Manitowoc County WI Archives History - Schools .....Meeme 5 - Taylor School 
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MEEME 5 —TAYLOR SCHOOL
Phyllis S. Pautz

    At the annual school meeting in 1918, the school was officially named the
Taylor school. Just why that name was chosen is debatable. Some residents
contend that the present school property was purchased from a Mr. Taylor, but
records in the office of the register of deeds give no evidence of a Mr. Taylor
once owning the property. Others say that the school was so named in honor of
President Taylor who was our president in 1849 when the farm on which the school
is located was purchased by Peter Dunagan from the government. To old timers the
school is known as the Pritchard and Kolb school because of the long connections
that they have had with it.

    The exact date of the district organization is unknown, due to lack of first
year records. The Meeme assessment roll of 1856 indicates that it was set up for
assessment purposes at least by that date, but very likely a school was built
before that. It is said that Meeme districts 5 and 1 maintained one school
building until sometime in the 1860's, but sections 25, 26, 27, 34, 35, and 36,
all in Meeme, were actually in district number 5. Today the area remains
practically the same except for small areas attached to Centerville 3 and to the
town of Herman, Sheboygan county.

    The first log school house serving districts 5 and 1 was built in the early
1850's. It was located on the county line, a half mile west of Edwards. The
exact location was said to have been the SE 1/4 of the SE 1/4 of section 34, or
just opposite the present Schwinn home. After the two districts decided to build
their own schools, it stood unoccupied until a Mr. Muetzleburg bought the
building and made it into a residence. No written records of this school remain.

    The first schoolhouse built especially for district 5 was located on the
present site. The date of construction is not definitely known, but according to
the historical facts gleaned from Meeme district 1, it must have been built
about 1862. It is said that the present school site was donated by John
Bredemeyer so that his children could go to this school since the family lived
in Sheboygan county. The deed of 1866 by which Meeme 5 acquired the site from
Evan Abrams for $25 makes no mention of such donation. The original building was
of frame construction about, 24 x 30 feet. As time went on, this structure
proved to be too small; so on March 7, 1889, a contract was let to Fred Strovies
& Co. to build a new foundation and an 18 foot addition to the south end of the
school for $555. When this building had out-lived its usefulness, it was
disposed of in September, 1913, for the sum of $256. It was moved a quarter mile
west and located on the present highway 42 where it was converted into a cheese
factory. At present it is used as a place of residence by the Art Gosse family.

    The old school's equipment was meager indeed. Geo. Pritchard, a pupil in
this school, reports that there was "no library, no globe, and only a few maps
and a dictionary. Home-made, schoolroom furniture was used. Patented double
desks were purchased in 1879 for $121. The schoolhouse and apparatus about that
date were valued at $720. The question of free text books was voted on as early
as 1887, but not passed until 1931. The district made continuous improvements
because the record books from time to time list new dictionaries, new chimney
built, new teacher's chair, more seats and desks, woodshed built for $25, better
blackboards purchased, and the usual maps, chalk, and erasers supplied. "It was
crude", stated Mr. Pritchard, "and yet we learned. Thanks to the good teachers."

    At a special meeting held on January 17, 1913, the vote was for a new school
with a basement. The frame building was planned by Edmund Kolb and cost when
completed about $3,000. It is heated by a basement furnace. The main floor of
the school has a large entry, a partitioned cloakroom, a library alcove, and a
modern, well-lighted classroom. The building is equipped with the latest and
best teaching and learning equipment. Single, adjustable seats of the latest
design, teacher's desk and chair, a piano, radio, phonograph, hectograph, steel
filing case, electric service, removable stage and footlights, drinking
fountain, and the many other needs of a modern school have been added. In 1940,
the walls and ceiling of the school were covered with Nu-wood. The pride of the
district in its school is reflected in the excellent care taken.

    The yard, enclosed by chain-link fencing and steel piping, houses a new
wood-shed to replace the old one sold in 1915 for $8.25. In 1927 a garage was
built near the northwest corner of the school grounds. Well-kept outdoor toilets
are built near the garage. The yard is also equipped with much fine playground
material. A well was drilled on the premises in 1918.

    Enrollment records previous to 1870 are unavailable, but for that year the
number enrolled, according to the town clerk's report to the county, office, was
55. Summer and winter terms were common up to 1875. Although a single term was
held thereafter, the year was divided into the equivalent of winter and summer
sessions, with the grown boys and girls present when much farm work was
impossible. The town clerks' records show that a high of 80 pupils enrolled in
1880 and again in 1890. Up until 1905, the yearly attendance was between 60 and
80 pupils. Since that time a steady decrease has been noted because of rural
factors, until now there are about 15 children attending yearly.

    Names .of the early settlers include John Fenn, Henry Kammann, Wm. Hahn,
Ernest Kolb, John Lauer, L. Dittmeyer, Nick Phillips, James and Patrick O'Grady,
Fred Haley, Trustrom Dodge, and Wm. Pritchard. The Pritchard deed bears the
signature of President Taylor. It is about the only farm in the district owned
and operated by a descendant of the original owner. Some of the former pupils
who have become well-known are Robert Bauer, a member of Marquette faculty;
Robert Fenn, city engineer of Sheboygan; August Westermeyer, manager of a
furniture factory in Sheboygan; Roland Kolb, a teacher and now fieldman for the
U. S. Dept. of Agriculture; Fred Kolb, a doctor; Geo. Pritchard, teacher and now
dentist at Milwaukee; Anna Pritchard, teacher and later supervising teacher of
Manitowoc county; Robert Pritchard, a former county teacher; and a host of
others whose names were and are familiar in the fields of agriculture; business,
and the professions. The list would be indeed a long one were all to be named
specifically.

    William Pritchard was believed to have been the first school clerk, serving
for more than 30 years. He was an influential resident who gave counsel in legal
matters to others. His son, Robert, served as director for 16 years from 1899 to
1915. It was commonly stated among the district residents that school couldn't
function without a Pritchard on the board. Other officers and their years of
service were Ernest Kolb, director for 22 years; Peter Sixel, director for 17
years; Wm. Fenn, clerk for 14 years; Robert Wesener, clerk for 21 years; Alden
Kolb, clerk 11 years; Patrick O'Grady, treasurer for more than 12 years; and
Albert Axley, treasurer for 27 years. It is interesting to note that during its
existence the school has had only 14 people as members of the board. Long terms
are a tradition in this district!

    The names of the first teachers are unknown. The district board tried to get
the leading educators of the times. This is indicated by the fact that some of
them become successful in this and other professions, and by the fact that the
district paid top salaries at all times. Even in 1872 when the average salary in
the county was $35, this district paid $50. Names of teachers on record up to
1906 were: 1872 (S) Clara Hopkins; 1872-3 (W-S) John C. Smith; 1873 (W) James
Larkin; 1874 (S-W) Alice P. Canright; 1876 W. Thomas; 1877-8 O. S. Brown;
1879-80 P. H. Hewitt; 1894-95 Geo. Pritchard; 1896-98 Fred Kolb; and 1904-05
Sophie Axley. Other teachers of the last century were A. J. Strassburger who
became Sheboygan county superintendent of schools; E. S. Mueller, who became
Manitowoc county superintendent of schools, and Charles Lutze, now principal of
one of the Sheboygan city schools. Geo. Pritchard, became a dentist, O. H. Brown
a lawyer, P. H. Hewitt a prominent educator, and Fred Kolb a doctor.

    The town clerks' records to the superintendents list for the years 1870 to
1890 the following texts used in this school: Sanders and Swinton readers and
spellers; Davies and Robinsons arithmetics, Goodrich and Swintons histories,
McNally and McMurray geographies, and Clarks and Harpers grammars. District
fairs, at which $10 in prizes was given, were common in the early 1900's. This
school has been a leader in music and singing for the past 20 years. Under the
initiative of Freda Hammann, the county school supervisor of that time, music
and voice training began. Since then this has been a "singing" school. Under the
capable leadership of Dorothy Mueller, Theodore Wimmler, and Phyllis Schmidt,
rhythm, harmonica, and tonette bands were organized and were in demand at school
programs, music festivals, and graduation. The musical talent developed during
the past years is repaying in better and more enjoyable living. The school has
always served as a community gathering place of importance for social and
business affairs.

    This community has produced many successful and progressive farmers and farm
leaders. Walter Axley, a district resident, is a qualified county agent, as was
Roland Kolb, a former agent. The various county farm organizations have had the
name of Kolb, Bender, Wesener, and Kammann on their roster now and in the past.


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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