Manitowoc County WI Archives History - Schools .....Cato Jt. 7 - Grimms ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/wi/wifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com October 27, 2007, 12:16 am CATO JT. 7 — GRIMMS Veronica Nate The Grimms school is located in the village of Grimms, so it has been designated by that name for years. During the early years of this school before the village was known as Grimms, the school was referred to as Shavings Street school and as Buckhorn's Corner school because those were the early names for the present village. Cato district Joint 7 was organized on April 3, 1854, on order of D. B. Knapp, the town superintendent of schools for Maple Grove. The newly organized district was then known as Maple Grove district No. 7, because the township of Maple Grove then consisted of the present towns of Maple Grove, Rockland, Cato, and Franklin. In 1855, the township of Franklin consisting of the present towns of Franklin and Cato was set up, so this district then became Franklin district No. 7. By 1857, Franklin and Cato became separate townships. This district then became Cato joint district No. 7, joint with Franklin. The first school meeting was held April 14, 1854 at the home of Jacob Grimm. The first board members elected were Jacob Grimm, Jacob Meyers, and Thomas Bennett. The voters at the first meeting appropriated $100 to build a log schoolhouse on the Wm. Amsolem property. The first log school was completed in September 1854 by contractor L. W. Dunham. He presented a bill for $118, which the board refused to pay because Mr. Dunham had not fulfilled his agreement. He was finally paid the contract price of $100. This rude log school served the district until 1863 when it was destroyed by fire. For the next two years the district children attended neighboring schools. The district during this time raised $100 yearly for tuition. Agitation for a new school resulted in the erection of a building in 1866 for school purposes. The present site was chosen. The second school was of frame construction and was used for only two years because it lacked sufficient rooms to house the increasing enrollment. A part of that building is still used today as a woodshed on the school property. In 1869, a new frame structure was built by contractor Michael Murphy. He was also hired to plaster the school and to repair the old seats. The lumber was purchased from Joseph Fitzgerald for $13 per M. The board members at that time were clerk Mike Fitzgerald, treasurer Pat Meaney, and director Wm. Amsten. The school, costing about $500, is still in use today although it has been remodeled and repaired as the years passed. At first it was a long building with windows on three sides. The furniture and equipment were at first crude and limited. Double desks and seats replaced the homemade ones used at first. These were later replaced with the present single, adjustable seats and desks. Today the school is fairly well equipped, has electric lights, but lacks the modern conveniences of basement furnace, a basement, indoor lavatories, and running water. Due to the increased enrollment caused by the expansion of the lime industry at Grimms, this school became graded in 1908. The old school was then partitioned into two rooms and a new entrance was constructed on the east side of the building so that the pupils could enter either the primary or the upper grade room. In 1919, the school reverted to a one room type, but in 1923, it again became a two department school until 1925. Again in 1930, the enrollment rose to such a figure that the operation of two rooms was necessary for one year. Since that time, it has remained a one department school. The fluctuation in enrollment is well illustrated by the changes from a one to two teacher school and back to one room again. The rise and decline of the quarrying industry is brought out in these changes in school population. In 1865, it is said that over 100 pupils attended this school in the two terms of school held yearly. Enrollment figures available in the Superintendent's office indicate that from 55 to 70 pupils attended yearly after the one term school year was adopted. Today the enrollment averages about 20, but this has been increased since the suspension of Cato No. 1 in 1946. A school census now of nearly 100 pupils of school age indicates that the parochial schools at Maple Grove and Reedsville have a definite influence on the school enrollment at Grimms. Most of the early settlers were farmers. Early residents were Jacob Grimm, James Cahill, William Garey, Michael Fitzgerald, M. and F. Halloran, Maurice Noonan, Mike Carney, P. R. Clasen, Tom Bennett, John Watt, Mich. Cummings, the Shanahans, Murphys, Horns, and Egans. The first blacksmith shop was owned by Mr. Clasen, the first elevator by Mr. Conway, and the first postoffice in the present Ed. Welch home with Mike Driscoll the first postmaster. Teacher families in the district were the Cummings, Welches, Haydens, O'Connells, Cahills, and Logans. During the first years of this school, the voters voted three or four month winter and summer terms. In 1855, on motion of an elector, the clerk was voted the sum of $5 yearly for his services. By 1864, he received $10, while the other two members received $2 yearly. Some prominent board members prior to 1906 were Mich. Fitzgerald, Jacob Grimm, John O'Halloran, P. J. Hauch, Wm. Cahill, Hugh Halloran, Louis Grimm, Edmund Welch, Patrick Cahill. . The district at first had male teachers for the winter months and female teachers in summer. The first teacher was Emma Watts for the winter of 1854 and Harriet Soper for the summer term of 1855. Their salaries were $12 and $8 per month respectively. The teachers boarded around in the district. Other teachers before 1872 were Alex Harris, Mary Hebert, Mary Bennett, Mary A. Murphy, and John Nagle who later became county superintendent. Mr. Nagle taught at Grimms in 1867 for $129 for a three month term. Teachers names on record from 1872 to 1906 are T. L. Cleary, John Lyons, Wm. Nelson, Agnes Classon, Walter Fitzmaurice, James Cahill, Winifred Meany, Maggie Mullins, Lizzie Meany, and Lizzie Halloran. The school has always served as a community center. Spelling matches, declamatory contests, debates, programs, and parties were held. In more recent years the extra room has been used to hold card parties, Homemakers' meetings, and First Aid classes. The district has the unique distinction of having a record of every annual meeting held since 1854, a period of 94 years. The clerk's record book was used continuously for 76 years. The village of Grimms was named in honor of Jacob Grimm, one of the early settlers. The railroad was built through the village in the later 1800's. Soon after the coming of the railroad, the lime kilns were built with Geo. Gosz the first foreman. Today the Grimms district has reverted to a farming community with the village serving as a limited trade and shipping center. Additional Comments: Extracted from: 1848 - 1948 CENTENNIAL HISTORY of the Manitowoc County School Districts and Public School System EDITED BY JOS. J. RAPPEL, COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS 1948 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/wi/manitowoc/history/schools/catojt7g65gms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/wifiles/ File size: 7.6 Kb