Manitowoc County WI Archives History - Schools .....Gibson 4 - Maple View ************************************************ 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 November 1, 2007, 10:48 pm GIBSON 4 -MAPLE VIEW Lydia Soukup Gibson No. 4 was given the name of Maple View in 1918 because of the fact that there are a number of maples planted in the school yard. This school was and is sometimes still referred to as the "Brick School" because it is believed to have been the first brick school built in this area. By some of the present day residents it is often called the Lyons school since the old Lyon home-stead adjoins the school site. While the township of Gibson was a part of Mishicot up to 1858, this district was set up as Mishicot district No. 6 By 1857 the combined Mishicot-Gibson township districts were redistricted and the present Gibson No. 4 became parts of Mishicot districts Nos. 6, 9, 10. District 6 then consisted of sections 6, 7, 18, 19; district 10 included sections 5, 8, 17 and the N 1/2 of section 20; while district 9 included sections 4, 9, 16 and the W 1/2 of sections 3, 10, 15, all in the present Gibson township. When Gibson became a township by itself in 1858, the town was again redistricted and then this area became district No. 4, Gibson. At present the district consists of sections 5, 6, 7, 8 and parts of sections 4, 17, 18. The first schoolhouse, a wooden structure, was erected about 1859, although there is no exact record of just when it was built because the earliest records of the district date back to September 26, 1870. No one knows how large the building was, what its cost was, nor the type of structure. The site of the first school was near, the present school location. At a school meeting on August 27, 1877, a motion was made to build a new school, but action on this proposal was evidently postponed for a second meeting called on September 24 of the same year, the proposition was voted down by a vote of 18 to 11. Two years later in the spring of 1879, the first school was destroyed by fire. It is believed that this, fire began as a result of burning stumps, because the woods for a distance west of the school also burned. Since school was in session when the fire occurred, the children had to walk south for a distance before reaching their homes in the western part of the district. On June 2, 1879, a special meeting was called to discuss the problem of replacing the burnt structure. At this meeting the voters favored an immediate building program with the new school to be located on the present school site which is the southeast corner of section 6. The site, containing one-half acre, was purchased from H. Heiser for ten dollars. The building was to be brick-veneered, and each taxpayer was given the privilege of hauling one load of brick to the site, receiving $2.50 per M for his services. A building committee consisting of Gilbert Ellingboe, John Wegner, Emory Chase, Ole Mattieson, and John Duckartt was selected to supervise the construction. The final cost of the building amounted to $359.87, while the furniture and equipment costs were $164.05. The school still stands today and serves the community. It has one large classroom, a spacious entry-cloakroom, no basement, four windows on each long side, a floor furnace, a built-in library, electric lights, single seats, and a steel filing cabinet. A floor furnace heats and ventilates the room. The outdoor toilets are constructed of cement blocks. A large woodshed at the rear of the school serves as a fuel and storage place. Early attendance records show that two school sessions were held yearly-a winter and a summer term. The winter session began about October 15 and ended about March 15. The summer term of three months began in March and closed in June or July. In 1879, the district voted for a single seven month term, but in 1882 two separate terms yearly were again in vogue. By 1906 nine month school terms were established and maintained ever since. As this was one of the smaller districts of the county, the enrollment has never been as large as in some other districts. The highest attendance was 68 in the latter 1880's. The average enrollment, according to the town clerks' reports, to the county superintendent, for the latter half of the 1800's was about 50. During the 1900's the enrollment has averaged about 20. At present there are 15 pupils attending school. Texts used in the 1870's were Sanders' readers and spellers, Ray's arithmetic, Montieth's geography, and Phineas' grammar. Early settlers in this area according to the Mishicot assessment roll of 1858 were Christ Evensen, Niels Knudson, Henry Nachtwey, Ben Wood, James Hunter, Charles Johnson, Niels Christiansen, Friedrich Willert, John Landers, Knud Thompson, Sever Olson, Friedrich Damero, John Miller, Ole Christenseri, Joseph Warren, Niles Anderson, Ole Evenson, William Wilson, and B. T. and Timothy Chapman. A very few of these family names are now common to the district. Records of school officers date back to 1868. Chas. Steinbrecker is listed first, holding the office of clerk for four terms. Christopher Evenson was treasurer for five terms, while Ole Knudson was director for two terms. Others holding school offices prior to 1906were Knud Knudson, Emory Chase, John Wegner, Wm. Eggert, Nick Heiser, and Anton Mathieson. The first teacher on record was Mary Spencer in 1870. Other teachers in order of their succession of which there are records were: Sarah Eatough 1870; Ada Robinson 1871; James L. Stitt 1872; Ella B. Ross 1873; Henry Walsh 1874-5; Leroy Backus 1876; Mamie Richardson 1877; Lizzie Kelley 1878; E. K. Gibson 1879-84; Katie Finnegan 1894-96; Dora Clausen 1897; M. Ludouise 1898; Julia Evenson 1904; and Olga Nelson 1905. The salaries of female teachers in the 1880's averaged about $25 per month, while male teachers received about $30 monthly. The school curriculum in 1871 advocated the following: alphabet, spelling, reading, writing, orthography, grammar, mental and practical arithmetic, and primary and intermediate geography. History was added later. A notation in one of the old school registers noted that the scholars had difficulty with the subject of history. There were no grades, but there were three divisions or "forms" consisting of primary, intermediate, and upper forms. School fairs were conducted in the early 1900's. Various garden products were brought, judged, and prizes awarded. These fairs were concluded with a program given by the school children or by a box social. These gatherings were featured events and participated in by old and young alike. 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/gibson4m154gms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/wifiles/ File size: 7.2 Kb