Two Rivers Dist. #2- Tannery School In 1851, a shanty school was set up attached to the boarding house that housed the tannery workers and their families who worked for Cyrus Whitcomb. The shanty school was used until 1873, when a newframe school was built. It was 24 by 38 feet, and cost $300.00 to build. It was located on the Tannery Road between sections 24 and 25. Enrollment in the Tannery School in 1870 was 106 pupils, and two session were being held in the summer and winter. In 1880, a single session was held, and enrollment was 96 pupils. By 1890, there was only 50 students attending school. In 1900, enrollment declined to 23, and by 1926, there was only 7. In 1943, enrollment jumped to 42 pupils. There are no records of teachers before 1870. The district hired male teachers almost every year until 1900. Some of the teachers were: John Nagle 1871-72, Ida Robinson 1873 summer, S.W. Faville 1873 winter, Chas. Webster 1874-76, Thos. Walsh 1877, James Stitt 1878-79, H.C. Walsh 1880-82, Fred Christiansen 1884-85, C.H. Currens 1887, Robert Witte 1893-95, J. Shambeau 1896, Henry Koch 1897-98 and Sophia Jens 1904-05. The district maintained summer and winter classes up to about 1874, and were about 10 months long. After 1900, until 1938, female teachers were employed. On April 26, 1896, the wood structure school burnt to the ground. Plans were immediately made to build a new brick school that was 24 by 38 feet. A basement was added in 1927. Several years later, an addition was added on for indoor toilets. The Tannery School paid it's teachers $65.00 a month, which was the highest in the county. They also had some outstanding teachers who became noted in county, state, and national affairs. The Tannery School was closed in 1961. Two Rivers Dist. #3- Crystal Springs School In 1869, Crystal Springs School originally was a small log building. The cost for materials, logs and labor was $200.00. It was very ill equipped for teaching, books were scarce, benches were desks, and boards painted black were used as blackboards. Crystal Springs School is located in the southwest corner of the NE1/4 of the SE1/4 of Section 21, Town 20N, Range 24E. The school site was purchased from Mr. and Mrs. August Wachtel for $1.00, only if it was to be used for a school. The school is often refered to as Goedjen School because Mr. Herman Goedjen, along with Mr. Henry Wilke, Sr. organized and set up the District 3 school in 1863. Crystal Springs School got it's name because of all the bubbling crystal clear springs in the area around the school. The original log school was removed, and a new school, which was constructed from wood framing, was built in 1905 at a cost of $1,500.00. Christ Tegen was the architect, and John Ebel was the builder. It was built with a basement that housed a furnace, fuel and playrooms. Enrollment in 1870 was 66 pupils, and the average from then on to 1905 was 30 to 50 pupils yearly. L.T. Wooden was the first teacher in 1869. Others were Ella Reisland 1872 Summer, Maggie La Plant 1872-75, Thos. Walsh 1876, Ella Murphy 1878-84, Mary L. Patnode 1885, Martha Magee 1886,Herman Schlundt 1887-90, Lena Miller 1891, Henry Arneman 1892-93, Elenore Mueller 1896, Henry Wilke 1897-98, Otto Engel 1899-1900, Christ Wulner 1901-03, and Lillian Westgate 1904-05. Subjects that were taught were: reading, arithmetic, spelling, grammar, writing, history, geography, and constitution. The Crystal Springs School closed in 1961 .............  Children from Crystal Springs School in rural Two Rivers pose for a school photo. Front row from the left: Florence Schmidt Wondrash, Carol Brown Brauet, Delores Haws Schultz, Lorraine Haws Franz, unknown, Alice Silversack. Back row from left: Frederick Brown, Russel Goedjen, Evelyn Jacquette, Esther Chapleski, Donald Brown, Irene Chapleski, Marie Silversack, Marian Schmidt Langer, George Silversack, Roda Wachtel Kocian and George Chapleski. The teacher is Victor Shimon. Photo taken in 1932.
Two Rivers Dist. #5- Fillmore
The first Fillmore School was a log structure built in 1856. It was 18 by
24 feet, valued at about $80.00. The first chosen site was a ½ acre of the
NW corner,Township 19N, Range24E, Section 3. Because of the dispute over
the deed, when a second school was built, a new site was donated by Mr.
Schwantes. This was in 1867. The school was 24 by 34 feet with windows on
the long side. The schoolhouse was abandoned in 1885, and moved next door
to the cheese factory where it was used for livestock. Later, it was
turned into a garage, and then was destroyed by fire in 1928.
The first Fillmore School had homemade desks, and meager furnishings. When
the second schoolhouse was built in 1867, the first one was sold to John
Krueger for $2.00. It is unknown what it was used for. In 1885, the third
Fillmore school was built out of brick, was 24 by 40 feet and cost $571.00.
There was no basement. It's heating and ventilation system was located in
the northwest corner of the schoolroom. Water was supplied by an artesian
well.
Enrollment in 1856 was 14 pupils, but the district reported there were 26
school age children (4 to 20 years) living in Jt. 5. The school population
increased steadily until 1885 when it peaked at 160 pupils. After that,
there was a steady decrease that by 1900, only 74 school age children
lived in Jt. 5.
The first Fillmore School officers were: Wm Klop- Clerk, Solomon Denis-
Treasurer and Kurt Meyer-Director. Other board members before 1906 were:
Christ Schmidt, John and Fred Raatz, Henry Beeck, Fritz Sommer, Francis
Svatz, Frederick Schwantes, Joachim Marquardt Carl Stueck and Ernest
Schwantes.
The first teacher in 1856 was Mary Jush and was paid $20.00 for 3 months
of 22 school days per month. Teachers from 1857 to 1861 were: Jos.
Luchanak, Wm Klop, Henrietta Lehman, Jos. Farrel and Amy Parker. In the
1870's, the teachers were: John Hussey, Mary Arp, August Nicolaus, James
Kiwan and Frank Blesch. Teachers in the 1880's were: Henry Deters, Fred
Braer, F.C.Christiansen, R. Neckley, Maggie Kelly, Louis Kahlenberg and
Herman Schlundt. In the 1890's, the teachers were: R. Stockinger, A.
Hanson, August Grimm, Carl Zander, Fred Althen and Henry Wilke. Teachers
until 1906 were: Henry Wilke, Nora Johnson, Emma Eberhardt and Louis
Ahlswede. The Fillmore School prefered male teachers, paid the best
salaries, and many teachers taught at Fillmore for many terms. The last
teachers at Fillmore School was Mr.William Ledvina.
Fillmore School was closed in 1937.
Two Rivers Dist. #6- Rangeline
Rangeline is named so because it is located on both side of the range line,
between town-ships 24 and 25 East. It is in the N1/2 of the N1/4 of
Section 13, Town 20 N, Range 24E.
The one acre of land was purchased in 1862 for $2.00.
The first schoolhouse was 20 by 26 feet, and was made of logs. The school
would not be completed in time for the winter session, so it was decided
that classes would be held in a room at the home of Franz Heyne. Classes
were held from October to January. Caroline Volk was the first teacher,
and was paid $75.00 for three months term of 22 days per month. The school
house took from 1863 to 1865 to construct. The land owners in the district
agreed to build the school themselves. In 1878, the first Rangeline school
was destroyed by fire.
The second Rangeline School was built in 1878 by Herman Witte for a cost
of $373.68. The original building was 20 by 24 feet, and had three long
windows on the long side. In 1898, enrollment increased so much that an
addition of 20 by 30 feet was added to the west end of the school.
A list of teachers who taught at Rangeline School before 1906 were:
Caroline Volk 1862-65, Susanna Meyer 1865-68, Christian Trautman 1868-71,
Mary Walsh 1872-74, Charlotte Flynn 1874-78, Fred Damler 1878-80, Otto
Weigand 1880-81, Wilhelmina Berger 1881-82, Cora Buhm 1882-84, Hattie
Siems 1884-88, Tina Arnemann 1889-90, Felix Walsh 1890-91, Martha Sechrist
1892-95, Sophia Jens 1895-99, Ernest Ferman 1899-1900, August Nimmer
1900-01, Otto Engel 1901-02, Louis Levenhagen 1902-03 and H.C. Wilke
1903-06.
The frst well was drilled in 1892 and was 15 feet deep. In 1903, the
second well was drilled and lasted until 1913, when it went dry, and then
a third well was drilled. In 1940, water was piped into the school from
the home of William Monk who lived to the north of the school. A storm
shed was added to hold the pupils overshoes and coats.
The district needed to purchase a ½ acre of property for the children to
play on without breaking school windows or damaging neighbors crops. It
was purchased from Mr. Vogeltanz for $100.00.
A souvenior pamphlet titled "History of Rangeline School" by Mrs.
Josephine Guetschow dated 1945 gives a more detailed history.
Rangeline School was closed in 1961.
Two Rivers Dist. #7- Oakland
Two Rivers No. 7 district was organized in 1856, and in 1857, a half acre
was purchased from Henry Molle for $2.50. It cost $12.00 to clear the land
of stumps and logs. The first Oakland School was located in Section 11,
T19-20N, Range 24-25.
The first school was built by Charles L. Sinkel for $53.00 labor. He also
constructed thirteen seats and desks (that were about 6 feet long), a 3 by
4 table for the teacher, one "blackboard" that was 3 by 5 feet, one large
armchair and two settles that were a form of a bench.
The schoolhouse had a shingle roof, double floor, five double windows and
a framed door. About 3,000 feet of lumber was used to build this log
structure at a cost of about $30.00.
In 1879, voters passed a motion to build a new school and change the site
because the old school was not centrally located. One acre of land was
purchased from Henry Funk Sr. for $25.00. A brick structure 24 by 36 feet
with 3 windows on the long side was constructed for about $600.00. The
foundation was stone and put three feet into the ground. A building
committee was appointed which consisted of John Samz, Henry Kasch and
Frederick Mandel. Each district voter either had to help haul materials,
construct the school or pay their fair share with money. The school was
officially named Oakland in 1918 because most of the district residents
owned an Oakland model car, and they liked the name. The front of the
school faced west and a small storm shed was added to hold overshoes and
coats. An oil burner was installed during 1947 for heating, electric
lights were installed in 1946. The playground featured a merry-go-round.
In 1870, only 31 pupils attended Oakland. About 60 attended in 1885.
Enrollment fluctuated with the times. By 1941,only 5 pupils attended, and
voters decided to close the school and transport
children elsewhere. By 1946, the school reopened with 11 pupils.
The first school clerk in 1857 was Henry Volche, Director was Frederick
Brandes and the treasurer was David Mandel.
Caroline Volch was the first teacher, taught for 6 months, and was paid
$16.00 a month. She also taught in 1859-60. Other teachers were: 1860's
Adam and Bertha Sechrist, Alvira Birdsall, Caroline Volk, and Susanna
Magee. In the 1870's, there were: Etta Pilon, Mary Ann Wright, Mary Ross,
Mary and Katie Walsh and Aggie Scott. In the 1880's: Fred W. Broer, Mary
E. Burke, Hattie McIntosh, Rose Burke, J.F. Magee and Mattie Sechrist. The
1890's teachers were: Lizzie and Katie Sechrist, Henry Behlow, Ernest
Fehrman, Reinhold Eis and Julius Schwantes. Teachers from 1900 to 1906
were: John Wrieth, Edgar Jones, Dora Knutson, Ora McMillian and Mary
Wallow.
The road which passed Oakland School was known as Shingle Mill Road. A
shingle and sawmill was operating in the area by Gustave Volk.
The Oakland School closed in 1961
Sisters of Charity School In around 1849, about a half mile north of the village of Shoto, a parochial Catholic school was conducted by the Sisters of Charity, and the schools popularity was due to the fact that it accepted children from ALL religions, not just Catholic. It was said that the school was where the John Petri farm was in the 1890's, followed by the Croker family, the Pfeffercorn family, the Radandt family, the Petska family, and various other owners since. It is located in Section 20, Town 20 Range 24. The current family living there is the Roy Randall family. |
