Manitowoc County WI Archives History - Schools .....Liberty 2 Roselawn ************************************************ 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 2, 2007, 8:43 pm LIBERTY 2 - ROSELAWN Dorothy Johnston Vogel Liberty district No. 2 was named the Roselawn school because the school building is located across the road from the Roselawn farm owned by the late Adolph Otto. To most of the people in this and neighboring communities it is commonly referred to as the Otto school. In 1856 when this area was a part of the Eaton township, this district was designated Eaton district 3. After the township of Buchanan was set up in 1857, this area became Buchanan school district No. 2. In 1860 it was renamed Liberty No. 2. While it was Eaton No 3, it consisted of sections 9 and 16 and parts of sections 8 and 17. Today, after many changes, it is made up of sections 3-4-9-10-15-16, all in Liberty. The first log school was thought to have been built about 1852, because it is known that Thomas Thompson attended the school at that time. There are no written records of the district before 1861. This log school was located across the road from the present site on the present Horstmann land east of the school. The structure was about 16 x 20 feet and valued at about $100. Nails for the structure were hammered out by hand and it is said that the actual cost of the building material was about $12. Benches were used for seats and there were no blackboards or maps. When the new school was built, it was torn down and the logs hauled to the Johnston farm by a team of steers where the logs were cut up for firewood. The second and present brick school was built in the summer of 1879 for $460. Everyone in the district helped build under the direction of a bricklayer. The site on the southeast corner of NE 1/4 of section 10 was purchased from Mr. Otto. The original brick building was about 18 x 28 feet with an entry-cloakroom and a small classroom In 1944 an addition was built on to the north to house the fuel bin, a garage, and indoor lavatories. This addition increased the length of the structure to twice its original size. In 1916 the interior of the school was remodeled by installing plaster board walls and ceiling and a new floor laid. At the same time the woodshed was moved and attached to the rear of the school. To make the fuel shed handy for the teacher, a door was cut to connect the schoolroom with the woodshed. The school grounds were enlarged twice, once in the early 1900's and the second time in 1930. The original yard had a high board fence all around it with an extra guard board over the top so that the pupils could not climb over it. The gate consisted of closely spaced posts. At first the woodshed was located in the southwest corner of the yard. When wood was delivered, the boys had the job of piling it. Both boys and girls had to carry wood for the fire and put it into a woodbox placed in the partition between the cloak and classroom. The school equipment has been improved and added to since the early days, but it still lacks some considered essentials in a modern rural school. Cross-lighting, lack of a recommended heating and venilating system, and single adjustable desks are some of the major deficiencies, but these will be eliminated soon. Electric lights were installed in 1939 and a phone added in 1943. The playground equipment consists of a merry-go-round and a ball diamond. The earliest school census record of 1861 listed 87 of school age (4 to 20) but the average attendance for the year was only 30. The highest enrollment occurred in the 1870's when about 60 pupils were enrolled. Since this was a farming community, the older pupils those from 14 to 20, did not enter school except for the winter months. The average attendance from 1870 to 1905 ranged from a high of about 60 in 1875 to a low of 24 in 1890. The district is affected very little by parochial schools and so the average attendance today is still between 15 and 20. The early settlers were a mixture of Germans and Norwegians. Pupils entering school could speak only their native tongue. The teacher used pictures and other devices to teach, although the teacher could usually speak their native language to some extent. Quite a few of the original family names common to the district are still to be found. Among them are those of Torrison, Johnston, Otto, Rusch, Horstmann, Nass, Maas, Schneider, Vetter, Thompson, and Lenz. A well-known former resident of the district now is H. L. Fisher who is secretary-treasurer of the County Farm Bureau. Adolph Otto, now deceased, was town chairman for years and organizer and officer of the county Holstein-Friesian Association. The many former pupils are scattered far and wide and are a credit to their community. The earliest school record of 1861 listed Tosten Knutson as the clerk at that time. Those who served from 1872 to 1906 were as follows: Knut Hobley, Nils Knudson, L. Horstmann, J. T. Kasbaum, A. A. Lyken, August Vetter, T. H. Thompson and Wm. Otto. Knut Robley served for many terms as clerk from 1872 to about 1900. Adolph Otto was a member of the board for 22 years after 1900. Lewis Larson, the teacher in 1861, taught for a 3 month term at $22 per month. Winter and summer terms were held up to about 1875. The first record of a "spring term" was in 1884 when there was a six month fall term and a two month spring term. Teachers on record from 1870 to 1906 were Edward Malloy, Annette Amunds, Guy Aubol, Annie Michelson, Agnes Burnett, P. J. Taugher, Marie Hougen, Christina Ulness, Ella Qualley, Nellie Nelson, Peter Burns, Theresa Johnston, Wm. Dunbar, Julia Lyken, Minnie Luebke, and Anton Lyken. P. J. Taugher and Peter Burns later became doctors, Wm. Crowe an editor, and Anton Lyken a county board member. Lumbering and grain raising were the chief industries in early years. Wheat was the cash crop, while oats was raised for feed. The former crop was hauled to Manitowoc. Cordwood, railroad ties, and piles for docks were also hauled to Manitowoc. Timber was cut in winter and hauled to Vetter's sawmill. About 1885 dairying was begun and the first cheese factory was built by Kasbaum which was in operation only during the summer. For about 40 years Ed. Vetter's threshing machine, did the threshing in the neighborhood. A Homemakers' Club was organized with Mrs. Leslie Fisher as the first leader about 1935. The 4-H club with Leslie Fisher as the leader was started about the same time. School fairs were popular in the 1920's as were spelling bees. Vetter's sawmill and the burned ruins of the cheese factory are historical landmarks. The Liberty swamps are located in this district. Today Liberty No. 2 is the home of progressive Manitowoc county farmers. 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/liberty2166gms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/wifiles/ File size: 7.4 Kb