OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ)- Two UW-Oshkosh students have teamed up with historians from the Oshkosh Centennial World War I Committee to provide life-sized cutouts of people who lived during that era.
12 cutouts were created. Christopher Gauger said he had a goal in mind when he helped come up with the idea.
“This project shows that ordinary people can influence history, its not just the famous names, the ones who gets books written about them or who appear in pop culture.”
Gauger said he focused on the military personnel.
“My favorite favorite standee would have to be John Matsche. He was born in Austria, as a very young child, he immigrated to the United States and during the first world war, he served as an amateur photojournalist”
Elizabeth Potter turned her focus to civilians that may not be remembered.
“They were so hardy, like Eli Rice behind us, he was doing like 3 to 4 jobs,” Potter explained. “That wasn’t necessarily just for him and his income, he was doing it for his community.”
The cutouts will be on display at the Oshkosh Senior Center, Oshkosh Public Library, City Hall and the Best Western through November.
