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Yesterday in La Crosse

Choosing two high schools over three, 53 years ago

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In May of 1964, at the urging of the city council, the La Crosse School Board voted to build a new 1,500 student high school on the south side…effectively replacing the existing Central High School on Cass Street. The school board had been leaning toward leaving Central where it was, and building a smaller third high school to meet growing enrollment demands. One reason given for having two schools instead of three was apathy…the lack of much public opinion to guide the school board.

 

 

 

Citizens of La Crosse were not apathetic about the possibility of losing the local weather bureau. They fought to keep it, despite a federal plan to close the La Crosse office to save money. In May, Senator William Proxmire announced that public interest helped keep the weather station open.

 

 

 

Lots of area towns still had passenger rail service in ’64. La Crosse had six stops by Milwaukee Road trains each day. The Hiawatha and Pioneer Limited went west with stops at Winona and Red Wing, and provided service to New Lisbon and Portage on their eastward runs. Riding the rails 53 years ago, 1964, yesterday in La Crosse.

 

 

 

 

A native of Prairie du Chien, Brad graduated from UW - La Crosse and has worked in radio news for more than 30 years, mostly in the La Crosse area. He regularly covers local courts and city and county government. Brad produces the features "Yesterday in La Crosse" and "What's Buried on Brad's Desk." He also writes the website "Triviazoids," which finds odd connections between events that happen on a certain date, and he writes and performs with the local comedy group Heart of La Crosse. Brad been featured on several national TV programs because of his memory skills.

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