Photo Gallery
Ainsworth School – Town of Richmond
AINSWORTH SCHOOL, APPROX. 1936 or 37 Row 1: Frank Knoble, ?, Lueck twins, ?, Sadie Norton, L. Barkow, Patsy Montour, ?. Wilber. Row 2: Donald Darm, Eleanor Carlson, Jim Beery, Delores Montour, unknown, unknown, Josephine Carlson, unknown, unknown, Elmer J. Wilber Row 3: Billy Wege, Sandy Montour, Elaine Marohl, unknown, Dave Hanson, Elaine Beery, Ruth Darling, Viola Norton, Lorraine Olson, Don Schoenfeld, Arnie Krause, Charles McBride Row 4: unknown, Roger Schoenfeld, Evelyn Beery, Audrey Giese, Adeline Raasch, Betty Sommers, Fern Wege, teacher Steffens Hanson, Rachel Krause, unknown Florence Darling, unknown, George Schneider, Lloyd Darling Photo courtesy: Elaine Montour
Ainsworth School 1940 Front row: Elverna Barko, ? Buth, Rose Marotz, Doris Darm, Donna Heling, Joyce Westerfeldt, Sadie Norton, ?, Barkow Second row: Franklin Barkow, Lyndle Marohle, ? Lueck, Frank Knoble Drake, Russell Cotter, Curtis Darling, Lyle Cotter, Art Gast, Jimmy Gast Third row: Donald Darm, Bill Gast, Josephine Carlson, Elnore Carlson, Mildred Buth, Lila Darling, Antone Marotz, Richard Moratz Forth row: Elaine Marohl, Ruth Darling, Adeline Raasch, Mrs. Luella Krake (teacher), Fern Wege, Carl Brusewitz, Esther Buth, Viola Norton.
Notes
Ainsworth School
Town of Richmond
Ainsworth School is located just north of the City of Shawano and its still there today!
In 1870 it was in District 1, Town of Richmond, Village of Shawano and Town of Shawano was located west of the Wolf River. When a new School was built east of the Wolf River, it was known as District 1, Town of Wescott. In 1927 it was called Ainsworth School, no doubt getting that name from the Ainsworths who lived in the district. In 1876 a special meeting was held and the voters elected not to have a joint district with the Village (City) of Shawano and Richmond. Charles and James Magee, J. Winans and Joseph Bower called this meeting. The City of Shawano and Town of Richmond appealed to the state. At that time there were 55 children enrolled. The state agreed to let a school be built on the present site of the Ainsworth School.
The first records available were those dating back to September 5, 1870. At that annual meeting Chas. Magee was elected chairman, and J.A. Winans elected clerk. The district raised $400 for their teacher’s salary and $100 for incidentals.
The annual meetings were usually held in the fall of the year and many started at 6 o’clock. At one meeting so few attended that they had to have it at a later date. It was voted to have a female teacher around the 1920’s. When William McArthur was clerk in 1873 it was voted to write to the state for a constitution for their district.
In 1874 H. Wescott agreed to furnish firewood for “14 shillings and sixpence for a cord.” The wood was piled for 20 cents. In 1879 a woodshed was built. The school house was usually cleaned by some member of the board. Later a janitor was hired and he was paid from $3.00 to $20.00 a year.
A frame school building was constructed in 1878. In 1894 it was decided to build a new school with the job let to the lowest bidder. Bids were received from George Schultz, $548; A. Ruby, $550; A. Wipperman, $470.
In 1902 the town board selected a new site for the school. A quit claim deed was given to Thomas Ainsworth to clear the property of any illegal entanglements. A board fence was built in 1903; in 1907 the east and south sides of the property were purchased and in 1915 the school was lathed and plastered.
In 1925 five members were appointed to compose a committee to plan a new school building, Henry Biebelhausen, Melvin Robbins, Raphael Anderson, William Crowall and Oscar Jacobson were on this building committee. In 1927 it was voted to erect a one-story building and $7,000 was raised for that purpose.
In the earlier years the school boards controlled the curriculum and adopted the textbooks to be used. The school term varied. In the early years there was school for 2 months in the fall, three in the winter, and two in the spring.
In 1915 the nine months session was started. More than 70 teachers taught in the district as far as the records show. It was noted in the records that in 1875 one teacher closed the school after two months because she was unable to keep order. In the earlier years, teachers were held responsible for all damage done to property or the school house and parents and guardians were held responsible to pay all damages caused by their children.
Teachers at the Ainsworth School were the following (starting in 1875): Mary Cole, Ida Churning, C.A. Magee, O.B. Hutchinson, Elta Rudd, May Magee, Mrs. Weed, Rose Brooks, Mary Malee, Maggie Ainsworth, Adda Walker, Maggie Ainsworth, Rhoda McCord, M.M. Denneven, H. Leo, D.E. Wescott, Ella Wescott, Miss Vesey, M.E. Ainsworth, Maggie Clark, M. LeClaire, Caroline Magee, Emma Schweers, Beatrice Magee, Flora Sweet. Julia Nichol, Mary Porter, G. A. Wurl, Nelly Andrews, Grace Loomer, Florence Roberts, Dora Simons, Inz Lommer, Katie, Mittlestadt, Grace Ainsworth, Alice Roberts, Josie Wescott, Meta Young, Elenor Kathan, Vesta Jepson, Alyce Naze, Beatrice Ragon, Irene Grozier, Clara Sorenson, Mayme Pulcifer, and Josie Pulcifer. Frances Dietrich, Elsie Iwen, Margaret Cattau, Mary Scott, Theresa Tuma, Edna Schneider, Irene Krause, Margaret Gilson, Ada Sommers, Rose Wege, Gertrude Hull.