Manitowoc County WI Archives History - Schools .....Two Rivers 1 - Sandy Hill View 
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TWO RIVERS 1 — SANDY HILL VIEW
Edna Dunne

    When the state law of 1918 was passed, the patrons of District 1, Town of
Two Rivers, chose Sandy Hill View for the name of their school because of a
high, sandy knoll which can be viewed from the school. It had always been known
as the Sandy Bay School previous to that time, because it is located near the
Sandy Bay Road, now leading to Point Beach State Forest.

  Sandy Hill View School is located in the southwest corner of the southwest 1/4
of the southwest 1/4, Section 19, Range 25 East, Town 20 North.

    Up to 1898-the Tannery District included what is now District 1 and 2. Due
to the dissatisfaction of the location of the school, many meetings were held to
try to relocate the school nearer the center of the district. Finally, it was
decided to divide, the old district into what we now know as District 1 and
District 2 with the dividing line being what is now known as Highway 42. It
takes in all of sections, 19-20-21-29-30-31-32 except those parts cut off-by
Lake Michigan and the city of Two Rivers. Originally, the area now in the city
of Two Rivers was known as District 1 but after the Tannery District was
divided, the present District became known as District 1.

    Sandy Hill View School was built in 1898. It is a light-colored brick
building about 34x24 feet, having three windows on either side with two windows
facing the front. The school, when first built, was one of the very few to have
single seats and slate blackboards. A stage was built across the front of the
room because no school was considered properly equipped without a stage. The
stage still remains in the school. Electric lights were installed in the school
in the winter of 1947-1948.

    Fred Luebke was the first teacher in the district and taught there for four
or five terms. Mr. Luebke boarded at the Matt Kimmes home for $8.00 a month.
This farm is just about one-half mile from the school house.

    The first enrollment was 26. Some of Mr. Luebke's pupils were ten years of
age and were starting school for the first time due to the long distances some
of the pupils lived from the school when it was located in the Tannery District.
Mr. Luebke says that often he and the pupils, after walking long distances
through the deep snow, were required to take off their shoes and stockings and
dry them around the furnace before continuing with school. The greatest number
of pupils ever enrolled was 33. The highest enrollment was between the years
1903 to 1910. The average family in those years had about eight children, while
today's average family numbers about five.

    The present enrollment has decreased to about 12 pupils. From 1940 to 1942
it was necessary to close the school because the enrollment had dropped to below
10. The pupils were then transported to the Tannery school for one year and to
the Rangeline school for another term. In 1942 the school was again reopened
with an enrollment of 14 pupils and since then has remained open.

    The subjects taught in the early school days were reading, writing,
arithmetic, physiology and language. Singing was always taught and Mr. Luebke's
group was no exception.

    Some of the early settlers in the district were Matt Kimmes who lived on the
farm that John Pietroske now owns. Mr. Kimmes boarded the first teacher in the
district.

    Mrs. Nick Taddy, known as Grandmother Taddy in Two Rivers, was one of the
very early settlers in the district. She was the mother of nineteen children;
several having preceded her in death. Most of her children grew up on the farm
and attended school in District 1. About 25 years ago, Mrs. Taddy left the farm
and moved to the city of Two Rivers. She died very recently at the age of 84. It
was part of Mrs. Nick Taddy's farm that was chosen for the present site of Sandy
Hill View School.

    Frank Napiecinski was another of the early settlers in the district. Mr.
Napiecinski recently sold his farm to Matt Kimmes.

    Mr. and Mrs. Henry Fischer still reside in the district. They were some of
the earliest settlers living in the district and took a very active part in
trying to have the district divided and a school built where Sandy Hill View
School now stands. Their three sons attended Sandy Hill View. Lyman Fischer, one
of the sons, was District Attorney of Manitowoc County for four years and is now
a practicing attorney at Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Warren Fischer, a second son, is
now an instructor at Whitewater Teachers' College and Robert, a third son, is a
practicing attorney at Shawano, Wisconsin.

    Philip Schaefer was another of the early settlers in the district. Royal, a
son and former pupil of Sandy Hill View, was with the Consolidated Air Lines
flying supplies to the South Pacific.

    Charles Meineke, who formerly lived on the farm now owned by Elmer Petri,
served as treasurer, and Ferdinand Witt served as the director of the first
school board in the district. Their pay at this time was about $10.00 a year.

    The school was used as a community center. Spelling matches, box socials and
neighborhood picnics were held there.

    Fred Luebke was the first teacher. Some of the other teachers were: Charles
Chizek, Pearl Kelly, Freda Heinz, Alma Zander, Erma Gostopherson and Mae Breivogel.

    Part of the wooded area along the lake shore has been taken over by the
state and has been made into Point Beach State Forest. These beautiful woods now
afford not only beauty but serve as a recreational center as well.

    Molarch Creek, which runs .about one-half mile east of the school, at one
time had been a favorite camping site of the red man. One of the favorite sites
of the Indians, was on the East Side within the present city limits of Two
Rivers. The grounds there bear mute testimony to the fact that this was at one
time the center, of a large settlement, as the grounds today are covered with
flint chips, which were chipped from flints in the manufacture of arrow points,
spears, knives, etc. In addition, arrow heads of flint and copper, as well as
pottery and trinkets of stone, have been found by the score.


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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