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As I was thinking about a 2011 New Year's wish for our readers, I wondered how past Dodgeville Chronicle writers rang in the new year. Spending some time in our archives, was interesting to say the least.

So enjoy the following sampling of the ghost of New Year's greetings from the past.

-January 1, 1863. A new year has dawned upon us, upon this nation, and the dawning of the new year finds this once prosperous nation in agony-in desperate struggling--in blood.

Would any one have ventured to have predicated, two or three years ago, that America, would be found on the first day of 1863 in such a fearful agony as no exists.

A dark day in history of this nation is the first of January, 1863, and what the 364 days remaining days of this year has in store for us, as a nation, who can tell?

The past year year has been a year of tumult-of anxiety-of fearful strife-of the din of battle-of havoc-of the slaughter of tens of thousands and the blood of the slain have saturated many a battlefield.

What will the next 364 days do for us? In what condition will the first day of the year 1864 find the once great United States of America?

-January 1, 1897. If it were not for the peculiar, sanguinity of human nature, we should hardly welcome the New Year's as completely as we do. But hope springs eternal in the human breast.

The season is a good one, after all, for every crusty fellow to stop to wish his neighbor a happy New Year is nothing. New Year's is not as unwelcome as one's birthday is. The coming of the new year does not signify advancing age, but mearly a chance of better times, a renewal of vigor and leaving behind past annoyances and worries.

-January 1, 1922. What to expect in 1922. It isn't reasonable for one to expect to go through life sailing over smooth seas. Life naturally has its stormy days and one who is not big enough and strong enough to take the good with the bad had better not venture far from shore.

Anyone can sit idly with folded arms and listlessly and aimlessly go through life that way but sooner or later will land upon the rocks. Success awaits those who play the game and have the courage to stick through it to the end.

-January 1, 1942. War means we must live on a simpler scale. The United States, with the help of Great Britain, China, Russia and other allies is now launched an all-out war to defeat Germany, Japan and Italy. It is a tremendous undertaking and will cost much in men, money and materials and the sacrifices will be many.

The patriotic citizen, however, looking back over history will not hesitate to comply with restrictions necessary to successfully prosecute the war.