News: Neillsville - Piano Sold (But not by owner - 1973)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Hubing, Radloff, Maki, Smith, Bergemann

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 10/25/1973

Piano Sold (But not by owner - 1973)

Sold, but not by owner:

Piano, piano….who’s got the piano?

It’s something like ‘who’s on third?’ And it appears that Neillsville Public Schools owes Mrs. Adrian Hubing, a former teacher at the Washburn School, either a piano or the amount of money the school district sold it for a few years back.

That amount, it was determined after a check of records by Mrs. Virginia Radloff, secretary, was $52, which may or may not, be acceptable to Mrs. Hubing in lieu of her old player piano.

The request by Mrs. Hubing for return of her piano was relayed to the board of education at a special meeting last Thursday evening by Supt. Gerald Maki. ‘Thank goodness, I wasn’t here at the time,’ he commented.

An outsider listening in at the session observed that selling property belonging to somebody else smacked of a violation of the criminal statutes. He used the word ‘knowingly,’ which Supt. Maki was quick to pick up and settle the fears of the board members, who envisioned bars closing in their faces.

David Smith, a high school instructor who was present, said he remembered assisting Mrs. Hubing with unloading the piano at the Washburn School several years ago. He thus supported her contention that it was a loan to the school, and certainly not a gift.

Mrs. Radloff’s search of school records the following morning also revealed that the purchaser was John R. Bergemann, Memorial Hospital administrator. Mr. Bergemann has a hobby of picking up old player pianos, reconditioning them and making gifts of them to members of his family.

Mr. Bergemann is on vacation and not expected to return until this weekend. Thus, it remained a question whether the piano is still in his possession; and , it it is, whether he have done remodeling work which would run up the price of repossession.

Of indeed, repossession can be made…. and presuming it was actually Mr. Bergemann who bought Mrs. Hubing’s piano offered for sale on bids by the school district.