Mishicot Historical Museum

Two negative scans, one print, and a photo envelope documenting a cooking school held at the Mishicot Opera House on March 20–21 1941. The envelope is marked “Two Rivers Reporter.”

Possible, unconfirmed identification of several attendees was provided by Dolly Scheuer and Marie Steeber in 2024:

• Mid-bottom right side of frame, young woman with teeth showing, smirking, dark hair — Jean Staudinger?
• Balcony, above left side of basketball hoop, woman with glasses — Betty Wentker?
• Mid-bottom right side of frame — Gladys Wojta? (Mother of Louise Meissner / Wife of Art Meissner)
• White hat — Ora Volk?
• Left frame balcony between support posts — Clifford Ullman, Verta Ullman, Ned Dempsen, Violet Dempsen, Dolly Scheuer, a son Wayne?

Information about the cooking school was printed in the Manitowoc Herald Times on March 19, 1941. The cooking school was hosted again in 1942 and renamed “victory nutrition school” in 1943:

COOK SCHOOL TO BE HELD AT MISHICOT

Evening Sessions To Be Conducted At Opera House Thursday and Friday

At the Mishicot opera house in Mishicot tomorrow and Friday night a community cooking school will be held which is expected to attract several hundred women from Mishicot and surrounding territory. It is sponsored by merchants of the village. In charge of the demonstrations will be Virgy Kohrt Swain, widely known home economist. She has been secured through the cooperation of the Monarch Company of Beaver Dam, and the Wisconsin Public Service Corporation. Mrs. Swain will prepare all food in the cooking school kitchen and baking and cooking will be demonstrated in full view of her audiences. C. E. Swain, a representative of a stove company, will accompany his wife to Mishicot, according to word received today. Mr. Swain is an entertainer in his own right and has prepared many humorous skits that he has presented for the amusement of thousands of men and women in the cooking school audiences. Assisting him in these skits is Mrs. Swain.

A Modern Kitchen

The stage of the opera house has been turned into a modern kitchen. Doors will open Thursday evening at 7 o’clock, with the Mishicot high school band playing an hour’s concert before the opening of the first cooking school session A girl’s trio will give numbers during the intermission. On Friday evening an orchestra will furnish music for the hour preceding the opening of the school. Numerous awards will be made on both nights of the school.