Bio: Schield, Joseph (Retiring - 1956)

Contact: Dolores Mohr Kenyon

Email: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 
 

Surnames: Schield, Blodgett, Wittke, Holtz, Smith, Haas, Wagner, Meyer, Hauri, Meier, Free, Lucas, Barton 
 

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI.) April 5, 1956 
 

Schield, Joseph (Retiring - 1956) 
 

Joseph Schield Retires after 40 years in plant; "I hadn’t intended to stay he reveals; was oldest active milk plant man":  
 

Joseph Schield, oldest active man in the milk processing industry in Neillsville, retired Friday. 
 

As he closed books on his last of 40 years at the American Stores Dairy company plan that afternoon, he was presented with a wrist watch by employees as his fellow-workers gathered around in the condensery’s upstairs office.  The presentation was made by Morris Blodgett, who was chosen as spokesman. 
 

Mr. Schield became the sixth man to retire under the company’s retirement plan instituted 10 years ago.  The first was the late Gust Holtz; others were Henry Wittke, the late Arthur Smith, Jake Haas; and the late William Wagner. 
 

Came in 1916 
 

Mr. Schield came to Neillsville in September of 1916 to work for the old Oatman Condensery, predecessor of the American Stores Dairy company. 
 

"I hadn’t intended to stay here," he recalled, "but I liked the company and the people and just stayed on." 
 

For the more than 20 employees who were on hand for the retirement presentation, Mr. Schield recalled that the first day the condensery plan was open it received 6,000 pounds of milk.  Not long afterward, he said, the amount had been stepped up to 40,000 pounds. 
 

That was in the days of World War I, when the evaporation of milk received its first great impetus. 
 

More Manpower 
 

At that time, too, more manpower and more physical labor was involved in processing milk and crating it for shipment to the markets. Cans of condensed milk were packed in wooden boxes then, and the condensery operated several box-making machines. 
 

At one time, he recalled, the condensery employed about 100 people.  Advances in machinery have reduced that number to about 25 percent from that high point. 
 

Early Milk ‘Wild’ 
 

In the early days of the condensery, too, a considerable quantity of milk was brought into Neillsville by train from Augusta.  Because of the slowness of transportation and the lack of knowledge of handling milk in those days, practices were carried on which would be abhorred today.  It was a general thing in those days for milk to arrive in all plants in not the freshest or sweetest of condition. In fact, it was so "wild" at times that plants throughout the country used generous quantities of baking soda as a "sweetener." 
 

Today the dairy farmer would not think of even trying to send such milk to processing plant.  And if he did, it would be rejected, without even so much as the need for a "blue" test. 
 

Others near 30 years 
 

Mr. Schield remained on with the condensery when it was purchased by the American Stores Dairy company in 1927.  One employee who joined the condensery staff about the time of the change remains on. She is Mrs. Helen Free Meyer, head bookkeeper, who now becomes the oldest employee there - but only in length of service. 
 

There are several others, however, whose service approaches 30 years.  They include: Emil Hauri, who started to work for the American Stores Dairy company in 1928; Ed and Bill Meier, Tom Free and Milo Lucas, all of whom started in 1929. 
 

Now that he is retired, Mr. Schield told his fellow-workers, he is "just going to rest." 
 

"Aren’t you even going to help Mrs. Schield with the dishes?" inquired L. R. Barton, Plant manager. 
 

"Well," replied Mr. Schield, "I do that sometimes now."