The History of Electricity in Clark Co., Wisconsin
If you have memories of the onset of Electricity which you'd like to include, please don't hesitate to send them our way!
In the Town
of Worden History 1893-1993 electricity came to the Town in 1939 and
people who wanted it bought shares in the Clark Electric Cooperative.
"Through the Rural Electric Association and the hard work of some
progressive minded people electricity was brought to Worden Township in
1939. Township residents who wished to have electric lines brought to
their homes and farms purchased shares in the Clark Electric
cooperative. Many of these agreements were signed on the hoods of cars
as neighbors convinced neighbors to sign up and bring modern
conveniences into their homes. Wallace Landry, who had been a teacher at
Busy Bee School became County Agent and worked very hard to help bring
electricity into the area."
Ken Wood
My dad, Frank Artac, was an
electrician and plumber in Greenwood. In his memoirs he wrote that "At
26 years of age he took an electrical course. In 1938 he started
electrical work from his dad's farm." (northwest of Willard). I know
that he said that at that time the power plant was in operation in
Marshfield. They were starting to run the power lines to the rural areas
and he learned electricity in preparation of the power lines coming to
Greenwood and Willard.
I am not sure that the REA and Clark Electric are one and the same.
Maybe it was Northern States Power that was their competitor.
He was unusual, taxidermy
study by night, electricity study by day. I don't know what year he
started the plumbing. I do have many of his licenses but never sat down
and sorted them. For an eighth grade graduate he held State of Wisconsin
licenses for Master Plumber and Master Electrician plus held license for
septic. It was not unusual for him to have to drive to Madison to take
the classes and tests.
It was August
1940. That spring & summer our folks built our new home. Now we were
ready to move from our log home to our new modern one. One day we were
in Neillsville attending the Clark Co. fair. When we arrived back home,
the REA had been out and we had electricity. I remember, as some of you
have stated, I went from room to room turning the on & off light
Ah yes, as I get some
time here, when I am not out digging in the dirt around the sewer line,
and hauling away rocks, I will get something written, as I am one who
had the experience of kerosene lamps, lanterns, gasoline motor on the
washing machine, hand clothes wringer, double wash tubs, etc as a child,
as we got electric in about 1945-46, and in the barn at first for the
milking machines. Heated irons on the stove, heated all water on the
wood stove, pumped water by hand, carried it into the house and then
carried out the slop water, no bathroom until about 1973 in my folks
house, just the outhouse, out behind the house. So I will have to do
some thinking about this. Do believe there was electricity in the school
house when I started school in 1944.
Dolores Mohr Kenyon What I remember..... ""Himmel!"
that darned fuse burned out again!.... better put another penny in 'till
we can get to town to get some more fuses!"
I also remember Northern States Power
in our area of Twp. Green Grove. Not sure where they were based out of.
I thought there was a payment office (or substation) in either
Abbotsford or Colby.
Growing Up in
the '20s and '30s Back in the twenties and
thirties when I was a boy, Everything was done the
hard way, all by hand. In the summer, when it
rained, we were like any child, Going to country school
was a big event in a child’s life, There were no
refrigerators, the leftover food to save. When the men threshed,
shelled corn or put up hay, Mowing the lawn was a
different kind of treat, Commercial feed was
unheard of in those years. In the summertime when
the grass got short, The young people of
today have really missed a lot, A tin lunch box carried
your peanut butter sandwich to school, Getting ready for winter
meant we needed to chop wood, Before school started
each fall, we got a new pair of shoes, The temperature didn’t
matter, school was from nine ‘til four, Helping do the chores
was part of a farm kid’s life, There were baby pigs,
calves, kittens, puppies and colts You fixed fence, cleaned
the barns and fed the cows hay. A vacation in those days
doesn’t compare to now, Some of the games we
played kids haven’t heard of today. When people farmed with
horses, they visited more, Whatever was done, we
tried to do in the daylight. When neighbors or
relatives got together, the time was spent When school was out and
our chores were done, About twice a year, the
gypsies would come around, School activities then
were exciting events, Picking corn by hand
wasn’t as easy as it looked, Every fall to the county
fair we went, Water for the livestock
came from a well, deep in the ground. The last day of school
picnic was a big time for one and all. One ritual then that
would make people laugh today, Eighth-grade graduation
was every year at the end of May. When it was hot in the
summer with no air to turn on, It doesn’t matter who
reads this, they’ll have something to say, Saturday night, the
cream and eggs went to town to buy our treats, When the apples got ripe
and they’d fall to the ground, Going to the privy in
the summer was a major ordeal, If you think a car of
today is a complicated machine, In the winter, the
touring cars would sit in the shed, During the summer,
Wednesday night was the best of the week, How many remember
washday back in the past? The radio we had was run
by battery power. The old box camera was
the way our pictures were taken, Some things to remember
that haven’t been said, There was 3¢ postage and
penny postcards,
We did not have indoor plumbing until the late 1950's. He was too busy
plumbing everyone else's homes. I remember the outhouse and copper tub
in the kitchen for baths. I always remember electricity but also
remember the stove with the wood burner on one side and electric on the
other. I guess we were kind of progressive.
anonymous
switches. And we had an indoor bathroom. No more 3 holer and Sears
Roebuck catalog.That small building was not torn down immediately. The
men folks used it occasionally in the
summer, esp. during the peach canning season. My wife informs me it was
still there when we were married on Sept. 2, 1961.
Duane Horn
"Ready Kilowatt" was the cartoon character!
Robert
Lipprandt
By John M.
Jenkins-Contributed by
Pat Phillips.
It was a real special day if we got a new toy.
Those days they were well made and built to last,
Not made of plastic as thin as isinglass.
Only one or two people had tractors to work the land.
No insecticides, fertilizer or hybrid seed,
You furnished everything for your own need.
Out playing in the mud and going wild.
Wearing old clothes is how we would dress,
Mud oozing between our toes, what a lovely mess.
Besides reading, writing and ’rithmetic was trouble and strife.
We learned a lot more than was printed in any textbook.
It would even make computers take a second long look.
Your only chance was to take it down the cave.
It took a lot of energy and steps to go up and down,
’Cos it was 10 or 12 feet below the ground.
The ladies worked over a cook stove whatever the day.
It was usually hot, over 100 degrees,
The kids picked up cobs on their hands and knees.
Back then mowers didn’t have a seat.
Come to think of it, they didn’t have a motor, either.
You pushed like heck for a while, then took a breather.
Feeding was done different when tending hogs.
You mixed corn, oats, milk and water to make a whey,
The pigs really liked it, but the flies nearly carried you away.
They let the kids have a new kind of sport.
We got to herd the cows at least twice a day.
One on each end to tell cars that cattle were in the way.
They stay inside for everything including using the pot.
Those outdoor privies really kept you on your feet,
Waiting as long as you could till someone else warmed the seat.
While other kids had different things to make your mouth drool.
You’d even trade your homemade bread for the boughten kind,
If you did that today they’d think you’d lost your mind.
Calling the fuel or gas man wouldn’t do any good.
It took a lot to get the old heating stove real red,
Then we could bank it with coal and go to bed.
Hand-me-down dresses, shirts and trousers is what we’d use.
A new pencil and Big Mac tablet were a must that first day.
But you went through many more before the end of May.
When that final bell rang, everybody ran out the door.
We’d go home, change clothes then head for the creek,
Where we’d wade in the water then play hide and seek.
Along with the farmer, the hired hand and the farmer’s wife.
Keep the cob bin full, carry water and sweep the floor,
But cleaning the henhouse was a kid’s greatest bore.
Ducks, geese, setting hens, chickens and poults.
All these cute little things needed special care.
You just don’t realize it, you had to be there.
Slopped hogs, gathered eggs and helped milk every day.
Gathering eggs wasn’t too bad except for the setting hens,
Just like those crabby old sows when cleaning the pens.
We’d go to Grandma’s away from the garden and cow.
Oh, what a treat to act like those kids in town,
To do the same things at home would make your parents frown.
There was Blind Man’s Bluff, Captain May I, and Pom Pom Pull Away.
Follow the Leader, Annie I Over, and Drown Out Squirrels,
Of course, those recess ballgames with boys against girls.
They even had time for a whole bunch of chores.
Nearly every kid had a pony on the place,
Partly for help, but mostly to race.
Those lanterns and lamps didn’t do too much at night.
You had to sit or walk just right to see where to go.
One false move and it was nothing but a big shadow.
Visiting, playing cards, but making homemade ice cream was the big
event.
Of course there was tea, coffee and a freshly baked cake.
You’d be surprised how many times that trip we’d make.
Supper eaten, schoolwork finished, it was time for fun.
If it was warm, we’d ride ponies or bicycles, from each other we’d hide.
Cold weather meant snowball fights and a long hill for a sleigh ride.
Asking to camp on our spacious orchard ground.
They’d take what they could but always had horses to trade.
No matter who you’d talk to, a good deal was never made.
The programs, box socials but not much money was spent.
The kids had a ball taking part in a play,
When the teacher’s box sold, someone upped the pay.
The husks on each ear had to be grabbed and hooked,
Then you’d give it a toss and the bang board would rattle,
When the wagon got full, you’d unload, then feed the cattle.
To see if our summertime was well spent.
If you ended up with a ribbon for your animal or project,
The local 4-H Club would help you make plans for the next.
It was pumped into a tank, 2 feet deep and quite big around.
The bad thing was the moss that grew and hung on the side,
But it was home for the goldfish when they wanted to hide.
Parents, children, relatives and neighbors said goodbye till fall.
The next three months, we got to help around the farm.
It seemed boring back then but it didn’t do us any harm.
Was the things you went through for a Saturday night bath.
Heat water on the stove and pour it in an old washtub.
If you didn’t get clean, Mom was there to help you scrub.
In the ’20s and ’30s, it was an important day.
You’d go to Wayne to get your diploma from the county superintendent.
After that, you got a job where most of your time was spent.
We’d take some blankets and pillows and sleep on the lawn.
Right next to us our faithful dog would sleep,
Anything strange away from us he’d keep.
You forgot this or that or some real special day.
I just hope I can remember until I get home,
So I can add a few more verses to an incomplete poem.
If we were good and helped, we’d likely get some treats.
For 10¢ a bag of candy and a bottle of pop,
Things couldn’t get any better—we were already on top!
The kids threw everything in the cider press that could be found.
It was the best homemade drink you ever tasted by far,
But if it sat still too long, it turned to vinegar.
Those wasps weren’t kidding, they done everything for real.
Just one false move and you were under attack.
Trying to protect your face left you wide open in back.
The ones of the teens and twenties were a sight to be seen.
They had hard tires, cloth tops and a rumble seat.
To find one and restore it today would really be a treat.
They used a team of horses and sleigh bells hitched to a sled.
Bales of straw in a wagon box served as a seat,
Hot bricks and blankets were your source of heat.
You’d go to town early, a good seat to seek.
The free movies, soda pop, your friends and a candy bar,
Then going home, you’d fall asleep in the car.
Those Maytag machines ran with engines on gas.
What a great improvement over the washboard we had,
Plus the hand-cranked wringer, things weren’t all that bad.
We couldn’t sit and listen for more than an hour.
It was mostly news and weather we’d listen to,
Maybe Fibber & Molly or Amos & Andy, to name a few.
Not like today—there was no moving or shaking.
It took quite a while to get your pictures back,
And when you did, they were white and black.
Was Grandma’s lye soap and all the covers on your bed.
Every Halloween, outhouses would get upset,
And stealing watermelons, how many could you get?
Fourth of July and Sunday get-togethers in neighbors’ yards.
Toilet paper then would have been a real luxury,
But Sears & Roebuck or Montgomery Ward was it for me.
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