Page 53 - Chow LIfe - Winter 2019

"any other expenses". $35 !! There were 34 entries keep our charter." Dues for 1945 were waived.
for that 1940 specialty. In September 1947, membership had risen to 12 and
The October 1940 minutes (handwritten as were the treasury had a cash balance of $14.00, this after
most of them for the next few years) report that a loaning $10 to the "Central States" CCC to help with
motion to provide subscriptions to the American their upcoming specialty in Indianapolis. Somehow
Chow Chow magazine be given as future trophies the treasury grew to $45 by December. However,
was tabled while "an effort to ascertain the status of in January 1948, the bills for the previous specialty
the publication was to be made". As we know, that came due, leaving the club in the red. Members were
magazine was rather short lived. Another interesting asked to kick in to cover the deficit.
bit was that a motion was made to donate a trophy
to "the Chicago club for their show but an agreement Minutes do not resume until 1956 and then are very
could not be reached so the club will not make this few and far between. I can't tell if there were just
gesture." (In subsequent years, trophies were indeed no meetings or if they only held one a year to elect
donated to Mid-States for both their matches and officers. In 1960, Ernie Shook's name appears (Fu
their specialties.) Our specialty's entry in 1942 was San kennels and Dan's dad) as a board member.
22. In 1943, it appears that meetings moved from the Richard Hoffman was still active in the club, and
hotel to members' homes. Mr. and Mrs. Shook had become 1st Vice President
and Secretary/Treasurer during the next election. A
I've no idea what brought this on as minutes tend discussion on raising dues to $3.00 was tabled.
to not to be detailed but the January 1944 election In January 1962, the treasury contained a whopping
of officers was postponed until the next meeting the $1.55. A motion by Ernie Engberg to raise dues
following month. However, in March, President to $3.00 passed this time. This meeting's minutes
Richard Hoffman (Yang Fu kennels) who had served contains the first mention I find of Ernie and also
in that capacity off and on for several years, "spoke Harold Toudt who were both elected to the board.
to us regarding the informal manner in which March, 1963, saw 22 members in the club and
our meetings and elections had been held." At $17.00 in the treasury. Richard Hoffman was made
his suggestion, a motion was passed to strike the an honorary member. The Waukesha Kennel Club
February election from the records and hold a re- sought WCCC's support toward their first all breed
election, after which Mr. Gene Zielsdorf was elected show. In September, WCCC club member and judge
President. Again, I have no idea what brought Mrs. Josef Schroetter, judged Golden State's specialty
what on, but in April, the secretary-elect tendered in California. The March 1964 meeting mentions
her resignation and the club voted not to accept it. Richard Gandt elected to the board of directors; the
Eventually it was agreed to let her go as she wished, Gandts operated Kan King kennels that provided
and a new secretary was installed. foundation stock for Palms' kennel. In 1964,
June 1944 shows how much membership had fallen according to election minutes, the club had 3, count
off during the war years, as those minutes had a list 'em, 3 vice presidents and a corresponding secretary
of only 9 attendees. Times must've become rather as well as the recording secretary.
hard later that year as a motion was made at the
August meeting to assess $1.00 from each member to June 1964 minutes refer to the meeting as "semi-
help cover expenses for that fall's specialty. To show annual" and treasury had grown to $21.00. (the $3
how different attitudes were back then, a fundraising dues must've been helpful) By February 1965, the
suggestion made at the November meeting was to club's membership was growing again. President
raffle a puppy. That meeting marks the first mention Mrs. Schroetter had passed away and Ernie Shook
of Wallace and Winifred Kasten, Fu King kennels in was elected.
Watertown, as a suggestion was made to invite them The May 1965 meeting is significant in that a
to join the club. Mrs. Kasten was influential in the resolution was passed: "The Wisconsin Chow Chow
beginnings of several Wisconsin Chow breeders such Club, Inc. recognizes that Hip Dyplacia [sic] is a
as Mae Palm. serious problem which does occur in the Chow

No meetings were held again until April, 1945 when Chow breed and that steps should be taken to
prevent further spread of this crippling and painful
only 7 members in attendance. Similar to many condition." As some of you might know, WCCC
clubs today, WCCC was struggling. It was suggested members were leaders in encouraging hip dysplasia
to continue as they were, trying to keep interest screening, led by Adie Toudt who made it the main
in Chows alive "so that we would be ready to have focus of the rest of her Chow-oriented life.
shows again with the war is over and so we could
Thirteen of the first seventeen Chows certified

51