Glimpses of the Past
July 2, 1943
A Fourth of July party will be held at the golf clubhouse Friday afternoon for the afternoon playground group. Invitations have been sent to all children who have been in attendance.
June 3, 1946
Summer playground activities at Whitehall will open Monday, June 3, announces Coach Colonel Larson, who has been engaged by the city council to take charge of them again this year. Registration will take place at 9:30 at the cabin in Melby park on that date. There will be activities for all grade children at the park and in the school playground each afternoon, including all kinds of games and athletic events. Mr. Larson will be lifeguard at the swimming pool each afternoon. Arrangements are being made to hold weekly dances for high school students, but the night has not yet been set. Mr. Larson is also making plans to organize a city camera club to which anyone may belong. He plans to have monthly photo contests and also to give instruction in making moving pictures. Competition will be provided on the playground this year as Mr. Larson has arranged to have and exchange playday with the Arcadia playground, holding track events, marble contest, hopscotch, jacks, baseball throwing, baseball, volleyball and the like. The dates have not yet been definitely set. Any other nearby cities or villages conducting playgrounds are also invited to contact Mr. Larson on an exchange playday.
June 14, 1948
The municipal summer playground will open on the school grounds Monday, announces Thomas Larson, who has been engaged by the city to have charge of the program.
June 13, 1949
The summer playground in Whitehall will open Monday and will continue each week day through the season until noon, announces Thomas Larson, who will conduct the supervised play. Among the activities provided will be softball, basketball, volleyball, touch football, badminton, boxing, track events and skill games. A sandbox, the school playground and group games will be available for the younger children. The swimming beach will also open on Monday; hours will be from 1:30 to 5 p.m. every day.
June 15, 1950
Carroll Lohr, playground director, announces that he will be at the beach below the mill dam each afternoon from 2 to 5 p.m., in the capacity of lifeguard. This swimming place will be used until the new swimming pool is ready.
June 18, 1956
The summer playground got underway in Melby Park Monday under the direction of Miss Patricia Hegge, graduate of the University of Wisconsin and who majored in art, and Miss Mary Mattson, student at the Wisconsin State College at Eau Claire. The directors are also lifeguards at the swimming pool.
June 11, 1962
The summer playground program will open Monday morning, according to Toby Ellison, playground director. There will be small games and other recreation at Melby Park for youngsters from 7 years to junior high. Baseball will begin Wednesday. It is planned to open the swimming pool by June 16. Thereafter, the schedule will be swimming lessons at the pool, Mondays and Tuesday, 9 to 12 a.m.; Wednesdays through Fridays, morning baseball for 11-14 age group, afternoon baseball for 8-10 age group. Small games and recreation at Melby Park daily for children not wishing to play baseball. Miss Betsy Mattson will be assistant playground director and lifeguard, and Rolf Garthus, assistant lifeguard.