Manitowoc County WI Archives History - Schools .....Eaton 3 - Calumet ************************************************ 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 30, 2007, 10:15 pm EATON 3 — CALUMET Queen DeRosier Eaton district No. 3 school was named the Calumet school in 1918 because it was located adjacent to the old Calumet road, now known as Highway 151. The school at one time was known as the Hopper school because of the connections that the Hopper families had with the affairs of the school. In more recent years, it was often referred to as the Stahl or the Rauch school. This area was organized for school purposes about 1852 and was then Eaton school district No. 5: At that time Eaton township took in the western half of the present Liberty township. Eaton district No. 5 then included all of the western half of the present Eaton township except sections 4-5-6. In 1859 this district was re-numbered and became Eaton school district No. 3. When Eaton school district No. 2 was organized in 1864, Eaton 3 lost that area. In 1894 when Eaton No. 4 was organized, another area in sections 21 and 28 was detached. Today Eaton No. 3 consists of an irregular area containing parts or all of sections 7, 8, 9, 17, and 18, all in the west-central section of Eaton township. There are no old district record books. None of the older settlers remembers much about the first school. The town clerk's record books show that in 1866, district No. 3 raised 75 cents on every 80 acres which brought in $131.93 in school taxes. In addition the district received $9.24 county taxes, and $8.96 state taxes. The first school building was said to have been a small log structure situated a little to the east of the present site. No information as to its size, equipment, and eventual disposition is available. Only two school buildings were erected since the district was organized. The present school built in 1882 at a cost of $272 is located in section 17 next to Highway 151. It is a little frame building about 16 x 24 feet, one of the smallest rural school buildings in our county. Up until 1916 it was "the little red schoolhouse on the Calumet Road". Since its erection some changes have been made to the structure by adding ah entry-cloakroom and an open porch, but the school in general has remained pretty much as it was built in 1882. The schoolroom is lighted by two windows on each of the long sides and in the entry. The walls of the room are boarded up to the ceiling. The heating and ventilation plant consists of an approved heater. Electric lights were installed in the fall of 1947. The schoolyard is spacious, for in 1918 additional land was purchased. A merry-go-round was purchased in 1927 for $148. The cement porch and sidewalks to the outbuildings were constructed in 1929. To care for the many library books in school, a large bookcase was built in 1932 in the southeast corner of the schoolroom. The outbuildings consist of a woodshed and two well-built toilets. Although one of the least modern of the county schools, the little school is dear to the hearts of its former pupils. The Calumet school has never had a large enrollment. A check of the attendance by five year periods from 1870 to 1905 discloses the fact that the largest enrollment occurred in 1885 when 41 pupils attended. The number of pupils of school age (4-20 years) was never very large either. The 1895 town clerk's report to the Superintendent of Schools shows that year to have the highest number of school age pupils—61 boys and girls. During the school term of 1943 there were only 4 pupils enrolled, but since that time the attendance has again averaged 10 as it had for several years before 1943. The 1946 school census listed only 22 pupils of school age residing in the district! The early settlers of the present district were a mixture of several nationalities. Those listed on the early tax rolls were Peter and John Murphy, Martin Heywood, James Dunn, Geo. Monroe, R. J. Robinson, Wm. Hahn, R. Craig, Thos. Morgan, Jos. Rauch, B. Maguire, and John Hopper. Although this has always been a small school, its graduates are well-known throughout the county and state. Herman Rauch is Vice-president of Gueder, Peschke and Frye Sheet Metal Products of Milwaukee, Loretta Murphy and Margaret Groh became nurses, Harry Murphy, a doctor; Jos. A. Rauch, the Catholic priest at Francis Creek; and Wm. A. Rauch, a physician at Manitowoc. Those who became teachers were William, Arthur, and Harry Murphy, William and Emily Rauch, Ethel Sy, Rita Groh, Rita Murphy, and Evelyn Streckert. Other graduates have become successful farmers, mechanics, mail -clerks, and businessmen. Pat Reddin was elected clerk of the school district in 1868. He was succeeded by B. Maquire in 1871. John and Thos. Hopper were clerks from 1874 to about 1890. Matt Rauch served as treasurer from 1881 until his death in 1897. Other district residents who served on the board prior to 1906 were Simon Strauss, John Stahl, Jos. Rauch, James Murphy, and Cyril Stahl. The records in the county office show that this district had winter and summer sessions of school, but the length of such sessions were shorter than for other county schools. In the winter of 1873, for instance, only a 3 month winter term and a 2 month summer term were held. The term length and the wages paid to teachers were usually below that of other Eaton schools, due no doubt to the size of the school. The following teachers taught at Eaton No. 3 up to 1906: Susie A. Wright 1872 W; C. Bedelia Comer 1873 and 1874 S; James Burke 1873 W; H. M. Tyler 1874-5; Erasmus Sartell 1876-77; P. W. Donahue 1878; Martin McMahon 1879; Wm. Heckmann 1894-5; Mamie Garry 1896-98; Delia Lawrence 1904; and Hilda Halvorsen. Others who taught this school before 1906 were Pat Shea, Thos. Hopper, a Mr. Morrissey, Lizzie Schwalbe, and Fred Gensch. The Calumet school has been the scene of many happy evenings spent-in spelling matches, card parties, basket and pie socials, and the yearly Christmas programs. During the early pioneer days, Matt Rauch was postmaster of a small postoffice in his home. The specific name for this postal station is unknown, but it is known that the mail for this community was dropped off here on its route between Manitowoc and Fond du Lac. At the turn of the century there was a cheese factory at the Schwalbe corner. The Streckerts also operated a sawmill for years in this area. Today Eaton No. 3 is a quiet farming community settled by the descendants of the first settlers. 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/eaton3ca119gms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/wifiles/ File size: 7.1 Kb