Manitowoc County WI Archives History - Schools .....Gibson Jt. 3 - Jambo Creek ************************************************ 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, 10:31 pm GIBSON JT. 3 -JAMBO CREEK Esther Kasten At the annual school meeting in 1919, the voters of this district decided to name their school the Jambo Creek district because it is located in the area where Jacques Vieu (or "Zhambo" as the Indians called him) set up one of the first trading posts in Manitowoc county along a small creek. Prior to 1919 this school was usually referred to as the Jambo school. The present Jambo Creek district was among the first organized in Manitowoc county. It was originally a part of Mishicot No. 2. In 1858, when Gibson became a separate township, this area became Gibson district No. 7. About 1874, a small area of land was attached to this district from Kossuth and so this district became Gibson Jt. 3, because there were already joint districts 1 and 2 between Mishicot and Gibson. In 1914, when Gibson Jt. 7 was organized, this district no longer was joint with Kossuth, but it retained its designation of Gibson Jt. 3 for identification purposes only. Since its organization many changes have occurred in its boundary lines. The first log schoolhouse was erected about 1847 and stood about one-eighth of a mile northwest of the present schoolgrounds. Nothing is known about the size of the building nor of its equipment. It is known that it was also used for a church by the residents. After having served its purpose, the school was sold to John Ploecklemann for $19. His family used it as a kitchen for many years. The second and present school was built in 1873 at a cost of $378 and was located on the present site purchased from John Cretton. At first the voters at a special meeting on April 18, 1873, voted to buy a site located at the S. W. corner of the SE 1/4 of the NW 1/4 of Sec. 26 from Jos. Mann Co. That vote was rescinded at another special meeting held on September 13, 1873. The clerk's records show that at the special meeting held on October 12, 1872, the voters voted a new school building.40 x 22, with a hall 6 x 22 feet that had one outside and two inside doors. The building had to have eight windows - three on each long side and two for the front of the building. The walls were to be wainscoted up to the window sills with the rest of the walls and ceiling lathed and plastered. The school was set on a stone foundation 2x2 feet. The roof was to be shingled with A Star shingles. Specifications were also voted as to size and type of sills, rafters, joists, etc. The scholars' desks were to be made of good pine or hardwood 1 1/4 inches thick. W. Hony and Fred Cook were appointed on the building committee to supervise the construction. In 1874, after the building was occupied, the voters voted for stone steps at the front door at a cost of $7. A privy, 9x5 feet, double boarded, partitioned through the middle, and having two doors was also voted for that year at a cost of $12. The homemade desks and seats were replaced in 1883 when new patented double desks were ordered by the voters. Two of the old seats and desks were donated to the Lutheran minister and the rest were to be placed on the grounds for the "accommodation" of the pupils. A woodshed 14 x 10 x 8 feet was voted in 1882. The construction of this building was let to Ole Thiedemann for $25 which included the labor and lumber costs. In 1888, an addition 10 x 12 was ordered for the woodshed and was constructed by John Stueck for $11.50 including labor and lumber. The woodshed was sold and moved off the schoolyard by Adolph Schultz who is using it for a granary. A new hardwood floor replaced the pine schoolroom floor in 1894. Another toilet was built in 1896. A flag pole was first erected in 1900. The record book records the fact that yearly bids for whitewashing the schoolroom walls and for supplying firewood were let at the annual meeting. For some reason the district did not need to raise taxes during the years 1891 to 1893. Single adjustable desks and seats now in use were purchased in 1919. In 1932, the school was remodeled to provide more conveniences. The entrance door was moved to the southwest corner of the building, a basement, built, a basement heating and ventilating system installed, and a stairway to the attic provided. Electric lights were installed in 1946. Today the Jambo Creek school is a semi-modern building with cross-lighting and outdoor toilets. It has always been a one-room school. This school has experienced the same fluctuation in enrollment as other county schools have. In 1871 there were 74 pupils enrolled for the two terms-about 45 for the winter term and 30 for the summer term. The average enrollment in the 1800's was about 60. Today the average yearly attendance is between 15 and 20 out of a school census of about 40 children. The clerk's record book, dating back to 1870, shows that this area was settled by Norwegians, Germans, and French. Adolphus Hudson served as school clerk from 1870 to 1894. Others serving on the school board before 1906 were Clerk Edw. Eckhardt, treasurers Geo. Wilson, Ole Thiedemann, Jos. Luisier, Camille Brouchoud, H. Hony, and John Stueck, and directors Mike Olson, Stephen Rebardz, Fred Stueck, H. Eckhardt, and Solomon Vertz. Annual meetings were held at four, five, or six o'clock in the afternoons until 1884 when 7 o'clock was set as the meeting time. Up to 1875, annual meetings were held the last Monday in September. From 1875 to 1882, annual meetings were held the last Monday in August. After 1883, annual meetings were held the first Monday of July according to this district's records. The clerk was voted a $5 yearly salary from 1871 on while the directors and treasurer were not paid until 1874 when $5 yearly was voted for them. This district had two terms of school until 1895 but usually one teacher was employed for both terms. The voters usually stipulated whether a male or female teacher was to be hired. The district during the 1800's raised about $250 yearly to pay the teacher and for other expenses. The names of teachers from 1870 to 1906 are: Libbie Puffer and Peter Garrigan 1870, Thos. S. Cleary 1871, Ada Pellet and Mathew Smith 1872, Jonas Gagnon and Jessie Ross 1873, Flora Wright and Harold Whitmore 1874, Sam Stitt 1875, T. W. Byrnes 1876, Floyd M. Benedict 1877, M. Hale Smith 1878, Edw. Brown 1879, Ella Hony, 1880-1, Maggie Kelly 1882-3, Floyd Westgate 1884-5, Josephine Thompson 1886, Edmund O. Burtt 1887, Dan O'Brien 1888, Jerome Craite 1889-90, Caspar Ploeckelmann 1891, J. L. Morrissey 1892-3, Hugo Westgate 1894-5, Hermus Beseau 1896-8, Walter Reich, 1904, and C. E. Westgate 1905. The early records show that the American Educational Readers, Swinton's spellers, word primers, geographies, and histories, and Robinson's arithmetic were used. School fairs were held in the early 1900's. Later a "Community Club" was organized and meetings held in the schoolhouse. The first three families in the district were the Wilsons, Thompsons, and Browns. The Wilson family came 100 years ago in 1845. A descendant of this family, Norman Wilson, still lives in the district. His grandparents were married in the first school-house. The first white girl born in this district was a daughter of the Thompsons. A historical marker placed on the schoolgrounds was dedicated on June 25, 1922. A bronze plaque on this stone informs the public that the first white man's trading post in Manitowoc county was established just 60 rods south of that spot by Jacques Vieau. An interesting feature of this stone is that it is shaped like Wisconsin except for Door and Kewaunee counties. The old Green Bay Trail passed the old trading post. Remains of this post still remain. 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/gibsonjt153gms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/wifiles/ File size: 8.4 Kb