With this year being the 75th anniversary I thought it might be interesting as well as fun to look back at Greendale’s beginnings from the viewpoint of its own residents and local news stories of the day. Every Thursday through the end of the year, I will be posting humorous, relevant or just interesting stories from Greendale’s original newspapers.
The following selected stories are copied exactly as they were originally written (including some misspellings) unless otherwise noted. Some may be shortened with “…”. They will be in bold and italicized type.
Also, just a reminder - Greendale first opened to residents on May 1, 1938
Find out what's happening in Greendalewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
GREENDALE REVIEW – Saturday, October 21, 1939
FIRE PREVENTION
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Greendale has been very fortunate the past year on fire loss but can improve on several points.
How many people know where the nearest fire alarm box is located?
They are as follows:
Arbutus and Northway
Angle and Northway
Butternut and Northway
Acorn and Grange
Basswood and Grange
Clover Lane and Schoolway
Catalpa and Clover Lane
Broad and Catalpa
Conifer and Broad
Dale and Catalpa
When a fire breaks out run to the nearest box and pull the hook. Be sure and stay there to tell the fire department the location of the fire.
For fires in the rural area call the Greendale Police department, Greendale 456. It is possible that there will not be anyone at the station so in that case call Chief Taylor, Greendale 454-J; Officer Joe Kollross, Greendale 452-W; Dan Mackin, 472-W or Roy Derfuss, Greendale 448-W.
When the fire alarm sounds do not run out into the street in order to see where the fire is. Do not follow the fire truck in a car closer than 500 feet and do not park in the same block with the fire truck. This causes extra traffic hazards and hinders the firemen in their work.
The Greendale children are particularly careless about crossing the street in front of the fire truck both afoot and on bicycles. Of course we know that a fire is a novelty and nobody wants to miss it but the children should be instructed by their parents to stay on the sidewalks. They should not run to the fires. Parents can set a good example for the children by also obeying this rule. Remember that an untrained man at a fire is not only useless but also a hazard.
Everyone should be ever alert to prevent prankish children and irresponsible grown-ups from sounding false alarms. They not only endanger the lives of firemen, pedestrians and others, but also take the firemen and their apparatus away from their stations when they may be needed vitally for actual fires. The sounding of a false alarm is a serious offense and is being punished severely by heavy fins and imprisonment.
The following are causes of fires:
1. Rubbish in attic.
2. Papers in utility rooms.
3. Non-automatic electric iron left attached.
4. Rubbish in subbasement.
5. Kerosene near fire.
6. Unapproved electrical appliance lacking proper insulation.
7. Improper extension of electric wires.
8. Gasoline kept or used in the house.
9. Matches within reach of small children.
10. Overloaded circuits permitted by improper electric fuses or dangerous substitutes.
How about your own home? How free is it of such dangers? A careful checkup is in order for safety’s sake.
It Is Smart To Be Safe!
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SCHOOWAY LANDMARK TO BE REMOVED
The old construction shanty on the north side of Schoolway just west of the safety building is to be moved to allow grading and landscaping of that area. This field office has been used as headquarters for the district engineers who have had charge of all contract work in the past.
The field office is to be removed to the athletic field for use by W.P.A. forces as a headquarters building for the work to be done on the improvement of the athletic field recreational area.
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GREENDALE REVIEW – Wednesday, November 1, 1939
REVIEW CHANGES PUBLICATION DAY
The board of directors and the Review staff decided to change the day of publication to Wednesday instead of Saturday, as heretofore.
The reason for the change is to include advertising in the Review, that is now being done on fliers circulated about the village. Advertisers prefer to have the people receive their notices a few days in advance of their sales day, which is usually Saturday.
The change does not materially affect the editorial department, except to permanently advance the deadline to the Friday prior to publication.
In the future the Review will be published bi-weekly on Wednesdays.
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PROCLAMATION
Inasmuch as the President of the United States has declared Nov. 23 Thanksgiving day, I hereby proclaim that day legal Thanksgiving day for Greendale.
George A. Brinkman
VILLAGE PRESIDENT
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Business Men’s Assn. Sponsors Special Event for Village and Surrounding Area
The merchants on Broad Street are collaborating to give Greendale the greatest values ever offered during the next few days, when “Greater Value Days” will be the theme and “Savings” the by-word.
Each store manager or business enterprise is offering something special relating to its particular line. …
Harvey Wegner, manager of the Variety store, has something typically Greendale, which cannot be purchased elsewhere and should make quite a hit. We refer to his “booster caps” –knitted green and white caps with the word “Greendale” embroidered in front. Be the first in your set to wear one! And while you’re there take advantage of the other specials offered. Wegner says, “I can assure you that the bargains I am offering, will BE bargains.”
Theatre to Give Dishes.
The Greendale theatre, through Ervin Koenigsreiter, manager, will offer every lady in Greendale a chance to accumulate a set of dishes. Koenigsreiter has chosen Thursday and Friday to start presenting dinnerware to the lady patrons of his theatre. In another part of this paper, another of those easy-to-enter easy-to-win contests gives you a chance to get free passes, in addition to the regular list of ten names selected at random from the tenant list. …
… Kendall Des Jardine, manager of the drug store, is bringing the Rexall one-cent sale to his store as his special contribution to “Greater Value Days”. You have no doubt all heard of the Rexall one-cent sales and now you have an opportunity to participate in its savings here in Greendale.” Says Des Jardine.
Roy Almquist, shy as always, although meeting the public daily as manager of the local Co-op garage, preferred to keep his special a secret from this prying reporter. “All I’ve got to say is – it’s gonna be good.” Said Roy.
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Next week – Recent Census Tabulated.
Thanks to the Greendale Historical Society, for which I am a member, for providing the original newspapers.
Steve Peters
