Throwing Question Darts at an Opinion Dartboard
So, living in Wausau…or near Wausau…one is confronted with some questions. Not bad questions, but at the end of the day, you are left wondering some things. Or rather I am. Just a guy, wondering some things. I am posing these as more of discussion starters. Not really any sort of aggressive real intense focus, so lets not read too much into them.
- How old is the Grand Theater? I have seen that one old photo in the ticket office hallway of the Theater before it became the Theater, but how long was it there before that? Who built it? Why did they build it?
- What existed before the mall? See, this is unfair, because I know the answer. But do you remember before the mall? Do you remember when schools had smoking areas, and open campus for lunch?
- Where did you get your senior portraits taken? I went to some guy in Point with Steve Osswald. Looking back, whoever thought mock turtlenecks were a good idea…moron.
- Where did you learn to swim? My first memory of swimming is at one of the hotels, swim lessons with my mom. Trying to hold my breath for longer than all the other kids. I taught swim lessons at the YMCA for Sue Lewitzke, and at the place in Marathon City for Stacy Gering. Both of those ladies are responsible for millions of us not drowning.
- How does one run for office here? I was looking at the city website, and honestly could not really wade through it.
- Speaking of office, who are Wausau’s Kennedy’s or Bush’s? Political families, husband and wife teams. Are there any out there now?
- Speaking of the Bush’s…does Wausau have a celebrity class? We have all seen these VH1 shows about celebrities, or TMZ, or all the rest…do you think we have that here? Are there VIP parties? I don’t go, but maybe you do.
- Is anyone smarter than a librarian? What a resource we have here in Wausau, that is a top notch place to borrow books. Borrowing books…hmmm. Might be a post about that in my future.
- Where do you buy books? I know I love Janke book store, I really do. I go there and buy Parker Jotters when I am feeling upset, or nervous. But I don’t buy books there. I have a hard time in the book section, it for some reason makes me uncomfortable, so I go see Al. Al’s got books.
- Does it feel like change or do I simply need to shave and take a nap? I have a new Gillette Fusion Power Razor, so maybe the shave. There is a Citizen Wausau party coming, and we all know I need to meet a girl I can take home to mom. But more than that, Wausau feels different now. Part of it is still living “The Turtle Theory” life, but some of it is not. I wonder often what is next.
- What is the difference between Fine Arts and Arts? Today I got a Facebook thing about the Wausau Fine Arts Militia or something, and all my life I have been a questioner…what are the fine arts, versus what are the regular arts. I have always found it sort of insulting to call something a fine art, and I have consistently bristled at it.
- Have you heard about Central Wisconsin Mommy? Its a website.
- How does one volunteer at Wausau Area Events? We all love what they do, concerts, balloons, pork, other stuff…but do you walk in the door and volunteer? Or do you sign up online? I have never really known. I might want to volunteer someday to be a ChalkFest judge, that would be cool…but more than that…how does one do it?
- What is the bickering about as far as the Humane Society? I mean puppies and kitties need loving.
- Whatever happened to the Wausau Cyclones?
Well given the tone of all things self evident, I thought I would just throw some stuff out there. I think it is fascinating today, at this moment, to be here, in this place. We have a chance to make such strides, to move beyond this sort of entrenched crap of city council politics (hello voting block), and look to our place in the state as something more.
Look at the state of Wisconsin as a whole. We have a chance to be leaders. To lead our state in new ways that include technology, recreation, industry. If you look at cities of like sizes, well we can do more than they can. But will we? Will our leaders see past this sort of inbred bickering we have going on now, and look to the future? There is nothing more tiring than listening to folks complain about the two new buildings being this or that…sakes alive those buildings put people in downtown that were not in downtown a year ago.
I wish you all luck.
leah said:
Volunteering for Wausau Area Events is just as easy as walking in the door or sending us an email. We are always looking for great people to volunteer at our events. Everything from Balloon Rally to the Holiday Parade, which by the way is November 30th. We have also added a fun run, called the “Holiday Hustle” and don’t forget the tree lighting after the parade on the 400 block.
Email WAE for volunteer information or for a Holiday Parade Application at leah@wausauareaevents.org
October 17th, 2007 at 11:09 am #
michelle said:
1. I’m a huge fan on the grand. The first event I remember going to there was the Nutcracker. The last event was Lewis Black.
2.The mall was built the year I was born so I can honestly say I don’t know what was there before then. I miss Buddy Squirrel.
3.Kirk Fleischauer took my senior pictures so I’m not embarrassed by them yet.
4. I learned to swim up at Schulenburg pool although my mom and I did take a swimming class together when I was a baby.
5. In Wausau if you want to run for office stop down at city hall and get a packet from Kelly Michaels-Saager. I don’t think you can start filling them out until January though.
7. I would consider Yvvone Prey to be celebrity class. When ever I see her out I always whisper to the person next to me, “Look its Yvvone Prey”.
8. I love the library and I have many great memories of reading books in the bath tub at the library before it was rebuilt. I just have a problem returning them on time. :(
9. I try to buy from Janke’s as much as I can, but I also buy from Amazon.com and Barnes & Nobel.
October 17th, 2007 at 11:54 am #
Melissa Sullivan said:
Well, I’m not from these parts, so it’s hard to answer some of these questions. But here are a few of my thoughts:
#7 - I had to chuckle at michelle’s mention of Yvonne Prey as a celebrity. Even when I lived in Milwaukee, I knew who she was because my husband, who is prone to spouting random movie quotes and commercial jingles, used to sing her little ditty all the time. You know, the whole “It’s as good as sold, it’s as good as gone, so pack your bags and call Yvonne!” So if I knew who she was even then, she’s a local celebrity. I would add anyone who puts their name on their business — the Kocoureks, Szmandas, etc. We hear those names so much that they become big brand names…like Kleenex or Xerox. I wonder if there is a Mr. & Mrs. Aspirus anywhere, cuz their name is everywhere!
#9 - I borrow my books from the library when possible, but if I have to buy them, I usually go to Barnes & Noble. I am ashamed of that, I’m not sure why.
#11 - I agree. Fine Arts sounds very pretentious and inaccessible to the common folk. Pretentiousness annoys me.
#12 - Thanks for the plug, Dino. To elaborate, CentralWisconsinMommy.com is a grass-roots type website for moms to network and share information. Don’t be fooled by the mom site recently launched here by a media conglomerate. CentralWisconsinMommy.com is run by an actual mom (me) and has way more features, and is totally interactive. By the way, I’m looking for volunteers to be a mom (or a dad) blogger. let me know if you’re interested.
October 18th, 2007 at 2:23 pm #
Andy Laub said:
11. Did you know graphic design apparently qualifies as “Fine Arts”? As in, when I was in school, you could get a Bachelor of Arts for some art majors, but a graphic design major was a Bachelor of Fine Arts. I always thought that was somewhat ironic; there is so much graphic design in these parts that is not fine.
October 18th, 2007 at 3:53 pm #
kelley said:
The ‘Fine’ in Fine Arts is not a designation of quality.
Since Wikipedia has a perfectly good explanation, I’ll just cut and paste rather than crafting my own perfectly good explanation:
“Ultimately, the term fine in ‘fine art’ comes from the concept of final cause, or purpose, or end, in the philosophy of Aristotle. The final cause of fine art is the art object itself; it is not a means to another end except perhaps to please those who behold it.”
So Fine Art is art for art’s sake.
Which doesn’t mean that it is better than say ceramics or textiles - which are not generally considered ‘Fine’ simply because they might actually have a specific function (other than to exercise the brain).
See? It’s not elitist, just an alternate meaning to a commonly used word.
October 18th, 2007 at 9:56 pm #
tommichlig said:
#2: Wasn’t there a Woolworths or something on the site of the Mall?
#9: I’m not ashamed to say Barnes and Noble. Normally I’d support local, but Janke’s lacks ambiance. Plus B&N stays open past 6. I do love the old book smell at Al’s.
#11: Yep, at my alma mater, Graphic, Interior & Industrial Design were all BFA majors. So from a collegiate standpoint, Fine Arts required sleep deprivation, lower hygiene standards, bad diet and a key to the Applied Arts building for all-hours access. Speaking from personal experience.
#15: I believe the ‘Clones went under around 8 years ago. I think the Papermakers still practice their brand of “old time hockey” down in Mosinee to this day.
October 18th, 2007 at 10:05 pm #
msweston said:
#1 No idea on the age of the Grand but I remember standing in line for blocks and blocks to attend the famous Grand Theater Friday the 13th Horror movies. It was the only time my parents allowed me to stay out till midnight when I was 13… I bet many of you remember it! I smoked my first cigarette in the lobby off the balcony and kissed my first boy!! Thank god the Grand turned into a respectful place, I
would never allow my 13 yr old daughter to go lol
#2 What existed before the mall?? OMG I lived in my first apartment on Washington Street at age 18, back in 1977.. The jail is there now… anyone remember the A&P?
#3 Irick Studio
#4 The Rothschild pool… I used to bike their daily as a child. Before it was a aquatic center.
#10 I will find you a great girl to take home to your mom.
#11 If its Art does this mean its not fine??? I am confused..
#12 Great idea Melissa… I wish it had been around when I was a young mother. Kudos…
#14 The Humane Society needs all of our support… and much more support from the city. I have never had a pet I did not rescue from the society, well except my significant other lol Oh sorry that was rude…I was kidding, its 5am.. I am not responsible for my responses at this hour. Smooches sweetie.
October 21st, 2007 at 4:09 am #
msweston said:
P.S. Remember Kresges,Woolworths,Prangeway… how about the talking christmas tree guy at Pranges?? Ok I am going to bed now lol…
October 21st, 2007 at 4:17 am #
shawn said:
OMG! That was “Bruce the Spruce” at Prange’s and he scared the bejeezus out of me when I was younger.
I spent my HS and early college work years at Prange Way split between the Home and Garden and Electronics areas.
I’ve got another one. Remember when the Eastbay sidewalk sale was THE shopping event of the summer? They would crush into the old Kresge’s building and grab anything that was remotely their size? I used to work “security” for those things to raise money for the Newman weight room. The fire department showed up every year and instituted the “one in/one out” policy.
October 21st, 2007 at 7:30 am #
msweston said:
Heres one for you Shawn…. The trivia question of the day… what was the name of the store BEFORE it was Prange Way??? Omg I am old… (Weeps)… I remember the Eastbay Sales!!! I almost got injured a few times. You were not “COOL” unless you had something from the sale. Ty for the Bruce the Spruce answer, it was bugging me I could’nt remember!! I swear he used to flirt with my girlfriends and I when we went shopping there! lol..Does anyone know the guys that had the job of Bruce? I know there was more than one of them over the years. Next post we can talk about Kmart opening on Grand Ave and Dale’s Super Value lol..Memories…………
Ms Weston
October 21st, 2007 at 8:32 am #
deepintheheart said:
2) Penney’s downtown. Prange’s decorated windows at Christmas. Remember the little sandwich shop that was in the “mall” section of the M&I building? Served pizza burgers. There were various retail shops in there as well. How about Buddy’s hamburgers on the east side?
Bruce the Spruce was an oddity. I wonder if a man could get his hands on that thing and lease it for the Holiday season to the folks at the Grand Theatre as a sort of throwback?
3) Dave Junion studio. We listened to some obscure Australian music and discussed baldness. Not any person’s baldness in particular, just baldness.
4) DCE High School Swim lessons. On the “big day” for parents to view their kids ability to float or backstroke, I wore my swim trunks backwards. Always in the summer. Always in the morning. Before the public pools opened at noon.
8) Yes, very many people are smarter than librarians. Borrowing books? I do not think I have borrowed a book in more than a decade. Libraries are like antique stores. Check out Canticle for Leibowitz.
9) Now, if you want to get things ordered for you and not have to do any legwork, I used Janke’s. If you have the ability to navigate a basic search function, then why would you need them? Selling pens and stationary. . .
They never impressed me as being very nice people.
10) Change in Wausau is relative. New buildings and new business looks, feels, and tastes like change but I do not experience it as new when I return for a few tortured days. It is–and will always be my hometown. As such, it stills holds memories of places, people and things–and frankly it looks different to an astounding degree–but it is still the same place. In the last six weeks, my neighborhood has added four new houses, several strip mall businesses, and three quarters of a water tower. This same process in Wausau could take an entire year (I think that is fair to say and have referenced the idea with some amongst yourselves). The pace of change is not of primary importance. One could suggest very convincingly that pace and intentionality are kissing cousins, but unbridled progress runs like a high octane dragster. So residents have to cover their ears and sometimes avert their eyes because “this is big.” “Doing it right” never put the pedal to the metal.
11) Fine arts may or may not involve exposed breasts or other naughty bits. Art requires naughty bits. Comics are fine art. Graffiti is art.
October 21st, 2007 at 9:38 am #
graydiane2 said:
The Grand Theatre was a movie theatre in the 60’s and 70’s. I worked in the box office selling tickets during my junior year in high school at Newman. I can remember working the horror night for Halloween when the patrons buying tickets required a two-man team; another girl, I think was Mary Spencer (Evans), took the money and I scraped it in the waste basket - we counted it later.
The Bruce the Spruce guy graduated from HS with me. I think his name was Roger and was quite shy outside of the tree trunk.
I don’t know where the M&I building is or was, but I do remember Dino’s mom Phyllis and worked with her at a travel agency , starts with an M. Emily was my only child at the time and 1 year old.
October 22nd, 2007 at 8:51 am #
Dino Corvino said:
Phyllis is my aunt
October 22nd, 2007 at 12:18 pm #
Andy Laub said:
11. kelley, thanks for that explanation on fine art. Except that means graphic design (as decided by University of Wisconsin) is “art for art’s sake”, which is contradictory to its whole intent. Design in general has to account for some degree of usability, and “fine art” on the other hand, isn’t intended to be used at all. An interesting conundrum.
October 22nd, 2007 at 12:54 pm #
sparcs said:
1. I don’t know how old the Grand is but there’s probably still a wad of gum from me under a seat left at a PTA Saturday matinee movie. Anyone remember Captainn Cody?
2. Wausau bowling center, the old fire station building, my old barber at Ron’s., Toubern (?) Studios, the Pit, Roe’s Pet and Garden,the Greyhound Bus Depot. The old Uptown Food Mart and Lakewoods Sporitng Goods buildings. I think there used to be a head shop somewhere down there too. Don’t think Bob’s Musical Isle was still in business then.
3. Some studio near 3rd st. and Bridge St. — I think.
4. Memorial Pool. There everyday just about everyday — morning,afternoon and evening (except of course adult nite)
5. Raise or have alot of money
7. Not since I left!
9. I like going to Jahnke’s when I’m in town. We don’t have much a book store where I live –just Bookworld
11. When I’m stuck waiting for a train to pass, I enjoy looking at the graffiti on the cars. Definitely art and just fine for me.
October 22nd, 2007 at 6:37 pm #
kelley said:
Hey Andy,
That’s why the fields of ‘design’ and ‘art’ have been separate for so long. It seems that in our post-modern world folks are beginning to readjust the definition of ‘art.’ The two were separate fields, in some ways punctuated by ‘craft.’
With the advent of digital photography, traditional photography is finally beginning to lose its stigma of not really being ‘art.’ As are ceramics and textiles, which until relatively recently were most decidedly ‘craft’. The term ‘art’ is becoming more inclusive.
The inclusion of design (and ceramics and textiles) in BFA programs prove that, but is a relatively recent development.
So, the term ‘Fine Art’ is a little antiquated since the definition of art itself is undergoing massive change at the moment. But, still, that is where the term originated and makes no claims on whether something is good or not.
October 24th, 2007 at 9:24 am #
tommichlig said:
Andy and Kelley, I would take the design/art separation one step further. Along with functionality and usability, what defines “design” to an even greater degree is the presence of limitations (time, budget, bandwidth, public taste, control-freak clients, etc.) It’s what makes design “design”. I flinch a bit when fellow graphic designers spew hyperbole about what an art form it is. Yes, we as designers are well versed in the visual arts, but as a discipline, design is unique, and design without consideration of those factors is actually little more than “decoration”. Perhaps there should be a Bachelor of Functional Arts or something… :)
October 24th, 2007 at 11:05 am #
graydiane2 said:
Sorry Dino. I should have asked first.
October 24th, 2007 at 7:03 pm #
hello said:
Remember T Mart?
I learned to swim at that pool in Rothschild that’s now called the aquatic center. Although, I don’t remember what it was called back in the 80s. They shoved me off the diving board though. I almost drowned.
The Humane Society needs everyone’s help.
October 31st, 2007 at 2:20 pm #
hamicor said:
I left Wausau about 28 years ago. My sister and I were reminising this weekend about what we remembered most and came up with a few - does anyone remember this stuff?
The big department store downtown was called Winklemans - the elevator had an attendant that “drove” the elevator all day long.
PrangeWay used to be called Arlens if memory serves.
Schulenberg Pool - the little rubber ankle or wrist rings that you exchanged for your basket of clothes? $.10 got you into the pool for the day.
Remember the man that walked through town constantly - they called him Dancing Bear?
Herbie’s popcorn?
How about the doughnut machine at Kresge’s - you could watch them drop into the grease & flip over - they were served warm - with frosting & nuts, yum.
How about Irv the bus driver? He’d let us ride all day long and keep using “transfers”.
I’ll think of more but wanted to see if anyone remembered like we do!
November 5th, 2007 at 3:20 pm #
Jim Rosenberg said:
Winkleman’s is now the Washington Square building and the restoration is excellent — really a beautiful job.
Prangeway (formerly Arlen’s) is now part of the Eastbay operation (a division of Footlocker, Inc. with a lot of employees.)
All three public swimming pools, including Schulenberg, remain open. They are set for renovation over the coming years.
“The man that walked through town constantly” that you refer to is still walking through town constantly (and actually, he’s not the only one. But he’s still here.)
Herb’s popcorn is gone, but Chip’s popcorn remains in close to the same location (so that one’s a wash.)
Kresge’s is a distant memory and the site is now part of the “400 block” or City Square (southwest corner.)
Irv the bus driver (actually, “Erv”, I think) has passed on. He was a great guy, I certainly agree.
November 5th, 2007 at 5:13 pm #
hamicor said:
Hi Jim,
Thanks for all the updates but I still come back to Wausau every summer - I’ve been keeping up! The changes amaze me every time I get there. I’m happy to see Wausau advance the way it has. As long as it keeps its small town feel - it would be a shame to lose that.
I just wondered if anyone else remebered all that stuff from back in the 60’s & 70’s. Thought it would bring back some memories.
I thought of a few more - remember these stores?
Lad & Lassie
Herschbergers (sp)?
The Vogue
New Morning Boutique ( I think that was the name - Craig Buttenhoff owned it) It was the only place to get “cool” clothes at the time.
Nice to hear “Bear” is still alive and still walking - that guy must be in great shape!
If anyone else has memories - share! It’s fun to reminisce.
Thanks!
November 6th, 2007 at 7:01 am #
Dino Corvino said:
Bear is part of my life in a large way. I grew up with Bear, and hope you all respect him.
November 6th, 2007 at 9:14 am #
hamicor said:
No disrespect was meant - he was just an interesting character when I was growing up. I’m glad he’s doing well.
November 6th, 2007 at 9:27 am #
keith said:
As far as old buildings in Wausau does anyone remember Johnson Hills? How about the Red Owl grocery stores?
July 11th, 2008 at 11:04 pm #