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Credits

 

Thank you to, in no particular order:   Barb Herther,  Bette Weninger, Nancy Schilling-Genz, Dave Hanke, Sue Risse,  Troy Risse, Larry Gundrum, Jeff Wolf, Mike Hamm, Melissa Stolaski, Chris Ziegelbauer, Steve Acker, Tami Dorzok, Nate Grimm, Daren Sievers, Dean Goneau, Linda Kleinhans, Chris Graziano, Matt Kolpack, Brad Naumann, Russ Hermann, Adam Kieckhafer, Heather Peters, David Buehler, Brad Schaefer, all the district Fire Department chiefs, Joe Wikrent, Vic Erickson, Fred Spaeth, Linda O'Rourke, Tom and Lori Matasek, Hank Karius, Tony Dobson and the Slinger Village Park, Rec and Forestry Department, the St. Lawrence Christian Women's League, Mary Woerner, Doreen and Joe Mechenich, Dr. Crego,  Ken Reiser,  Keith and Mary Franz, Ron Naab, Scott Lopez, Shelli Fiorenza, Patti Peters, Rodney and Jenny Erickson, Amy Keliher, Dan Karius, Jim and Marie Wiedmeyer, Tim Wiedmeyer, Jane Bayer, Diane Schmeling, Deanna Cagle, Linda Brandt, Denise Borchardt, Deb Martola, Erin Clark, Bill Collar, Mark Blackbourn, Chip Beckford, Phil Ourada, Mike Karius and his staff, the West Bend Daily News, Dr. Paul Van Auken and any others we may have missed for helping with creating ideas for students to research or for helping with the framing and drafting of data, or for helping with Community Night

 

Thank you to all of the interviewees, from the veterans and citizens interviewed starting in 2000, to the interviewees in the 2013-2014 school year.    There are just too many to list.   It is your stories that provided motivations for this website.  It so healthy for our students to learn about your stories.   

 

Special thank you to the Wisconsin Teachers of Local Culture (in particular Mary Hoefferle for her guidance), the Slinger Advancement Association, the Washington County Historical Society, the area fire departments (especially the Slinger Fire Department History Committee, the Slinger Area Music Booster Association, Paul Van Auken at UW-Oshkosh, and the Wisconsin Arts Board. 

 

 

Special Thanks to senior (2014) Ryan Mueller for providing the layout for this website. Ryan, a prospective IT major, met twice a week for a semester to work on the layout of this site.  Also thank you to students Mallory Schoenke, Christopher Dehling, and Katelyn Neuburg for web site design help.

 

Photos: 

 

From Home Page border:  Nate Grimm, Amy Keliher, Nate Grimm, Tyler Brown, Jake Oblak, and the last one was submitted by Maury Leverance (photographer unknown).  

 

All other photos, if not taken by Nate Grimm, should have documentation under or near the photo or story.   Special thanks to Amy Keliher for football pictures and Linda O'Rourke for band pictures and Linda O'Rourke and Mike Hamm for Band Night pictures.  

 

 

Community Night: May 28th, 2014 

 

The 2014 Slinger Area History/Culture night drew well over 200 people to the cafeteria for its inaugural night.  Nick Egan's video opened, followed by a welcome and explanation of the project by Slinger Area History and Culture Project Committee member, Nate Grimm.  Student created videos highlighting culture and history were shared next including short films by Eric Kuhn on Racing and Marek Bartusek on Music in the area.  Examples of contemporary music with historical roots were shared by students: drumline (Cadence), GWAP ("Sh'boom"), and the Ehlinger Sisters (Tennessee Waltz, a tribute to interviewee Maury Leverance and his friends). The second half of the program included an open house where community could ask questions to students about local culture/history research and share stories of their own for posterity.  Topics included Local Park Design, the Wolf Family and Polka, Music artists and venues, Sheepshead, One Room Schools, Racing, Firefighting, Fistball, Baseball, PBO, Jazz Music, 1951 Slinger, Allenton Recreation, the Ice Age Trail, Skiing, and more.   The Owl Gallery was filled with student art and Denise Borchardt shared some of her grandparents artwork while Shelli Fiorenza shared a special quilt made by Slinger students with themes of local culture and legacy.  Select photos are below.  Participant memories of the night are in the center of the home page.

 

 

Photo by Dave and Leah Stadel                          Audience watching Eric Kuhn video                           The Ehlinger Sisters

 

ABOVE RIGHT: Senior Jessa Ehlinger (2014) was part of an interview team in November.  In the Maury Leverance interview and follow-up, she determined that Leverance and others in his era enjoyed the songs"Cowboy Sweetheart" and "Tennessee Waltz."  Ehlinger enlisted the help of her sister, Jenna, and they taught themselves how to play the song for the Community Night.  Maury Leverance was in the audience.  After the performance, Leverance sought out the two girls to thank them.  When interviewed in November, his arthritis prevented him from playing the fiddle for them.  After their rendition of the song, he played a little bit on the fiddle for them and told them "my arthritis is not as bad today."

TO THE LEFT: Students interviewed both Maury Leverance and Howard Knox this year.  Maury played the violin, worked in the printing business and postal service, and is a World War Two Veteran.   Howie was an All-American runner and a member of the band at UW-Madison and still plays in the West Bend City Band, a Blaskabelle band, and sings in the choir at St.Luke's and Cedar Lake Campus.  He also served in World War Two.   (2014)

 

Photo by Leah Stadel

Students researched Sheepshead in the Slinger Area this year.  Here are students playing sheepshead at Community Night.   The student data was posted outside of this room for the audience to see.   To see the student data, click here.

 

Photo by Jessica Strupp

Students learning about local history and culture from those who came before them. 

 

Photo to the left by Leah Stadel

 

 

Photos below by student, Jessica Strupp

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