Fun At Waverly Beach

Waverly Beach had a number of different attractions to offer.  Large crowds used to take advantage of their recreational activities.  There was swimming and a picnic area in the summertime.  They also had a penny arcade where Joyce used to like to shoot at the ducks.  When the arcade manager saw her coming he used to say, “Here comes Annie Oakley again.”  But perhaps the most used facility at Waverly was the large roller rink there.  It drew kids from Kimberly and Little Chute, Appleton as well as the Neenah-Menasha areas, as it was somewhat equal-distant from all of these points, like the hub of a wheel.  There was regular bus service until about 10:00 PM so you could enjoy an evening of skating and still catch a bus back into town.  Skating was Joyce’s second favorite sport activity during her high school years, with horseback riding taking first place on her hit parade.  Roller dancing was a specialty, with the waltz being her strongest dance.  Two of the girls from the Kimberly-Little Chute area went on to join Skating Vanities after high school.  The rink manager wanted Joyce to try out with them, but College was first priority for her so she didn’t.  Joyce’s partner in the photo below is Henry Kono, one of the regular skaters who went there.