SCHOOLS:  Eau Claire County Training School for Teachers

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Nance Sampson  <nsampson@spacestar.net>  15 April 2000	
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The Eau Claire County Training School for Teachers was 	was established by
act of the county board November 18, 1904, and opened in the city of Eau
Claire August 28, 1905, and was the eighth school of this kind in the state.
At the present time (1914), less than nine years later, there are twenty-
eight.

This school at first occupied rooms in the highs school building and employed
two teachers, namely, W. A. Clark, principal, and Miss Frane Wilkins,
assistant.  The school opened with an attendance of forty-eight and increased
so rapidly that another teacher was secured for the second year.  Miss Clara
McNown was engaged in this capacity, and remained with the school two years.
On Miss McNown's resignation, Miss Lydia Wheelock was engaged as second
assistant, and remained in this position for four years.  She was followed
by Miss Maud Guest, who is still one of the faculty.  Miss Wilkins and Mr.
Clark have been with the school from the beginning to the present time (1914).

During the summer of 1907 the beautiful and commodious building now occupied
by the school was erected by the county on grounds adjoining the courthouse.
In the spring of 1912 the usefulness of the school in promoting agricultural
education was greatly increased by the coming of G. K. Ingalls as county
agriculturalist, who was given an office in the building, made it his 
headquarters and became teacher of agriculture in the training school.  The
following winter a short course in agriculture was given in which seventeen
young men were enrolled.  The present time finds the school taxed to its 
utmost capacity, with sixty-four students in the teachers' training courses
and twenty-two in the short course in agriculture.  That the reputation of
the school has reached beyond the boundaries of the county is shown by the
fact that there are in attendance this year (1914) more than thirty non-
resident students coming from Chippewa, Rusk, Clark, Burnett, Jackson,
Trempealeau, Buffalo and Pepin counties.

The school has one hundred and eighty-seven graduates up to date, of whom 
one hundred and twenty are actively engaged in teaching, which testifies to
the efficiency of the school in inculcating professional spirit and love for
the work.  These graduates have been uniformly successful and the deman for 
the product of the school is due the high character and ability of the men
and women who have, during the past eight years, served the school on the
training school board.  The first training school board was composed of Hon.
Emmet Horan, of Eau Claire, president; Mr. Gus Dittmer, of Augusta, treasurer;
and County Superintendent of Schools Laura Burce, secretary.  On Mr. Horan's
appointment as member of the board of regents of normal schools he resigned
from the training school board, April 22, 1908, and Mr. Richard H. Loether,
of Eau Claire, was made his successor.  On the retirement of Miss Burce from
the county superintendency in July, 1909, her successor, Miss Theresa A. 
Leinenkugel, became secretary of the board.  In November, 1913, Mr. E. G.
Herrel, of Augusta, was given a place on the board, Mr. Dittmer retiring, 
and at the same time Mr. J. H. Waggoner succeeded Mr. Loether as president
of the board.  The board as now constituted consists of J. H. Waggoner, 
president; E. G. Herrel, treasurer, and Miss Theresa Leinenkugel, secretary.

--Taken from the "History of Eau Claire County, Wisconsin, Past and Present,
1914" pages 54 - 55.