Manitowoc County WI Archives History - Schools .....Jos. Koenig School - Two Rivers ************************************************ 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 January 15, 2008, 6:53 pm JOS. KOENIG SCHOOL —TWO RIVERS By History Committee The Joseph Koenig grade school was erected in fall, winter, and spring of 1930-31. It is located on a site of two blocks bounded by Lowell street on the east, the city limits on the west, Eleventh street on the south, and Twelfth street on the north. The school was named in honor of Joseph Koenig, the founder of the aluminum industry in Two Rivers. Records on file in the register of deeds office show that lots 1 to 24 inclusive of Gardendale addition were purchased by the city for the Koenig school site between January 4 and May 9, 1930. The total cost of these lots was $18,475 and "other considerations". The lots were purchased from the following owners: Lots 1 to 4 inclusive from Anton Vaclavik; part of lot 5 from Albert Corberg; part of lot 5 and lot 6 from Edward Kracht; lot 7 from A. M. Farrell and Wm. Ploor; lot 8 from Frank Stone; lot 9 from Henrietta Wriedt; lot 10 from Rose Niquette; lots 11 and 12 from Chas. Berman; lots .13 and 14 from Theo. Neunberger; lot 15 from Anton Rosik; lots 16, 18, 22, 23, and 24 from Frank Fronk; lot 17 from Frank Lapean; lots 19 and 20 from Wm. Mueller; and lot 21 from Delia Beaudoin. The Joseph Koenig elementary school construction was begun in the summer of 1930 and was completed in May 1931. The blue prints were drawn by Childs and Smith of Chicago. The general contract to build the school was awarded to Joseph Rezach of Two Rivers. The building and equipment for the new school cost the city about $147,523. To finance this building program Two Rivers bonded itself for the sum of $99,000. The outside dimensions of the building are 162 x 90 feet. The school faces Lowell street on the east, leaving large areas for playground and possible expansion to the west. Buchholz street, as originally laid out, would divide the property from north to south. The two story Koenig school, when completed, was acclaimed a model grade school building by state and national authorities. It is constructed of red brick with the interior hallways lined with glazed brick. The interior trim is of oak throughout, the building. The corridor floors are of terraza and tile, while those in the first floor classrooms are linoleum covered. One of the outstanding features of the building is the tile plaques set into the walls along the stairway leading to the second floor. These tile plaques depict various scenes and characters found in children's books. The front entrance opens into an octagonal hallway with its several corridors and doorways giving easy access to every room in the building. The first floor of the structure is made up of first and second grade classrooms, a large modern and beautifully designed kindergarten room, a large auditorium seating about 375 people, the upper half of the gymnasium, and the principal's office. The basement houses the heating and ventilating plant, fuel rooms, a completely furnished kitchen, a large dining room, and a spacious and adequate gymnasium with shower rooms adjoining. The second floor of the school is made of regular classrooms as well as special rooms for art, music, the library, the nurse's room, and teachers' lounge. All clasrooms are modernly equipped with the best of learning and teaching aids. The first principal of the Koenig school was C. C. Case who is now the Two Rivers recreation director. In May 1931, the children gathered their school books and supplies in the old Roosevelt building and moved them to the new Koenig school. Only public school children from kindergarten to the sixth grade inclusive were enrolled. The seventh and eighth graders attended the Washington high school because the city school system was by then operating on the 6-6 plan. The enrollment the first year in the new building totalled 274 pupils. By 1948, the enrollment had decreased to 170. With the development of the area outside of the city limits to the south and west, more and more of the facilities of this modern school will again be utilized. In 1933, Prin. Case, with the active assistance of Arthur Rahn, Mrs. H. Zoerb, and Rev. F. Schlueter, organized the first parent-teachers' association in Two Rivers. This organization is active in promoting educational affairs of interest to parents and teachers. It also sponsors scout organizations for the youth of this section of the city. One year the P. T. A. held an auction in the gymnasium to augment the organization's treasury fund. Articles for the sale were donated and auctioned off by the capable auctioneers, Arthur Rahn and Stanley Gunderson. It was a memorable affair indeed! The school buzzed with activity during World War II. Vigorous campaigns for the sale of war bonds and stamps were carried on by the teachers and pupils. The Koenig teachers donated many hours of extra time to help fill out ration cards and books for gasoline, sugar, canned goods, coffee, and meat. Tons of waste paper, tin, and old clothing were collected at school and contributed to the war effort. Junior Red Cross boxes were filled by the school children for the wounded in hospitals and for those in service. In the fall of 1932 when school opened, Ruby Koenig Ellis, daughter of Joseph Koenig for whom the school was named, presented a Lester Bentley portrait of her father to the school. At this presentation held in the auditorium of the school, Harold Eberhardt, a sixth grade student, accepted the painting in behalf of the children of this school. The portrait has been assigned a place of honor in the main office of the building. 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/joskoeni255gms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/wifiles/ File size: 6.4 Kb