Manitowoc County WI Archives History - Schools .....Eaton Jt. 8 - Five Corners ************************************************ 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, 11:12 pm EATON JT. 8—FIVE CORNERS Suspended Joint 8, Eaton was officially designated the Five school in 1919, although it usually known by that name. The school is located at the juncture of five roads which make five corners. The school was located on the N. W. corner or on the S.E. corner of section 27, Eaton. The Eaton assessment roll of 1857 shows that- this district was set up by that time. It then consisted of sections 34, 35, 36, and the south half of sections 25, 26, 27. The district was then just Eaton No. 8. It was not until 1888 that the records show that it became Eaton Jt. 8 with Schleswig. At that time a small area of land in section 2 Schleswig was attached to Eaton No. 8. The boundary lines have changed considerably since the district was first organized. Just what year the first schoolhouse was built is unknown as the district record books date back to 1862. School must have been in operation by that time because the first notation in the old record book state: At an adjourned meeting held by the electors of said district, October 4, 1862, the following resolutions were adopted: Ole Olson was elected chairman and D. O'Shea clerk. It is voted by a unanimous vote that 25 cents be assessed upon every 80 acres of land in said district. Voted by unanimous vote that three months school be taught in this district, said school to commence April 1, 1863." Signed D. O'Shea, Clerk. The record for that year did not show expenditures for building or equipment. Evidently, then, a school had been built prior to 1862. The first log school history is indefinite. The location of it is unknown but, very likely, was across the road to the east from the 1946 site. The records do show that occasional sums of $7 and $15 were spent for fixing the schoolhouse. From 1879 to 1884 the school must have been remodeled for we find expenditures for hauling lumber, flooring, timber, lathing, stones, nails, hinges, latches, shutters, lumber, carpenter work, and mason labor amounting to about $130. Evidently the school had a new stone foundation, new flooring, and siding put on at that time. The fact that the expenditures were spread over a Eve year period seems to indicate that the old building was remodeled. If that was the case, the old school still stands and is used as a residence across the road to the east. It is about 18 x 24 feet in size. Nothing is known as to the equipment and furniture of that early school. The records show that yearly purchases of "fierwood", "woot", "kintling woot", pails, registers, broom, dipper, and window glass were common. The second schoolhouse was erected in 1899. The district record shows that the new school site was purchased for $84.80. The carpenter contractor was M. Meyer who built the structure at an approximate cost of $600. The building committee was paid $15 for its work. The sum of $20 was paid for leveling the grounds. New double desks were also purchased for $59.10 which replaced homemade benches made in 1875 by Charles Beidel for $12. The new school was about 24 x 30 feet with one large classroom and an entry-cloakroom. It was heated by a stove since there was no basement. Cupboards were used to store the library and textbooks. The usual teaching and learning equipment of an average school were available. A well was dug on the school premises in 1898-9 at a total cost of about $25. New outdoor toilets were built in 1906 for $39.23. At the annual school meeting held on July 8, 1946, the voters of the district voted to sell the school, equipment, and land at public auction on Saturday, July 13, 1946. The district had not maintained school sessions since 1939 in the building. At the auction Norman Eichmann, the St. Nazianz baker, bid $1,225 for the schoolhouse. Michael Klein bought the woodshed for $65. Lawrence Schweitzer bought the grounds for $80. The school equipment was sold piecemeal or in lots for about $200. Mr. Eichmann moved the building to St. Nazianz and remodeled it into a bakery shop. It is located across the road to the south of the Opera House. The enrollment records of the town clerk to the county superintendent show that 39 pupils attended in 1870. The highest enrollment occurred in 1880 when 47 pupils attended. This school never had a large enrollment. The average up to 1906 was about 30 each year. The greater number of the district children attended the parochial school at St. Nazianz. In 1939, it was voted to close the school, and transport the public school pupils to nearby operating districts. In 1946, when the building was sold, the district was still transporting fewer than 10 pupils to public schools. Early settlers of the district in 1859 were: Felix Pfefferle, John Salverson, Knud Olson, D. O'Shea, Ole Olson, John Nielson, and Knud Tostenson. Others who are mentioned in the district records were John and Ole Tollefson, Wm. Schnell, Gerhardt Gellings, Xavier Geiser, Jos. Holzer, James Cook, M. Ruplinger, and Jos. Brunmeier. The earliest school officers on record were D. O'Shea, P. O'Shea, John Tollefson, Christ Winkel, Clarence Reisterer, and Math. Ruplinger. Most of the records of the district are unsigned and some yearly records missing. That fact makes it impossible to list the names of the school officers for all of the years since records were kept. The superintendents' records list these men as having served from 1872 to 1906: Xavier Geiser, Frank Gerhard, James Cook, Chas. Schnell, and W. H. Karstaedt. John Reisterer, who died in 1946, held office for a record of 45 years. Mary Cronin is listed as the first teacher in 1862. She taught for 3 months at $16 per month. The records often do not state the name of the teacher, but just state: "Paid the teacher $____". Evidently, the teacher's board was paid by the district for we find notations like this in the expenditures: "Paid Mrs. O'Shea for boarding the teacher $16". Such an expense was recorded as late as 1890 when P. O'Shea was paid $18.75 for teacher's board. Although summer and winter sessions were never held, it is recorded that a German teacher was hired in 1893 at a total salary of $30. The teachers' names obtainable from records were: Mary Galloghy 1863; Chas. Conway 1864-5; Abbie Heiskins 1866-7; P. O'Shea 1870-3; Mary Cody 1874-6; Theo. Ward 1877; Frank Cleary 1878; Julia Sullivan 1879-80; Nora Morris 1881. Katie Fardy 1882; Maggie Cody 1883; Louis Jerman 1884; Phebe Rickaby 1885-6; Maggie Crowe 1887; Katie Hayes 1888-9; Katie Clark 1890; Maggie Garey 1892-3; Katie Clark 1894; Katie Cain 1895-7; Eugene McCarthy 1898; Estella Niles 1899-1902; Agnes Conway 1903-05. Irish teachers were much preferred! The old school records of 1860 to 1880 have many interesting entries. It reveals the fact that among the tax receipts were "tax certificates". Fees for someone were paid yearly. These fees were usually in the amount of $5 per year. For years this fee was paid to James Cook, but for what purpose is unknown. By the latter 1890's, we find that someone was paid $2 yearly to take the school census. Quite often a district resident was paid a small sum for clearing up some "trubl" in school or in carrying out school affairs. In 1897, the sum of $2 was spent for "picnic refreshments". Every year expenditures for cleaning the school and water closets were listed. Only for the year 1872 to 1875 are the records written in German — a good indication that a mixture of nationalities lived in the district. Today the community is predominantly German. The sale of all of the school property has taken away a central meeting place for social or business purposes. Annual school meetings are now held in the neighboring cheese factory or in private homes. No doubt the time will soon come when the district will be disbanded and the area attached to operating school districts. 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/eatonjt8121gms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/wifiles/ File size: 8.6 Kb