Manitowoc County WI Archives History - Schools .....Two Rivers 3 - Crystal Springs School ************************************************ 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, 3:19 am TWO RIVERS 3 — CRYSTAL SPRINGS SCHOOL Ruth Schlundt Two Rivers district number 3 was named the Crystal Springs school in 1918 because the school is located near a group of crystal clear springs. To community and county residents it is often refered to as the Goedjen school because of the close connections that members of that family have had with the school since its organization. This district was organized as a separate school unit in 1863. Before that time the boys and girls of school age attended the Altmeyer school located in School Section in the town of Mishicot which was then known as Mishicot joint 3. This new district was set up because the distance to the Altmeyer school was too great for some of the families living near the southern boundary. Today Two Rivers No. 3 consists of sections 20, 21, 22, 27, and parts of sections 26 and 28, all in T. 20 N., R. 24E. The movement to set up the district was led by the late Herman Goedjen and Henry Wilke, Sr. The school site of one acre was purchased from Mr. and Mrs. August Wachtel for one dollar. The site description is the southwest corner of the NE 1/4 of the SE 1/4 of Sec. 21, T. 20 N., R. 24 E. The first school building was erected soon after the district was organized by Goedjen and Wilke. It was a small log building with two windows on each long side and a shed-like entrance which was also used for fuel storage. A picture of this school by L. W. Bentley is on display in the office of the county superintendent of schools. Old records show that the contract price for delivery of logs, material, and labor was $200. An old box stove was used to heat the old log schoolhouse. The fire died out during the night, so that by next morning the ink in the inkwells was a solid piece of ice. Wooden benches, served as seats, and boards painted black became "blackboards". The children had very few books during the early years of the school. Most of the lessons had to be memorized while sharing the books with fellow classmates. When the old log building had outlived its usefulness, it was made into a home, and is now the property of Mr. and Mrs. Roland Silbersack who live a half mile east of the school. The second and present schoolhouse was erected in 1905 at a cost of about $1,500. Christ Tegen made the building plans and John Ebel was the contractor. The structure was placed near the center of the first school site. It is of frame construction with a full basement which now houses the furnace, fuel, and playrooms. The first floor has a large, correctly lighted classroom, a cloakroom, and a roomy library. Two porches are provided but at present only one is used as one now leads into the room which was changed into a library. From 1905 to 1921, the school was heated by a stove. Larke double desks were used first, in the new building, but single seats and desks were purchased later. The school has modern equipment such as piano, radio, sand table, electric service, and the best and latest teaching and learning-aids. The district furnishes free textbooks. In addition to the schoolhouse, the other buildings on the site are the outdoor toilets. The yard has fine shade trees, plenty of play space, and one of the most complete playground equipments found in the rural schools of Manitowoc county. Summer and winter school terms were held up to 1873. Even after that date, the winter enrollment was always greater because the older boys and girls were then in attendance. Because of the limited size of the district, the enrollment was never as large as some of the county schools, although the records show that 66 pupils were enrolled in 1870. The average from then on to 1905 was between 30 and 50 pupils yearly. Due to the usual rural factors, the 1947-1948 attendance was 10. A special meeting was called on Tuesday evening, March 9, 1948 to consider the question of suspending school for the next term. After careful consideration of the advantages, disadvantages, and costs, it was unanimously decided to continue operating the school. Most of the early residents were farmers. Some of the more well-known were: Herman Goedjen, Henry Wilke, August Wachtel, Anton Bugler, Rudolph Bishop, Frank Wachtel, Fred Stueck, William and Peter Schaff, and Andrew Fay. A prominent resident of this district for many years is F. C. Christiansen who was Manitowoc county superintendent of schools and principal of the County Rural Normal for about 30 years. Some of the more well-known graduates are the Wilkes, Silbersacks, Goedjens, and Christiansens. This is also the home district of town chairman, Oscar Eis. The early records beginning with the year 1868 are written in German and continue to be in that language until 1891. Herman Goedjen was the first school treasurer. During those early years the yearly salary of the clerk was $6; the treasurer received $5, and the director received $4. Henry Wilke, Sr. is listed as one of the first clerks, while Henry Goedjen, Sr. served in that capacity from 1874 to some time in the 1880's. Robert Schubert was recorded as clerk from 1894 to at least the year 1905. Others who served as officers prior to 1906 were Gottlieb Schubert, Fred Stueck, and R. Schneider. The early teachers were common school graduates who took teachers' examinations to become qualified. As years went by, the teachers were high school graduates. Since about the year 1900, trained teachers who were graduates of teacher training institutions were employed. Because of the fine records kept by the various school clerks of this district, the list of teachers employed is quite complete. L. T. Wooden was the first teacher in 1869. Others were: Ella Reisland 1872 S; Maggie La Plant 1872-75; Thos. Walsh 1876; Ella Murphy 1878-84; Mary L. Patnode 1885; Martha Magee 1886; Herman Schlundt 1887-90; Lena Miller 1891; Henry Arneman 1892-93; Elenore Mueller 1896; Henry Wilke 1897-98; Otto Engel 1899-1900; Christ Wulner 1901-03; and Lillian Westgate 1904-05. Several of these teachers, became county and national figures. Thos. Walsh became U. S. Senator; Herman Schlundt became professor of chemistry at the University of Missouri where he experimented with radium treatment of cancer. "Schlundt Hall" at that university is named in his honor; Henry C. Wilke is president of the Bank of Two Rivers; and Otto Engel, an officer of a Manitowoc lumber company. Reading, arithmetic, spelling, grammar, writing, history, geography, and constitution were among the subjects taught in the early school. Lower grade reading classes were called "chart" classes, while lower grade arithmetic classes were "number" classes. Early texts were Wigginson's U. S. history, Wydes English Lessons, A. O. Wright Constitution, Martins Physiology, Rudiments of Arithmetic, The Union Speller, Swinton's Language Lessons and Geography, and Barnes Primary History. In more recent years the school has served as the center for farm meetings and a 4-H club gathering place. Peter Schaff once owned a brick yard adjoining the rear of the schoolyard where he made high grade building bricks. He also experimented with the manufacture of round sewer pipes but was unsuccessful because of the grade of clay used. The brickyard was in existence for 60 years. Eastwin Hall, established 80 years ago, is used for the Two Rivers town hall. Stoer's and Goedjen's dairies are located in this district. The pine grove located on the Henry Goedjen farm was a picnic ground of note for the people from Two Rivers. Today nothing but the concrete piers on which the dance hall rested remains. East Twin River, which crosses the eastern boundary of this district, is a favorite recreational area. Summer cottages dot the shores back of Goedjen's grove. 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/tworiver245gms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/wifiles/ File size: 8.5 Kb