One-Room Country Schools: History and Recollections from Wisconsin

244 Pages·2004·36.86 MB·English

by  Jerry Apps

Copyright© 1996 Jerold W Apps
First Edjcion
All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part of any portion in any form
without permission of publisher is prohibited.
Amherst Press
A Division of Palmer Publications, Inc.
318 N. Mrun Street
Amherst, Wisconsin 54406
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Apps, Jerold W, 1934-
0ne-room country schools : history and recolleccions
from Wisconsin /by Jerry Apps. - 1st ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-942495-53-5
1. Rural schools- Wisconsin- History. I. Title.
LC5147.W6A67 1996
370. I 9'346'09775- dc20 96-7046
CIP
Printed in the United States of America ar Palmer Publicarion.s, Inc.
Dedicated t0 my country school teachers:
Theresa Piechowski, Maty Murry, Violet Lovejoy, Blanche Swett,
Maxine Thompson, and fajch Jenks.

Preface ... .......... ...... .... ..... ..... ..v ii
1 Memories ........... ............ ....... .... 1
2 Early History ..... ........... ... ... .... ..... 9
3 The Teachers .............................. 25
4 Preparing And Supporting Teachers .............. 41
5 All In A Day .............. .. ... ........ ... 57
6 Lessons That Were Learned ... ... .. ..... ...... . 69
7 School Of The Air ..... .... .. ...... ... ...... 89
8 Here Comes Santa Claus . ...... .. . . ... ...... . 99
9 Recess . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 1
10 Softball . ..... ..... .... . ................. 121
11 Up Hill Both Ways .................. .. ..... 129
12 Beyond The School Room ........ . .. ........ 139
13 Selected Schools ................... ... ..... 147
14 Modem Day One-Room Schools ... ..... ...... 165
15 Consolidation . ..... .... . ... . ..... .. ... ... 175
16 Learning From The Past ...... ....... ...... . . 191
Appendix A: Recess Games ................... 201
Appendix B: School Museums ............ ... .. 209

After graduating from a one-room coumry school in 1947, 1 took
my elemenrary education for granted, until rather recently. for che last
couple of decades, people throughout the United States have been dis
cussing the shortcomings of public education and how it coLdd be
improved. As I became acquainted with these discussions, it occurred to
me that my elementary education had been excellent, particularly in
such basics as reading, spelling, arithmetic, writing, geography, and pub
lic speaking. This fow1dation has served me well over the years, and I
gained it in an extremely modest building with all eight grades working
rogether under the direction of one reacher.
A couple of years ago I set out co record what wem on in these lit
tle one-room schooJs chat were scattered cluoughour Wisconsin as well
as in many other scares. How did these schools provide an excellent edu
cation for most of the students who attended them? And, likewise, what
were their shortcomings?
To begin, 1 looked at my eight years as a pupil in a one-room school
in Waushara County, Wisconsin. But I wanted this book to be more
than my own experience. Working with the Wisconsin Retired
Educators Association, I asked former teachers and students of one
room schools to send me their stories, and their phocos. I gave a ralk to
the retired teachers at their annual meeting, and asked for information.
Ac the School of The Arts in Rhinelander, where I teach each summer,
I mentioned my interest. I discovered severaJ former teachers and stu
dents of one-room schools attending the School of Arrs, and I inter
viewed several of them.
The weekly newspaper, The Country Today, printed my request for
country school information. The Council for Local Hisrory, of the Seate
Historical Society of Wisconsin, ran a notice saying char I wanted
information on schools. The word was out.
The letters and photos began pouring in. In many instances, I fol
lowed up with interviews and~ received yer further information. At one
point I was nearly overwhelmed with material. I spoke at a rural histor
ical society meeting and asked who in the group had attended or taught
vii
ar a one-room counrry school. Three-quarrers of c:he hands wenr up.
Everyone, ir seemed, had informarion for me, and a srory abour the
school they attended.
Early in the development of this book, I decided I couldn't list all
the one-room country schools in Wisconsin-there were more than
6,000 of rhem. Thus some readers will be disappointed when they do
nor find the name of rheir school on these pages. Many people senr me
informarion about their schools. I've included much of it, buc much
more I had co leave out. As l dove inco che research, I looked for old cexc
books, recess games, history of che earliest schools, Arbor Day,
Christmas programs, and the School of The Air. I also searched for,
and found, considerable material criticizing the one-room school. A
groundswell of opposition to the small school districts and the often
very low enrollment of country schools led to legislation that eventual
ly caused c:he consolidation of rural school districts, and the busing of
children to larger schools, often located in villages and cities.
Ac the end of chapters, I have included noces that lisr published
materials I used. Bue much of the quoced macerial in the book comes
from interviews and personal correspondence. Several hundred people
were ultimately involved in the project, <ind I owe each of them a spe
cial thanks. I have tried as diligendy as possible to make sure the source
of all material is noted, both published and unpublished.
Many of the photos in this book cRme from the closets and dressers
of former teachers and studenrs. In most instances the phorographer is
unknown, so I have attributed che phocos to those who conrribuced
chem. Steve Apps, my son, and a photographer for the Post Crescent
newspaper in Appleton, took mosc of che contemporary phocos used in
the book. A few phocos were also obtained from the Universiry of
Wisconsin Archives, and from the Srace Historical Society of Wisconsin.
Several people went to extraordinary efforrs co help me with this
project and I want co especially thank chem: Larry Behlen, Green Lake;
Kathy Berigan, Madison; Lelah Bruso, Rhinelander; Jean Elefson, River
Falls; Jane Elmer, Wisconsin Retired Educacor's Association, Middleton;
Beery Epstein, Black River falls; Wilmer Garske, Markesan; the late
Dorothy Guilday, Rhinelander; Randy Jablonic, Madison; Kathy Klein,
LaPointe Elementary School, LaPoint, Wisconsin; George Klingbeil,
Madison; Burton Kreidow, Grand Marais, Minnesota; Roland
Krogstad, Madison; Helen Long, Wild Rose; Elmer March, Madison;
Escher Niewzwiecki, Owen; Ruth Plautz, Kingston; Jane Rahn,
Delavan; William Schuene, Reedsburg; Joseph Sveda, Antigo; Rurh