Manitowoc County WI Archives History - Schools .....Manitowoc Rapids 4 - McAllister 1948
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MANITOWOC RAPIDS 4 - MC ALLISTER
Elmer Kleman

    Manitowoc Rapids District Number 4 is now called the McAllister School
because of the many connections that the McAllisters had with the early history
of the school. McAllister's name is prominently connected with the early county
board of supervisors. To past and present residents of the community and of the
county, the school is known as the Four Corners School or the Kellner's Corners
School, being located in that village.

    On June 14, 1849, the McAllister school district purchased the present site
from Hiram McAllister. A Frenchman had obtained the land from the Indians He
later sold it to Mr. McAllister. Later Mr. McAllister sold the rest of the farm
from which the school site was carved to Henry Eberhardt. He sold it recently to
Agon Haupt. Since the district was organized, portions of land have been
detached on the south and the east. The district now contains Sections 10 and 14
north of the Manitowoc River, Sections 11 and 13 outside of the present city
limits of Manitowoc, and the S 1/2 of Section 12, all in the township of
Manitowoc Rapids.

    The first school of frame structure was built in 1849 for the sum of $100.
The site cost the district $75. By 1891 the first building had served its
purpose and was moved to a spot about 500 feet, north of the present school site
where it has been used for residential purposes ever since. It still stands at
the corner across the road from the Novy Tavern. The first school was equipped
with benches, tables, blackboards, and large charts.

    The second school building, the one being used at present, was built in
1891, and was constructed by contractor Anton Schliesleder for $812. It is a
brick building patterned, after the fashion of that day. The building lacks the
conveniences of a modern rural school, but it does have more than the ordinary
school room equipment and teaching aids.

    The school began as a one room building and it has always remained a one
teacher school up to the present time. During the depression year of 1932-33,
when the enrollment was 62, two teachers were employed but it did not become a
graded school. In 1879 the enrollment was 85, which was the largest in the
history of the school. The school at that time was taught by Oscar Huhn. The
average enrollment for the years 1879 to 1889 was 73. Today the average
attendance is 47. The decrease in enrollment at present is due to attendance of
children in the parochial schools in Manitowoc. The school census of 1945 shows
that there were 119 children of school age residing in the district.

    Some of the first settlers in the district were the McAllisters, Lenivals,
Steeles, Keeneys, Williams, Wiesners, LaCounts, Beckers, Vilas, Shimeks,
Salvorsons, Pierces, and the Knopes. They were all farmers except Vilas who had
a woolen mill, Pierce who had a saw and grist mill, and the Keeneys who operated
a creamery.

    The records of the school show that the first school officers in 1849 were
Clerk Charles McAllister, Director Hiram McAllister, and Treasurer Francis
Lenival. Others who served on the Board were Thomas Pipen, 1853; Nicholas Pitz,
1854; Peter Roh, 1854; Giles Hubert, 1855; Peter Fetron, 1855; Herman Iarve,
1856; Gust. Hubbard, 1856; and Gordon Stokes, 1858. Recent board members were
Henry Eberhardt who had served for 27 years until he resigned to move to
Manitowoc, and Henry Specht who is rounding out his 28th year on the Board.

    The first teacher employed was Chip Burrit. Other teachers of note to teach
in this district were Emil Teitgen, a prominent business man in Manitowoc;
Timothy Burke, a Member of Congress; Dan Laughlin, a doctor; Lawrence Ledvina, a
well-known lawyer and a member of the State Legislature; Peter and Geo.
Mittnacht, local railroad operators; and Jos. Voboril, County Superintendent of
Schools. In addition, records show that these well-known educators of the 1800's
taught in this district: Oscar Huhn, Emma Schneider, John Erickson, F. Westphal,
Chas. Werner, Christian Schade, J. W. Wilhelm, W. F. Dudley, Byron J. Price,
Chattie Peck, John Hussey, Chas. Shove, Johanna Lueps; and J. A. Koelzer. The
names of the leaders who taught in the district since 1906 are to be found in
the County School Annuals. The first teachers, as in the other early schools,
were hired for either the winter or the summer terms, sometimes both terms.
Their pay ranged from 13 to 45 dollars per month.

    The school has had thousands of pupils during its 99 years of existence.
There are no records indicating who some of the first pupils were and which ones
made names for themselves in the local or the outside communities. For the
1900's we have records showing that the Benisheks, the Witts, the Blesers, and
the Shimeks have made names for themselves in the teaching profession, in
agriculture, and in business.

    During the school term of 1903-04, J. W. Wilhelm, the teacher, conducted
evening classes for the adults of the district. Every spring when the school
term ended, large community picnics were held in the Henry Eberhardt woods. A
parade from the school to the picnic grounds was lead by men on horseback,
followed by a band, the school children, and the people of the district. In some
years the picnics were held in Kummer's Park. A feature of these outings was the
hoisting of a flag that was used in many of the Civil War battles. This flag was
a possession of the Kummer family.

    The district has several places of scenic and of historical interest. The
Manitowoc River, winding its way through the deep valley and serving as the
western boundary of the district, serves as a recreational area for campers and
fishermen. Traces of the grist mill and dam owned by Pierce are found along this
river. Kummer's Park is a favorite picnic grounds. The old "Plank Road", which
was-one of the important toll turnpikes of the county, runs from Four Corners
eastward to the city limits of Manitowoc. This early road was made of planks, a
version of our modern concrete highways. Toll was paid the owners for use of the
"plank road."


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 


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