Photo Gallery
Riverbank School Class Photo of 1951. First Row: Sojna Kriewaldt, Jerry Kuhn, Jackie Hoffman, Barbara Bucher, Diane Kuhn, Janice Danialson, Don Buettner, Jerry Buettner, Verl Krueger, Rosilie Gerhardt, Dianne Erdmann. Second Row: Donna Gerhardt, Darlene Krueger, Jerome Surber, Norman Krueger, Mary Gerhardt, Dorothy Krueger, Miss Delphine Marth (Mrs. Ruban Sager) Eddie Buettner, Glorianne Kruger, Louis Danielson, Bert Krueger, James Fisher
1953 – Weasel Dam School, grades 1-8. Names listed below. Row 1: Charles Hintz, Sharon Wuske, Paulette Schuman, Dale Suehring, Sally Suehring, Myron Suehring, Bonnie Waters Row 2: Franklin Suehring, Luella Bredendick, Larry Watters, Danny Schuman, Gerals Wuske, Gary Buntrock, Elwyn Suehring Row 3: Otto Bredendick, Donald Buntrock, Teacher Mrs. Kathleen Murdock
1922 – Banner School in Morris Township 1st row: Zela Wendler (Schwartzkolp), Russell Harvey, Fern Long (Christenson), Bessie Hall (Curtis), Hurbert Schenk, Edna Wendler, Ralph Prey 2nd row: Marvin Wendler, Agnes Bernarde (Zienert), Alice Bernarde (Matz), Harold Bernarde, Irvin Schenk, Margret Berarde (Damrau), Gertrude Bernarde (Erdman), Josephine Bernarde (Stienke), Arnold Hartleben, Margaret Long (Drews), Olive Hartelben (Tratz), Verner Wiseman, Myron Pike, Myrtle Pike. 3rd row: Herbert Tratz, Everett Hartleben, Rolland Wisemen, Raymond Hull, Lenora Wendler, Albert Hummer, Arthur Hartleben, Hazel Long (Drews), Alice Hull Teacher: Ada Summers
1944 from Lakeview School, the Mrs. Alma Ludolph’s class (grades 1-7). Lakeview School was located in the Town of Washington, Shawano, County. The students are: front row from front to back – Jerry Becker, Ethyl Hartwig, Irene Buelow Fuhrman and Joyce Blank Koehler. Second row -Charles Hoeffs, Roger Blank, Eugene Priem, Roger Hoeffs, Virgil Marohl. Third row – Robert Hoeffs, Shirley Buelow and Victor Buelow.
Pupils of 1930 Sohr’s School in the Town of Heartland. The detail in this photograph is quite amazing. The children’s shoes, clothes, haircuts, and smiles all tell the story about “picture day” in a one room school house in 1930. Row 1: Eldon Heinz, Larry Leitzke, Donald Seering, Vernon Boerst, Arletta Seering, Gladys Rueckert, Doris Barkhaus, Helen Boerst, Lilas Seering. Row 2: Willis Habeck, Frieda Wegner, Doorothy Leitzke, Louis Barkhaus, Roger Heinz, Violet Haveck, Florence Seering, Delores Heinz. Row 3: Delmer Neitzel, teacher McCasyln Erdman, Alice Habeck, Rosalyn Pautz, Carl, Pautz.
Sunny Hill School 1916 Back row: Fern Smith, Leona Fink, Isabelle Hoeffs, Ella Raddant (teacher), Orlin Morgan, Emil Thimke, Melvin Morgan, Elmer Thimke Front row: Emma Kleeman, Lilly Raddant, Helen Surber, Viola Hoeffs, Gertrude Surber, Opal Smith, Florence Hoeffs, Elsie Raddant, Margaret Kleeman, George Surber, Edwin Thimke, Julius Raddant
March 1958 – LaFollette Grove School in District 3, Town of Angelica Back row: Mrs. Dawn Polley (teacher), Carol Wilke, Lois Hinkfuss, Karen Dobratz, Donna Bonnin, Pat Steiner, Bob Bonnin, Dale McKeefry Middle row: David Steiner, Yvonne Webb, Marilyn Hoefs, Bill Wilke, Sandra Mayefske, Kay McKeefry, Mike Breintenfeld, Bob Burrows, Mike Steiner, Steven Mayefske Front row: Susan Reinke, ___ Ryskowski, Sharon Wilson, Diana Mayefske, ___ Ryskowski.
1937-38 Tilleda School Row 1: Russel Watters, Vernon Reinert, Marvin Korenig, Gordon Steinberg, Dale Watters, ? Watters Row 2: Janice Kloth, Neva Zastrow, Wava Dornke, Geraldine Watters, Linda Dornke, ? Voelz, ? Grosskopf, ? Row 3: Dennis Reinert, Duane Maas, Lowell Grosskopf, Wilbert Reinert, Kenneth Salzman, Alex Kroenig, James Maleug, ? Grosskopf, Grace Dornke, Lathorial Dumke, Miss Sweger Row 4: Mr. Chet Wisnefski, Roy Dornke, Elaine Maas, Ruth Passeau, Francis Grosskopf, Geneva Zastrow, ?, Norma Kloth, Faye Kroenig, Levi Watters, ? Row 5: Almina Dornke, Lenora Steinberg, Llewellyn Reinert, Roy Kraft, Robert Felts, George Waters, Lorence Preuss, Calvin Salzman, Opal Kroenig
Tilleda School December 1945 The children from Weasel Dam School attended Tilleda School as no teacher could be found. Standing: Teacher unknown, Penny Maahs, Gerald Buchholtz Front row – Eugene Watters, Betty Klund, Margie Maahs Second row – John Breitenfeldt, ????, Gilbert Dumke, Betty Wuske, Grosskopf boy, Luella Wuske Third row – Angeline Giese, Jerry Trinko, ????, Carol Suehring, Daniel Watters, Billy Wuske Fourth Row – ????, Ralph Wuske, Kay Reinert, Alton Klund, Ruth Ann Stenberg
Back Row: Gloria Ann Boerst, Marlin Simonson, Mary Jane Boettcher, Lyle Hansen 3rd Row: Elaine Wussow. Mary Ann Simonson, Lois Boettcher, Palmer Hansen, Derrold Boerst, Fritz Krueger 2nd Row: Dennis Fink, Leroy Wussow, John Fink, Martin Schmidt, 1st Row: Louis Boettcher Jr., Giles Schmidt, Harvey Schmidt, Roger Krueger Teacher Concondia Kupsky.
Spring Brook School in 1922. Spring Brook was in the township of Germania. Thanks to David Neubauer for the submission. Back row: S. Hamilton “teacher,” O. McFarland, Al. Damrow, E. Spitzer, A. Damrow, O. Shmaltz, H. Neuman, H. Doran, R. Doran, “absent” Middle row: E. Monicke, L. Speith, G. Spitzer, E. Krause, L. Krause, A. Neuman, M. Fasher, C. Damrow Front row: E. Neubauer, W. Neubauer, V. Mogason, E. Neuman, R. Shmaltz, L. Spitzer, W. Speith, C. Krause, El. Neuman, E. Monicke, J. Doran, F. Smith, L. Doran.
1951 Northwestern School in Angelica.
Other Township Schools
by Jane Glenz
WILLOW CREEK SCHOOL
The Willow Creek School was built because the people of the area felt a definite need for it. Their children had to walk all the way to Pella in order to attend school. Later the district paid tuition to some neighboring schools for they were closer than the one to which the children were assigned. Some of the children did not start school until they were eight years old for the parents felt the distance too far, with too many dangers, to send younger children.
At great personal sacrifice they built a neighborhood school in 1924-25. The land was donated by John Willow Creek School Conradt, on a lease.
The school was closed in 1968.
FRANKLIN SCHOOL
Franklin School District #3 was once known as the Ainsworth and Mathison School. No doubt it was named for the many Ainsworth and Mathison families which lived in the district in the early existence of the school. Later the pupils had two names to select from Mayflower or Franklin School.
The first log schoolhouse originally stood on the land that now belongs to Arthur Vomastic. There are no records as to when the school was built. In 1904, the entries were remodeled. In 1909, it was voted at the annual meeting to “cut the school in two and the back end be moved back and 12 feet be built in between.”
This made the building 40′ by 28′ in size. In 1913, they fixed the school yard.
The inside of the school was whitewashed and cleaned twice a year in the early 1900’s for $4.00.
The enrollment in 1902 was 65. One pioneer said, “When the noses touched the blackboards they had to put on an addition.” Although the enrollment was high the average daily attendance was poor, especially in winter months.
In the early 1900’s the ages of the pupils ranged from 3 years to 20 years.
One child was four in November. There were many four-year-olds enrolled. One register called them the baby class.
In 1909 the school rules were framed and hung in the schoolroom. It listed the teacher’s and the student’s rules. The teacher was to be in school by 8 o’clock, hold students responsible for properties and was not permitted to hear complaints at recess. It gave the teachers the same authority as the parent. The students were to be in their seats when the bell rang, and were to refrain from using profane language and tobacco. Damage done to the school property was to be paid for.
In 1890 to 1900 the school term was two sessions, usually a fall term of four months and a spring term of three months. Later a continuous term of eight months was held and later nine months.
The community voted at its meetings for the kind of teacher the Board was to hire. In 1890 only female teachers were to be hired. In 1892 a male or female teacher could be hired, whichever was the cheapest.
The school was closed in 1950. At that time there were 16 students enrolled.
LYNDHURST SCHOOL
The Lyndhurst School was formerly in District #5. It was built in 1915 and prior to the completion of the building the children of the area attended the Gresham School. It is one of the schools that came into District 8 under the consolidation program.
The school was closed sometime between 1950 and 1960.
MORGAN SIDING SCHOOL
The Morgan Siding School began in the early 1900’s as a government school to take care of the Indian children present at that time in this small community. In 1915, the school became District No. 3. There were 45 students. In 1932 because of increased enrollment, an addition was added and it then became a two-room school. Grades I – 4 were taught in the new building.
The school was closed in 1958 when the new addition at Gresham was completed and the pupils were transported to Gresham.
RIVERBANK SCHOOL
Land for the first Riverbank School was obtained from the William Meisner farm. The first school was known as the Mayflower School.
The school was first in District No. 2 which later joined Joint School District No. 8. In about the year 1917 the first school building site was moved through the streets of Embarrass and Clintonville to another site and it was then used for other purposes. Plans for the second school building were drawn by an Oshkosh architect. When the new school building was completed, it was known as Riverbank. This was a step forward, since the school had a basement with a pump in the basement.
In the spring of 1956 the school was closed because of small enrollment and the children attended Pine Ridge School. In the fall of 1956 Riverbank was reopened but closed for the last time in 1966.
PINE GROVE SCHOOL
Residents of the area, Shawano, Route 3, realizing the need for a formal education for their children, purchased a portion of the farm then owned by August Meyer for a school site.
Interested neighbors combined their efforts and with the use of teams of horses, cleared the wooded land. They left a pine grove to the north, hence the name, Pine Grove.
The entire cost of the finished project was $360. The building was reputed to be one of the best school buildings in the state at the time. The year was 1896.
L.D. Roberts was Superintendent of Schools when Pine Grove was organized. Approximately one hundred other schools in the territory were under his supervision as well. Mr. Roberts made his rounds to the schools on a bicycle.
After fifty years of continual operation, Pine Grove became a part of Joint District 8 and the school was closed in the spring of 1946.