerfelt, including her daughter, Mrs. Paul Judisch, granddaughter Mrs. Wilbert Frahm, great-granddaughters Janis Phillips, Maureen Oberbroeckling and Brenda Buenzow, and great-great-granddaughters Eve, Miste and Lindsay. Most of the family was from the Tripoli area.

Forty years ago, “The Partners” started a two-week run at the Bushy Tail Corral. At Jake’s Lounge on West Bremer Avenue, “Misty” was performing.

This week in 1985, the Waverly American Legion Chili & Oyster Supper cost $3; at the Carriage House Men’s Shop, Trimfit Haggar and Levi slacks were $14.99; and the Denim Patch in Waverly had all dresses on sale from $10.40-$17.

30 years ago

The front page of the Jan. 24, 1995, issue of the Bremer County Independent announced the selection of Jessica Schutte of Readlyn as the 1995 Bremer County Beef Queen. Schutte was the daughter of Jeff and Judy Schutte and a senior at Wapsie Valley High School.

We read in this issue that the Heritage Days Committee was planning a Valentine’s raffle to raise funds for the summer event. Raffle winners would receive tickets for the Star Clipper Dinner Train, including a three-hour excursion with a four-course meal, or a golf package with an overnight stay at the Red Fox Inn and golf at the Waverly Municipal Golf Course. Tickets were $1.

A large ad in this issue announced that Granny Annie’s Bakery & Cafe was having its grand opening in Waverly at the end of the month. Open daily, the new business provided breads, baked goods, soups and sandwiches.

A front-page article in the Jan. 26, 1995, issue of the Waverly Democrat reported that Steve Palmquist of Waverly was promoted to the grade of Lieutenant Colonel in the Civil Air Patrol.

“Civil Air Patrol (C.A.P.) is the official auxiliary of the United States Air Force and has existed as a force of volunteers since 1941,” the article reads. “To be eligible for this promotion, Palmquist has progressed through and completed Civil Air Patrol’s five levels of senior member training.”

Also on the front page, we see that Lloyd McNeilus of Waverly was awarded the Cattleman of the Year Award from Chris Knapp, president of the Bremer County Cattlemen. The award was given during the Cattlemen’s annual banquet in Readlyn.

In the Go-Hawk Eye included in this issue, a W-SR student tackled the problem of fermenting juice cans in study hall, which were in recycling boxes in the study hall area.

“This fall when the weather was especially warm, the cans really stunk,” the student wrote. “The heat made the leftover juice sour which seemed like it attracted all the flies in the Waverly area. These flies then distracted students who were trying to study and keep cool.”

Also highlighting an odor problem, another student-written article reported of a sewer backup in the varsity boys locker room. According to a custodian, the problem happened every two or three years because a shower drain slowly got clogged.

The annual report of the Bremer County Soil and Water Conservation commissioners appeared in this issue of the paper. District forester Gary Beyer wrote that some people opposed harvesting trees in Iowa but that doing so served a purpose.

“The prairie fires which destroyed the thin barked trees and left the oak with thick insulating bark resulted in our present oak timbers,” Beyer wrote. “The Dutch Elm disease which killed millions of elm trees in the 1960s opened up the forest canopy and converted bottomlands to walnut and ash.”

With trees sometimes damaged or destroyed by floods and tornadoes, “[h]arvesting is an important tool to keep our forests in a healthy, vigorous condition,” Beyer argued.

This week in 1995, a five-liter box of Franzia wine cost $9.49 at Regal Liquors; Country Kitchen had Saturday Steak Night with 8-ounce rib eyes for $7.99; and Hardee’s offered a Super Bowl Sunday special of eight pieces of fried chicken with four biscuits for $4.99.