Outagamie County, WI - "Village Schools Started in 1850"
       
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Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives
Subject: newspaper article "Village Schools Started in 1850"
Submitted by: county coordinator 
EMAIL: jmmarasch@aol.com
Date Submitted: 15 March 2000
       
Source: New London Press newspaper article from Bicentennial issue, undated.

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                 Village Schools Started in 1850
     A vote to raise $300 for a building and $10 for equipment started the Hortonville public school system.
     It was June 8, 1850.
     The villagers had decided they wanted a schoolhouse.
     The school term started before the schoolhouse was built.
     The first classes were held June 24 of that year in a board shanty attached to the side of Thompson's Hotel. 
The shanty was built of rough boards and furnished with chairs -- but no desks.
     Miss Catherine Bristol was the first teacher.  She received a weekly salary of $1.75 plus room and board.
     A year later the new schoolhouse was finished.  It was a frame building furnished with chairs and desks.
     That same year the school term was changed to seven months -- and the teacher's salary raised to $1.75
weekly.  Emma B. Leach was the new teacher.
     Ten years later -- 1861 -- a two-story schoolhouse was built.  The students were divided into three
departments, with the primary group in the old school building, and older students in the new school.
     It was 1903 before a high school program was adopted.
         Other program additions included:
         1935--music department offered musical training for elementary and high school students.  A.C. "Pop" Hastings wasthe first music teacher.
         1942--Building constructed to house music., agriculture and home-making departments.  Full courses were offered in
agriculture and homemaking.
          1946--Kitchen and dining room installed in school basement.  Hot lunches were available to students.
         1947--guidance program added to high school curriculum.
         The old high school reached peak enrollment in 1947 with 172 students.
         The present community school building complex was built in sections over many years.
         1954--part of the elementary building erected.
         1956--portion of high school built.
         1957--several rooms added to elementary building.
         1965-66-large addition joined high school to elementary school and enclosed the system in one structure.

         A second gymnasium, for elementary and junior high students, was also added and the present cafeteria was built.
         1974--old bus garage converted into industrial arts classrooms and shops.
         1975--inner courtyard converted to library media center.
         The present school system consists of students in kindergarten through grade 12.