Manitowoc County WI Archives History - Schools .....Franklin 4 - Riverside ************************************************ 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 31, 2007, 12:18 am FRANKLIN 4 —RIVERSIDE Mildred Cherney Franklin school No. 4 was named the Riverside school by the voters in 1918. It was so named because it is situated near the banks of the Branch river directly across the road from the school. A pleasant view of the river ravine can be had from the high corner location of the school site. To most residents of this and nearby communities the school is known as the Taus school since it is located only a short distance east of that village. According to the town clerks' records, the district was organized April 22, 1867. Prior to that time the land in this district belonged to Franklin 8, 13, and 14 according to the Franklin assessment roll of 1856. At present it includes all of sections 15 and 22, and parts of sections 16, 21, 23, 26, and 27, all in Franklin. This, new district was organized because of the distance to nearby schools. In December 1870, a special meeting was called for the purpose of building the district school. John Zahorik donated one-fourth acre from the S. E. corner of his farm. This land was deeded to the district as the following transcript indicates: "John Zahorik and wife Anna Zahorik to School District No. 4 Franklin: One-fourth acre in the S. E. corner of the SE 1/4 of the NW 1/4 of Sec. 22, T. 20 N, R. 22 E. dated, acknowledged, and recorded July 15, 1871. Value $5.00." Before the schoolhouse was erected from 1867 to 1871, "temporary schools" were operated for short terms. One such school was held on the Jacob Gerl farm in a vacant building. Another, it is said, was to have been held in a vacant log shanty one-fourth mile north of Taus. Maggie Stokes is said to have taught several sessions in these temporary schools. The first log schoolhouse was built in 1871 on the site purchased. It was erected nearer the southeast corner than the present school stands. Logs, rough boards, flooring, shingles, hauling and labor time were donated. The small outlay of cash needed was raised by a "per capita" tax based on the assessed valuation of each person's property. The structure was 18 x 24, with two windows on each side. There were no blackboards to break the whitewashed wall surfaces. Strong planks were nailed together to make long benches, set up-in parallel rows facing the front of the room. The seating capacity was intended for 45 but many more than that attended during the first few years. There was no belfry nor bell of any kind. Water was gotten from a spring 80 rods from the school on the bank of the river. The school board members of Andrew Kralik, Max Boehm, and Barney Carrol acted as building committee. The first school was sold in 1884 to Jos. Naidl, Sr. who moved it to his farm for a summer kitchen. In 1883, the voters decided to erect a new school. Before building, another one-fourth acre of land was purchased for the school site from Geo. Zahorik for $10. The second log schoolhouse was 28 x 36 x 10 feet, built on a stone foundation, and cost $343. Two years later it was clapboarded and painted for $100. Slate blackboards and a hand bell were purchased. Factory made, patented, double-desks replaced the planks, with the girls seated on one side of the room and the boys on the other. A favorite punishment of the teachers was to make naughty girls or boys sit on the wrong side of the room! A five foot high, solid board fence was erected along the west side of the schoolyard. Wood was purchased at 85 cents a cord to fire the "hot blast", large, box-stove heater. The second school was sold to Max Boehm, Sr. for $100. He moved it to his farmyard across the road from the school, and is now used as a storage building. The third and present school building was built in 1909 for $3,200. It is a frame structure 38 1/2 feet square. The schoolroom proper is 27 x 37 x 12 feet. The entrance section of the building has porches, cloakrooms, a basement stairway, and a library. The basement is full size and houses the heating and ventilation systems. The double desks from the second school were used until 1931 when sixty of the latest type, single, adjustable, chair-type desks were purchased. Electric lights were installed in 1936. During the first years of the new school, Geo. Zahorik discovered and piped a spring well in the basement, but in 1936 a new well was drilled. Before water was available on the grounds it was obtained from Boehms. A yearly payment of $5 was voted for this water supply. Free textbooks were adopted in 1935. The school has many of the modern conveniences found in our leading county schools, but outdoor toilets are still used. Although the district is comparatively limited in size and extent, it is densely populated even at the present time. This area is quite distant from' the parochial schools, but still they and other factors have had their effect on the school enrollment. The town clerks' reports to the superintendents show that in 1870 there was an enrollment of 66. For the rest of the 1800's, the average attendance yearly was 70 to 80 pupils. Since 1900 there has been a gradual decline in enrollment but Franklin 4 has always been considered a large school. The early settlers were Bohemians, Irish, and Germans. In 1890 the Bohemian families were Zahorik, Kralick, Wachal, Marek, Polifka, Korinek, Ohleus, Hynek, Vogeltanz, Naidl, Wattawa, Junk, Kadler, Kutil, Kanak, Kopidlansky, Radey, and Mraz. The six Irish families were McKeough, Kelley, Nugent, Gleason, McGurty, and Carrol, while the Germans were represented by the Boehm, Dickert, Gerl, Reitmeyer, Lensmeyer, Ertel, Hill, Bauman, and Pfeffer families. Most of them were farmers but some of them engaged in a "side-line". A well-known graduate of this school is Jos. Zahorik, the popular register of deeds. The many hundreds of former pupils made fine records for themselves in their chosen work. The list of school officers prior to 1906 is incomplete. The names of the first school board members are given above. Those on record as having served later were Andrew Kralick, up to 1877; Geo. Zahorik 1877-1880; and John Hynek, Math. Lensmire, Joseph Zahorik, Sr., and Henry Hill serving in various capacities from 1894 to 1906. Records reveal the fact that summer and winter terms of school were held until 1875. The summer sessions were conducted by female teachers, while the tough winter terms were presided over by a male instructor. Irish teachers seemed to be preferred if one can judge from the following list of teachers who taught in this district: Maggie Stokes 1867-71 ;Julia Ricker 1872 S&W; Ann Fitzmaurice 1873 S; Patrick H. Lynch 1873 W; Celia Fitzmaurice 1874 S; Peter Carrigan 1874-75; P. H. Lynch 1876-77; D. R. Solar 1878; C. L. Whelan 1879; W. A. Crowe 1880; Jos. Zahorik, Sr. 1881; Mary A. Pankratz 1894; John H. Kassa 1895; Dennis E. Hickey 1896-7; Geo. Marten 1898; Edward Elmer 1904; Walter Bleser 1905; and Jos. M. Zahorik, Jr. 1907. During the eighties and nineties the school witnessed many exciting "spell-downs". Much rivalry existed between the good Irish and Bohemian spellers of school districts No. 1 and 4. The winner of this contest was awarded a medal of honor until the next contest. Riverside pupils will long be remembered for the many township and county prizes which they won. Christmas programs are still given to "packed houses". School fairs and exhibits were held in the 1920's. This school has served as an examination center for prospective eighth grade graduates for years. The mail for the school has come from various post offices since its organization. Records show that mail was gotten from Elk, Prag, Kellnersville, Maple Grove, Taus, and Cato as the years passed on. The village of Taus, first called Elk, was begun about 1880. Jos. Zahorik, Sr. established and conducted a general store, tavern, and dance hall. He also served for many years as town clerk of Franklin and Manitowoc county register of deeds. His son, Joseph, Jr., holds the latter position today. Andrew Kralik was, a blacksmith; Mraz, a carpenter; Boehm, a sawmill operator; Wachal, a mason; Fogeltanz, a wagon maker; and Hausner, a carpenter. The ruins of the sawmill can still be seen along the Branch river, near the school. Hausner's hall, east of the bridge, was the scene of many day and night long wedding celebrations. The hall is now remodeled into a dwelling. Winding Branch river serves the community as fishing and recreation spots. 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/franklin126gms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/wifiles/ File size: 9.2 Kb