Yesterday in La Crosse

Should high school bands play at partisan events? A big debate, 59 years ago

Published

5 years ago

August 15, 2019

In 1960, Vice President Richard Nixon was coming to La Crosse for a rally on the day after one of his televised debates with Sen. John Kennedy. Local Nixon volunteers asked the La Crosse School Board if band students could perform at the rally. The board said if the students wanted to play, that would be fine.

Area Republicans were planning a big dinner at the Avalon Ballroom, now a Chinese restaurant on Copeland Avenue. Candidates scheduled to appear included former Gov. Vernon Thomson, running for Congress, and La Crosse’s D.A. George Thompson, running for attorney general.

The Avalon often hosted live radio broadcasts when famous bands were in La Crosse. For example, WKTY did a live remote from the ballroom one September night when the Whoopee John band was performing, in 1960, yesterday in La Crosse.

Related Topics:Avalon Ballroom Richard Nixon Whoopee John

Brad Williams

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.