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Joseph E. Davies Scholarship Program

 

1951

11 19       SCHOLARSHIPS ANNOUNCED

Awards to Consist of $2400 for Four Years at U. of W.

 

Joseph E. Davies, during his visit to Watertown yesterday afternoon, formally announced high school scholarships which he will offer to graduates of the Watertown High School, his alma mater.

 

He proposed the scholarships some months ago, and while in the city yesterday completed arrangements with school officials.  He went over the details with Roger Holtz, superintendent of schools, and two members of a local committee which he had named some time ago.  The committee members present were Max Rohr and John D. Clifford.  The third member of the committee, Attorney William H. Woodard, was unable to be present.

 

Under the plan, a JOE DAVIES SCHOLARSHIP will be offered to an outstanding high school graduate for four years.  The scholarship will consist of $600 for each of the four years — $2,400 in all to the graduate selected.  The scholarship will be for the University of Wisconsin, where Mr. Davies received his law degree.  One scholarship will be awarded each year for a four year period.

 

Some of the details of the scholarship still are to be worked out by school officials and Mr. Davies.  When Mr. Davies first indicated some months ago that he was planning to offer scholarships to high school graduates, he outlined in a general way the qualifications he desired to see included in the criteria.  School officials, following Mr. Davies' broad plan, have prepared a, detailed plan, and yesterday Mr. Holtz turned this over to Mr. Davies for his consideration.

 

Holtz Expresses Thanks

 

In behalf of the school, Mr. Holtz yesterday expressed his deep gratitude to Mr. Davies for his generosity and told him that a "good many boys and girls are going to receive a university education because of your kindness and generosity."

 

Mr. Davies told Mr. Holtz and the committee that the Watertown High School was very dear to him, and credited the high school, as well as the University of Wisconsin, with having played a major part in his success.  Mr. Davies graduated from the local high school in 1893 as valedictorian of his class.

 

1952

FIRST HIGH SCHOOL CLASS TO RECEIVE A JOE DAVIES SCHOLARSHIP

         WDTimes, 08 13 2012, p4.    Attended by Ray Ryan

 

1955

06 08       DAVIES SCHOLARSHIP RECOGNITION LUNCHEON AT GREEN BOWL

 

 

Left to right, at long table:  J. D. Stamm, Mrs. Victor Stamm, Mr. Roger Holtz, Superintendent of Schools, Mr. Millard Tydings, son-in-law of Davies and Senator from Maryland, Joseph Davies, Charles B. Rogers, John Clifford, Victor Stamm, friend of Davies

 

1958

01 26       LAKE MILLS AND JOHNSON CREEK SCHOLARSHIPS

The first step in connection with the first award of a Joe Davies scholarship in Lake Mills and Johnson Creek was made this week with the selection of a lay committee which will pick the scholarship recipient in each of the communities. The awards will be made at the close of the school year. Last May announcement was made that Lake Mills and Johnson Creek had been added to the area high schools to be included in the Joe Davies scholarship program. Up to that time Watertown, Juneau, Jefferson. Fort Atkinson and Waterloo were included in the program.   WDT

 

1959

05 14       TREGARON ESTATE SOLD

     Proceeds to Joe Davies Scholarship Foundation

The three daughters of the late Joseph E. Davies have purchased that portion of his Washington estate, known as Tregaron, the proceeds from which are to go in equal amounts to the Joe Davies Scholarship Foundation and the Washington National Episcopal Cathedral.  Announcement of the sale to the daughters was made this morning in Washington.  The daughters are Mrs. Millard E. Tydings, Mrs. E. Fountain Brown and Mrs. Robert Grosjean.  The sale price was not disclosed, but it was reported that the sum is greater than the highest of three appraisals made by three Washington realtors.   WDT

 

1960

-- --           JOSEPH E. DAVIES SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS

Karen Schmidt & Robert Snyder  

 

1963

05 01       SCHOLARSHIPS FUNDED

The Board of Trustees of the Joe Davies Scholarship Foundation of Washington, D.C., is making additional funds available for the scholarship program which operates in Watertown and in six nearby communities.  Starting with the fall school term, the sum of $700 will be provided annually for each scholarship, instead of the present $650.  Each scholarship covers four years of schooling at the University of Wisconsin at Madison or the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.  The new total for each four year scholarship will be $2,800 instead of the present $2,600.  Announcement of the increase was made today by John D. Clifford, editor and publisher of the Daily Times, a member of the Board of Trustees, following return from Washington where he attended a meeting of the board.  Clifford also is the agent for the foundation in the administration of the scholarship program.    WDT

 

1964

05 19       DAVIES SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED

Two senior girls were awarded Joe Davies scholarships this morning at the annual Awards Day program held at the high school gymnasium.  Also, a number of other major scholarships were awarded plus a number of other awards. The two Davies’ scholarship recipients are Mary Kathryn Theder, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gay Theder, 212 South Monroe Street; and Nancy Sue Winkenwerder, 210 South Eighth Street, daughter of Harold Winkenwerder, Madison.

 

1965

05 22       DAVIES SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED

Two senior boys and one senior girl today were awarded Joe Davies Scholarships at the annual Awards Day ceremonies held at Watertown High School.  The three are Terry Turke, Sharon Gerbig and William Sullivan.  The parents of the three recipients are Mr. and Mrs. Lester Turke, Ixonia, Mr. and Mrs. Millard Gerbig, 612 Werner Street, and Frank and Betty Sullivan, Richwood.  WDT

 

1969

05 16       DAVIES SCHOLARSHIPS FUNDED

The board of trustees of the Joe Davies Scholarship Foundation of Washington, D. C., is making additional funds available for the scholarship program, which is in operation in Watertown and six other cities.  The trustees also awarded an additional scholarship for Jefferson Senior High School.  Each scholarship was increased from $2,800 to $3,200 for four years of study at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, or the U.W. Milwaukee, or from $700 a year to $800 a year.  Scholarships for Jefferson High School have been increased from three to four as a result of the action of the board.   WDT

 

05 24       SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED

Scholarships valued at $101,355 were awarded to Watertown High School seniors today at the annual scholarships award day program which began at 9:20 a.m. Heading the large list of awards were four Joseph E. Davies scholarships totaling $12,800. The presentation of the Davies scholarships was made by Lee Block, president of the board of education of the Watertown Unified School District. The four winners are Janice Paradies, Davis Bothe, Fred Pontzloff and Robert Kopplin.

 

1970

05 20       DAVIES SCHOLARSHIPS WINNERS

  

Davies scholarship winners talked with members of the board of trustees of the Joseph E. Davies Scholarship Foundation

 

Charles Beebe, Jr., of the Washington accounting firm of Bond, Beebe, Bond, and Bond, June Mueller, Robert A. Bender, a member of the law firm of Dierker and Bender and city attorney for Watertown, Mary Kressin, John D. Clifford, editor and publisher of the Watertown Daily Times, Patsy Behling, Glen Siferd, and David Veldhuizen, vice-president of Veldhuizen Vending Machine Service, Inc. Bender and Veldhuizen are newly elected members of the board. Each of the four students received a scholarship for $3,200. or $800 per year for four years.

 

06 06       DAVID HORNICKEL, LAKE MILLS DAVIES SCHOLARSHIP WINNER

David Hornickel, son of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Hornickel, 515 Fremont Street, Lake Mills, was awarded the Joe Davies Scholarship at Friday evening's commencement exercises of the Lake Mills High School.  The scholarship is valued at $3,200 or $800 a year.  David plans to attend the University of Wisconsin, Madison, majoring in math and physical education.  Hornickel is an honor student, was president of the National Honor Society, played football, basketball and was on the track team four years, is an Eagle Scout, member of the L Club, was sophomore class secretary.

 

1986

05 20       1986 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

A number of students were recognized at the annual honor and awards program at Watertown Senior High School Thursday evening.  For many, the awards are the culmination of their high school careers and the beginning of plans for further education next year.  The scholarship award presentations were headed by the six Joseph E. Davies scholarships, which this year have a total value of $36,000.  Each of the scholarships are valued at $6,000 over a four year period.  The scholarships were presented by Attorney Joseph D. Tydings of Washington, D.C., a grandson of Joseph E. Davies, to Charles Block, Barbara Fullmer, Rhonda Grabow, Jeanette Peirick, Susan Peirick and Robin Roe.   WDT

 

1989

05 23       1986 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

Graduating seniors shared in well over $100,000 in scholarships at Thursday evening’s annual awards program in the auditorium of Watertown Senior High School. . . . Six seniors were presented with the Joseph E. Davies scholarships, each valued at $6,800. The six recipients were Jonathan Fullmer, Connie Gudenkauf, Michelle Novotny, Janice Stendel, Randall Tietz and Peter Miller.

 

1990

05 21       1990 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

Seniors at Watertown High School Thursday evening were awarded a number of scholarships to attend colleges next fall.  It was one of the highest awards ever with awards totaling well over $100,000.  Six seniors received Joseph E. Davies Scholarships, valued at $6,800 over four years.  They were Robert Agasie, Vanessa Boeder, Jeffrey Hertel, Brooke Nustad, Kimberly Tietz and Mark Schumann.  The scholarships, the largest to be awarded Thursday evening, are for students who plan to attend any of the four-year campuses of the University of Wisconsin system.  The awards were presented to the students by Sen. Joseph Tydings, a grandson of Davies and president of the Davies Scholarship Foundation.  WDT

 

1997

04 28       SCHOLARSHIP AMOUNT INCREASED

The value of Joseph E. Davies scholarships will be increased by $600 this year, trustees of the Joseph E. Davies Scholarship Foundation decided on Monday.  The decision was reached at the annual meeting of the foundation which was held in Washington, D.C.  Under the new plan, scholarships to be awarded next month will have a value of $10,800.  That’s up from last year’s $10,200.   WDT

 

2005

05 15       SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED

Scholarships and awards valued at over $400,000 were presented to Watertown High School seniors at the annual awards program Sunday afternoon in the school’s auditorium.  Heading the list of locally administered scholarships was Amelia Quist, who received one of two Joseph E. Davies scholarships valued at $18,000 over four years, a Wisconsin Academic Excellence scholarship valued at $9,000 and the Nack Valedictorian scholarship valued at $1,000 for a total value of $28,000 in scholarships.  Next were the five students who were awarded the Rev. Frederick W. Lemke and Ruth Hauser Lemke awards.   WDT

 

11 20       BOARD OF TRUSTEES ADDED TO

Three area men have been added to the board of trustees of the Joseph E. Davies Scholarship Foundation.  In addition, foundation officials announced that the scholarship value will be increased to $20,000, effective with the awards to be made in May of 2006.  The three new trustees are Pat Caine and Kevin Clifford of Watertown and Jim Bender of Lake Mills.  The three are an expansion of the existing board of trustees.  Caine serves as senior vice president of M& I Bank of Watertown, Clifford as general manager of the Watertown Daily Times and Bender is communications director for state Rep. Jeff Fitzgerald of Beaver Dam.  WDT

 

2016

03 22       KUZMESKI ELECTED PRESIDENT OF JOSEPH DAVIES FOUNDATION

Kuzmeski succeeds Joseph E. Davies of Washington, D.C., as president.  Davies will continue to serve as a trustee of the foundation.

 

Kuzmeski was also elected to the membership of the foundation.  She also succeeds Davies at that position.  Membership of the foundation is similar to stockholders in a public corporation.  Along with Kuzmeski, serving as members are James Clifford of Lake Mills, Robert Bender of Watertown, David Veldhuizen of Minoqua and Lawrence Beebe of Bethesda, Md.

 

Kuzmeski is the daughter of James and Patricia Clifford of Lake Mills.  She is a third generation member of the Clifford family to be deeply involved in the Davies foundation.  She has been a trustee of the board since 2004 and with Friday's election, has become president and now also holds membership.  Her brother, Kevin Clifford, serves as agent for the foundation. He also serves as vice president and a trustee of the foundation.

 

Kuzmeski's father, James Clifford, has served on the board in various capacities for decades. He currently serves on the membership and as a trustee.  It was Kuzmeski's grandfather, the late John D. Clifford, for over half a century was editor and publisher of the Watertown Daily Times, who initially worked with the late Joseph Davies in the formation of the scholarship foundation back in 1952.  The first scholarships were awarded in 1954.  He served on the foundation board and as the agent at its founding and continued in those capacities for several decades.

 

Kuzmeski is president of Red Zone Marketing, a multi-million-dollar consulting firm that works with a variety of industries.  The resident of Grayslake, Ill., is also the author of seven books, is a public speaker and podcast host. She is a May of 2016 candidate for a doctoral degree in business administration from Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla.   WDT

 

2017

05 10       CHANGES TO VARIOUS BOARDS

The Joseph E. Davies Scholarship Foundation governing bodies made several changes to various boards at the annual meeting in Watertown this week.

 

Pam Streich, superintendent of schools for the Lake Mills School District and a Davies scholar, was elected a trustee of the foundation. She succeeds David Veldhuizen of Minoqua who tendered his resignation as a trustee.

 

Trustees re-elected at the meeting were Pat Caine, Kevin Clifford and John David of Watertown, James Clifford of Lake Mills, Chris Haeger of Cudahy, William Schultz of Lodi, James Bender of Lake Mills, Maribeth Clifford Kuzmeski of Grays-lake, Illinois, Donna Pitterle of Kenosha, Dihane D. Grosjean of New York City, New York and Lawrence Beebe and Brent Beebe of Bethesda, Maryland.

 

Members of the foundation were elected at the meeting. Members are similar to shareholders in a private corporation. Elected to membership were Maribeth Clifford Kuzmeski, of Grays Lake, Illinois, Kevin Clifford of Watertown, James Bender of Lake Mills, Lawrence Beebe of Bethesda, Maryland.

 

Trustees of the foundation elected officers. Elected were Maribeth Kuzmeski, president; Kevin Clifford, vice president; Lawrence Beebe, vice president and treasurer; Brent Beebe, assistant treasurer; and James Bender, secretary.

 

The officers also selected Kevin Clifford to continue in his duties as agent for the foundation.

 

The board decided the Davies scholarships would continue to be funded at $20,000 per award. This year one student from Watertown, Jefferson and Dodgeland High School will receive the Davies awards.

 

Watertown High School is awarded a scholarship each year and other schools receive a Davies on a rotating basis.

 

2018

05 30       ANDY WALLMAN ELECTED TO DAVIES SCHOLARSHIP BOARD

Andy Wallman of Cambridge and a former Watertown resident, has been elected a new trustee of the Joseph E. Davies Scholarship foundation. His election came at the foundation’s annual meeting this month.  Wallman’s trustee position is an expansion of the number of trustees.

 

Wallman is the son of Chee Chee Wallman of Watertown and the late Charles Wallman.  Charles for many years served as a member of the Davies foundation board.

 

All other trustees of the foundation were re-elected at the annual meeting.  They are Pat Caine, Kevin Clifford and John David of Watertown, James Clifford of Lake Mills, Chris Haeger of Cudahy, William Schultz of Lodi, James Bender of Lake Mills, Maribeth Clifford Kuzmeski of Grayslake, Illinois, Donna Pitterle of Kenosha, Dihane D. Grosjean of New York City, New York and Lawrence Beebe and Brent Beebe of Bethesda, Maryland.

 

Members of the foundation were elected at the meeting. Members are similar to shareholders in a private corporation. Elected to membership were Maribeth Clifford Kuzmeski, Kevin Clifford, James Bender, Lawrence Beebe.

 

Trustees of the foundation elected officers. Elected were Maribeth Clifford Kuzmeski, president; Kevin Clifford, vice president; Lawrence Beebe, vice president and treasurer; Brent Beebe, assistant treasurer; and James Bender, secretary.  The officers also selected Kevin Clifford to continue in his duties as agent for the foundation.

 

The board voted to continue the Davies scholarships at $20,000 per award.  This year one student from Watertown, Fort Atkinson and Dodgeland high schools received the Davies awards.

 

Watertown High School is awarded a scholarship each year and other schools receive a Davies on a rotating basis.

 

The Joseph E. Davies Foundation was established in 1952 by the late Joseph E. Davies and the first scholarships were awarded two years later.  Davies attended the early scholarship programs in Watertown and personally presented several of the awards.

 

2020

05 29       DAVIES SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS MOVED

      from local Davies foundation to community foundation

Lots of things have been going on with the Watertown Area Community Foundation these days, some of which I covered in last week’s column, but there is more that I thought would be worthwhile mentioning here.

 

First of all, one of Watertown’s longest running and most prestigious scholarships, the Joseph E. Davies scholarship, has been moved from the local Davies foundation and the funds placed with the community foundation.

 

The Davies scholarship foundation was established back in 1952 and the first scholarships were awarded two years later by Joseph Davies himself.

 

Joe Davies was valedictorian of his class at Watertown High School and a law school graduate of University of Wisconsin-Madison and went on to a career of public service at the national and international levels, serving several different presidents.

 

Administration of that scholarship fund was handled by a board established by Davies himself and which included some members of his family as well as several Watertown residents.

 

Over the years, one of the leading members of that board was the late John D. Clifford, editor

 

and publisher of the Watertown Daily Times for half a century. John and Joe were good friends and it was John who led the local scholarship management for decades. Later his son, Jim was deeply involved and more recently Jim’s son, Kevin, was the local agent.

 

In recent months the Davies foundation board made a decision that it would be more efficient and more effective if the administration of that scholarship would be entrusted to the community foundation, which handles many of the local awards.

 

The community foundation voted to accept that responsibility and the transition is now complete. The Davies foundation funds are now part of the over $10 million in assets the community foundation now has. All of those funds are invested with BMO Harris Private Bank.

 

The Community Foundation also made one change in the board of directors in recent months. Jim Clifford, who was a charter member of the foundation board, resigned his position and that resignation was accepted back at the board’s March meeting. He is being succeeded by Kevin Clifford, former editor and publisher of the Daily Times and now a sales executive with Realty Executives here in Watertown. He’s also an active community leader. Kevin joins nine other board members.

 

– Tom Schultz, WDTimes “In Times Square” column

 

 

Cross Reference:

Chapter on Joseph E. Davies

Davies Scholarship website

Ray Ryan, mention of, friend of Davies

 

 

 

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