Manitowoc County WI Archives History - Schools .....Franklin Jt. 8 - Sunny Slope ************************************************ 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, 12:31 am FRANKLIN JT. 8 — SUNNY SLOPE Anne M. Fetzer Franklin joint district No. 8 was named the Sunny Slope school in 1919 because the land directly east of it slopes towards the rising sun. The school is more commonly known as the Hussey school because several generations of the Hussey family have lived across from the school site. More recently it has become known as the Maple Crest Sanatorium school because it is located a short distance north of the sanatorium. The school district was organized about 1850 and at that time consisted of the east one-third of the present Franklin township made up of sections 1, 11, 12, 13, 14, 23, 24, 25, 26, 35, and 36. At about the above date, Charles Detterick bought the land on which the first school was built from the government. A certificate of entry was made for this land on Nov. 15, 1848, but the patent was dated April 1, 1850. On Sept. 24, 1857, Chas. Detterick sold the land to August Ganz, Sr. Later he sold it to August Ganz, Jr. in 1884. He, in turn, sold it to Jacob Anders. On Oct. 20, 1899, Jacob Anders sold the one-half acre of land on which the school stood to Franklin Jt. district No. 8 for $57. Since the school site was small, the district bought another half acre adjoining the school yard to the west from Jacob Anders in 1904 for $47. The deed for that was dated June 22, 1904. Since the formation of the original district, many changes in the district boundary lines have occurred. Franklin districts numbers 4, 6, and 9 each took a share of this district as they organized. Not only has Franklin No. 8 lost areas of land in Franklin, but it has added parcels to it which were taken from Kossuth 3 because it was easier for pupils to get to Franklin No. 8 than to get to Kossuth No. 3 over the unbridged Branch river during the later 1800's. The town clerk's report to the county superintendent indicates that this district was joint with Kossuth as far back as 1870. At present Franklin joint 8 consists of parts of sections 23, 24, 26, and all of sections 25, 35, and 36 in Franklin, plus parts of sections 29 and 30 in Kossuth. The first unhewn log schoolhouse was built about 1850. It was one of the first school houses erected, in the present Franklin township. The school was built by the people of the community. The cracks between the logs were chinked and plastered, but still the building was not warm during the winter months. It stood about 25 ft. east of the present schoolhouse. This left little playground available so the children played on the road. Long benches were used for seats. Only one blackboard, four feet square, was used. Each child had his own slate and books. The old log building was torn down and no special use made of the logs when the next building was erected. The second log school was built about 1870. A few years later the logs were covered with siding by John Pitts who lived at Branch. He also painted the school, using kerosene instead of oil in mixing the paint and so it became the "Little Red Schoolhouse". The seats were made of pine boards, and still only one little black-board. The texts were purchased by the children. At that time reading books up to the fourth reader were used. When a pupil had completed that book, his reading course was finished! The older pupils attended school during the winter months only. The second building now stands on the Mike Reimer farm, across from the school and is being used for a chicken coop. When the third school was built, it was purchased by Jerry Hussey for $30 and moved to his farm, now owned by Mr. Reimer. The third and present schoolhouse was built in 1904 and is of frame construction costing $1735. It was built 25 feet farther west than the location of the first two buildings. The school contains a full basement with furnace, a large entry and cloak room, a library room, and a large, correctly lighted classroom. The third school was the first to have a large bell and bell tower. The school has modern teaching and learning equipment and is one of the better kept schools of the county. In April, 1909, about 36 box elder trees were planted on the schoolgrounds by Jerry Hussey, Sr. and Bernard Fetzer. There are no enrollment figures for this school prior to 1870. The town clerks' reports to the superintendents after that date indicate that in 1880 the attendance was at the high of 85 pupils. For the rest of the 1800's, the enrollment averaged between 40 and 70 pupils yearly. These figures include the older boys and girls who went to school during the winter months. The establishment of parochial schools at Kellnersville and Whitelaw as well as other rural conditions have affected the attendance in more recent years. For the year 1945-46 the enrollment was 17 pupils. Early settlers of this community were farmers. Joe Fullmer, James Kennedy, Mike Radlinger, W. Hund, Jim Johnson, Pat Gleason, Peter Reif, Jos. Andre, Jos. Neu-man ,and August Ganz were among the first settlers in the original large district. One of the best known of the school's graduates was .Geo. Kiel who served as town chairman of Franklin for 17 years, chairman of the county board, secretary of the Manitowoc county fair board, and clerk of the school district for years. Recent graduates who entered the teaching profession were: Elwood, Milton, and Marion Kiel, Blanche, Helen, Edwin, Victor, and Clarence Shimon; Dorothy and Anne M. Fetzer; Anne, Mary, and Helen Hussey; and Wencel Oswald. The earliest school officers served without pay, but by 1904, the clerk and treasurer received $8 yearly, while the director received $5 for his services. At present the maximum salary yearly for board members is set by law. The list of names of citizens who served on the board is very incomplete. Those, on record are: Clerks James Kennedy 1872-74; Peter Reif 1874-5; August Gaus 1876-79; Peter Reif 1894-5; and school officers Wm. Kiel, Geo. Wellner, Jerry Hussey, and Jos. Novy from 1896 to 1905. Those from 1906 on are listed in the county school annuals. The county superintendent's records show that summer and winter sessions of school were held up to 1875. The district paid salaries above that of nearby schools as the average from 1870 to 1905 was about $35 per month. Whether this pay included board is unknown. The town clerks' reports list Sanders, Swinton, McGuffey spellers; Sanders readers; Rays and Robinsons arithmetics; Mitchells, McNallys, and Harpers geographies; Phineas and Kerls grammars; and Pictorial and Swinton histories, as the texts used from 1870 to 1900. The recorded names of teachers for this school are Thos. O'Neil 1872 S; Veroqua Sheldon 1872 W; Aurelia Lawrence 1873 S & W; Johanna Lueps 1874 S; Thos. W. Byrnes 1874-75; Ida Baker 1876; Dora Squire 1877; Robert Koukohl 1878-79; Bridget O'Dea 1895-96; Peter Marlborough 1897-98; Clara Knutson 1904; and Mabel Pankratz 1905. Others remembered by older residents were Mary Murphy, Nell Doyle, Annie Watt, and Celia Fitzmaurice. Those after 1905 are listed in the annuals. During the early years of this school, Lutheran church services were held in the school on Sunday afternoons. School fairs were popular in the 1920's. Children brought their best vegetables, grains, and fruits to be exhibited. For the past several years 4-H Club, and the farm spray ring organization have held evening meetings in the school. This district has two places of interest to residents and visitors. Beautiful, well-kept buildings and grounds of the Maple Crest sanatorium are located in this community. Branch river winds its way along the eastern boundary of the district and affords recreation and scenic beauty. 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/franklin128gms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/wifiles/ File size: 8.4 Kb