Eden? school

This school photograph was found in the scrapbook of  Anna Harlin Fleischman, who grew up near Eden, WI.   It's about 1914-15, but not sure of time.

Does anyone recognize any of these students.  Please comment or email if you can confirm that this school was near Eden.

First High School Classes

Before the first High School was constructed, the first high school classes starting in 1859 were held in rented rooms and buildings at various locations in the city.  The exact locations of these classrooms has always been vague. 

In later years, a member of the third graduation class (1862) wrote down his excellent rememberances of attending high school in these buildings, along with other details of the time.

Here is a partial excerpt of his writing.  A full extract will be published in the Fond du Lac County Historical Society's Newsletter.

Written by Carver Griffith, class of 1862:

"The subject of this sketch first attended school at the age of five in a small school house, with one room, on West Arndt St. north of the old St. Paul’s Episcopal Church;  our teacher in the summer time was Miss Susan Place, a very kind and considerate teacher, who gave us the younger pupils, on the last day of school, nice little cards upon which was inscribed “Reward of Merit;” to the older and especially good ones, she presented clusters of wax fruit made by herself.  In the winter, there were more scholars:  Mr. Van Vleck was our teacher.  There being not sufficient seating capacity, two long slabs were provided for the smaller ones, with leg supports, too long by the way, driven into them diagonally.  Our feet did not touch the floor, and we were very glad when recess came and we could go out and see teacher skate and cut figures on the ice.  He had fine “turnover” skates, with little brass acorns on the end of the curl, whereas the small boys had only “stub-toes.”  Teaching to spell by choosing sides and spelling down, was much in vogue in those days, and was considered very good practice.

This is the 1867 Birdseye map of Fond du Lac, showing intersection of Main and Merrill.

When the High School was organized in 1859 a vacant store building on the N. E. corner of Main and Merrill St. was procured.  Prof. E. C. Johnson was Principal.  Miss M. S. Merrille Assistant.  All scholars from the Cotton St. School and Marr St. School who could pass the requisite examinations were admitted.  There was a good delegation from each of those intermediate schools, and the High School, if we only had had a suitable building would have been on the high road to success. 

Prof. Johnson was a good teacher as my report for the year of 1859 will show.

In 1860 we were obligated to move, and Marshall Block on Second Street was the best obtainable; and Prof. Johnson was succeeded by Prof. S. H. Peabody.  Early in the latter’s administration occurred the Celebrated “Red Pepper Plot.”  Some boy at noon time placed some red pepper on the stove, and Professor called as witnesses nearly all the school in order to ascertain the ring-leader, which he did and dismissed him from school.

This is 1867 Birdseye map of Fond du Lac, intersection of Main and Second Sts. showing the Warner Block and the Marshall Block.  The Marshall Block first floor was a feed store. selling Grain, Flour, Feed and land plaster (lime).

The High School required more room, so another move was necessary; this time to the upper rooms in Warner’s Block on Main Street corner of 2^nd.  Here was held, in 1860, the first graduation exercise.  George Willard (who afterward became a Catholic Priest) and Kate Frame received their diplomas.

In 1861 Garland L. Gillett, Kelsey M. Adams and Emma Jane Ward graduated.  Chas. H. Morgan would have graduated, had he not enlisted in the Civil War.  After he was discharged he moved to Missouri:  studied law, and went to Congress.  Had he lived until last year, the same tardy justice should have been granted him as was given my worthy comrade Maurice McKenna.

In 1862 the graduates were Kate Hamilton, Ellen Delaney, Anna Longstaff and Carver N. Griffith.  Clinton Ewen could have graduated, but on account of his age (he was fifteen I think) his parents wished him to remain in school another year.

The graduation exercises July 3, 1862 were held in Spencer Hall, East Division Street, the same building afterwards converted into the Methodist Church.  Of the four graduates, all now living, Kate Hamilton married Col. C. K. Pier, who was the first man to enlist in the Civil War from Fond du Lac County.  She has three daughters, all lawyers and married, four grandchildren, two boys and two girls.

Ellen Delaney is now Mrs. Ellen Delaney Arndt.  She lives in DePere, Wis.  She has one son, a newspaper man in New York City.

Anna Longstaff, now Anna Longstaff Oliver, lives in Grand Rapids, Mich. with her son Fred L.

Carver N. Griffith married Kate Hale of Waukesha County.  They have two daughters; one will graduate soon from the Chicago University in 1922.  The other is attending the University of North Dakota, at Grand Forks.

Woodhull

I don't have many pictures of some outlying communities in the county, so when I do receive one, it's a treasure! I just received this in the mail today!

Store and Cheese Factory, Woodhull WI

Brandon buildings

I received four photographs recently, all taken by George West in the 1880's to 1890's?, and taken in the Brandon area. 

George West lived in Brandon in the 1850's -1873?, worked for the railroad, published the Brandon Times, and then moved on to Escanaba with the C& NWRR

I recognized one photo right away as the original schoolhouse, but the other homes I do not know of.  If anyone has a clue, please let me know.   The original photos are in Escanaba MI, a city where George is considered one of the founders.

house with wooden sidewalk

unknown house

unknown house

 This is Union Prairie School, which was on the NW corner of Hwy T and Hwy O, section 25, town of Metomen.  Some of the old school records are at the Brandon Public Library.  In 1960 the school was sold at auction and moved one farm to the south.

St. Mary's Eighth Grade 1942

St. Mary's Grade School

Eighth Grade Graduation Class

June 6, 1942

Top Row, left to right

George Knipple, Walter Paquin, Stanley Manowske, Gordon Giebel, Patrick Casetta, Gilbert C. Sabel, Fred Schramm, Fr. Peter Gersbaach, Robert Kramer, Reubgardt Wessing, Bernard Salchert, Frank Hilbert, Jack Schmidt, Ray Michaels

Middle Row, left to right

Melvin Bast, Raymond Schaefer, Helen Sauve, Marvin Klinzing, Betty Mosow, Leonard Schmitz, Joyce Steinbarth, Wm. Rieder, Dolores Treffert, Wm. John Schmidt, Arlene Tafft, David Zinnel, Marian Benedict, Rom Floyd, Daniel Hayworth, Wm Leasa

Bottom Row, left to right

Donald Handrahan, Lucille Bertram, Roseann Bogess, Ann mary Freismuth, Dolores Zahran, Margaret Meixenberger, Calher Schmidt, Mary Bessen, Molly Shaad, Mary Hefter, Beatty Kramer, Mary Hess, Elizabeth Cunningham, Dorothy Engholdt, Beatrice Golden, Joseph Haensgen

Spanish American War photos

The family of Charles Freiberg recently donated some family photos, including photos taken when Charles served during the Spanish American War.

Camp Douglas

Ruth Strong pt 3 - Dance cards

When you love to dance, you save your dance cards.   It becomes obvious after studying these pages, that Ruth originally saved one dance card on each page in her original scrapbook.  Later on she would just add comments on subsequent dances that she attended.

Ruth Strong pt 2 - dances

 Ruth Strong was born 1 April 1910, the daughter of Louis H and Mary Strong, of Oakfield.
She married Lester Henning in 1934, and in 1945 they moved to Lamartine, where they became partners with her father, operating the Strong-Henning Grocery Store from 1952-1968.

As a young girl, Ruth kept a scrapbook, and filled it with her many momentos of life during the 1920's.  Dances, picnics, movies appear to be the life of a young girl, striking out into the world.

A favric sample of the dress that Ruth wore under her gown at graduation.

A listing of the dances that Ruth attended in 1928.

continuation of list of 1928 dances

Dates, locations and bands of the dances that Ruth attended in 1929.

continuation of Ruth's dance dates.

ruth strong, dances and dances

Ruth Strong pt 1 - programs and events

Ruth Strong was born in 1910, the daughter of Louis and Mary Strong.  The family lived in the town of Oakfield.  As a teenager in the 1920's, Ruth led a pretty active social life, and kept a scrapbook for her souvenirs.  She has ticket stubs, programs, and even cloth scraps from dresses she made.  The programs are quite an insight into entertainment for that era.
Thank you to Lynn Lawrence for allowing me to scan some of the pages of her grandmother's scrapbook.

The Garrick Theatre was located at 14-18 Sheboygan St.

full program

inside page of program

inside page of program

second program in scrapbook, folded, with written comments 

inside pages of program

scrapbook page with folded program, and comments.

unfolded program

This was a KKK rally held in Madison, but it was at the end of the Klan popularity in Wisconsin.  This rally was the final one held by the clan to recruit members. The Klan was already in decline by 1926, however, and had all but disappeared from Wisconsin by 1928.

Sears Roebuck

One of the most frequently requested pictures, is of the Sears store, and we have very few pictures.

Here are some pictures that are from the book 'Achievements in Fond du Lac during the 1900's, by Fred Weller, Jr.

This is the  Macy St. view of beginning demolition.

Another Macy St. view of the demolition.

This picture was taken on the last day of business, Oct. 24, 1979.

High School Life in 1906

I stumbled across some interesting items will looking at the Fond du Lac High School 'newsletter' for 1906.  I believe that this is a monthly, or semi-monthly newsletter, although the Historical society only has two different issues.

The following articles appears in the March 1906 issue, and concern the upcoming debate between the high schools of Fond du Lac and Sheboygan.

An Open Letter

Sheboygan High School

Sheboygan, Wis.

March 3, 1906

To the members of the Fond du Lac High School –

Congratulations upon your High School paper! You have made a brave beginning. You launched out into the world of school papers with wonderful success. But of course you will meet with competition on all sides for the schools of today are aggressive. They never reach their ideal, yet they are always improving – for as they gain in efficiency their standard rises to a height, which they realize may be reached, but only with the most strenuous efforts. Hence, Fond du Lac: Spare neither time nor talent, strain every muscle and exercise your every faculty to extend and widen your sphere of activity in this line, and here’s to your success! You have at least one well wisher – The Lake Breeze.

But, to the point – that prospective joint debate between our schools. We have met in friendly rivalry in Basket Ball and now are glad that the opportunity is to be afforded to try our skill against you in the intellectual field – in joint debate.  What are you doing relative to the approaching contest? We are striving for efficiency of the highest type. We have two debates to meet this year – one beside the one with you – with Appleton. We realize that both you and Appleton are capable of strong forensic opposition and hence we have put our six best men up to represent us.

It has been reported that you have held several preliminary debates upon the subject. Your basket ball boys told us somewhat of the plan in execution at your school when they were here not long since. We also hear that in the semi final debate you chose Harold Wilke, John Crosby and Ryan Duffy for your representatives and that the debate is to be held at the Henry Boyle Theatre. These are interesting details to our students, altho of course we are personally unacquainted with debaters.

To oppose you, we have chosen Fred Grube, ’07; Walter Telgenier, ’07 and Albert Axley, ’06.

Prin. Tarnutzer is coaching our team. It is taken for granted that both schools are all enthusiasm. We shall meet in friendly rivalry – both schools determined to win. Let both “the Fountain City” and “the Chair City” prepare for an ideal debate.

When our boys go to Fond du Lac they will doubtlessly be accompanied by numerous rooters, who will probably be well trained in Sheboygan’s yells. Of course in this one respect you people have the advantage for you can get scores and hundreds of rooters for the evening.

Let us employ due diligence and exhaustively study the subject. We both have good debaters and coaches. Let us have a raft of rooters, well provided with ribbons, banners, badges, songs and yells. Let us both be determined to win.

Sincerely yours,

The Sheboygan Highs

From the March, 1906   High School Life, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin

The newsletter then went on to state:

Committee on Songs and Yells

The following yells are recommended to the school by the Committee on Songs and Yells:

U! Rah! Rah! Fond du Lac!

U! Rah! Rah! Fond du Lac

U! Rah!

U! Rah!

Fond du!

Fond du!

Fond du Lac!

Heitzig! Solo!  Vorwartz!  March!

Rashun!  Lashun!

Lashun!  Rashun!

Rashun!  Lashun!

Achtung! Hail – Rah! Rah!

Fond du Lac!

Ya! Ya!

Yea-a-a, Ryan!  Yea-a-a, Ryan!

R-Y-A-N!

Rah! Rah! Ryan!

An’ a Bevo, an’ a Bivo!

An’ a Bevo, Bivo, Bum!

Bum, get a rat-trap bigger than a cat-trap,

Bum, get a car-trap bigger than a rat-trap,

Cannibal!  Cannibal!

Zip! Boom!  Bah!

Fond du Lac High School,

Rah! Rah! Rah!

Ge He!  Ge Haw!  Ge Haw, Haw, Haw,

(Crosby!)  (Wilkie!)

Rah!  Rah!  Zip Boom!

Razzle Razzle! Give us room!

Rah! Si! Ki! Yi!

Hot, cold, Wet or Dry!

Get there Eli,

Fond du Lac!

From the March, 1906   High School Life, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin

The Debate of March 30

Doubtless everyone in the school now knows that there will be a debating contest between Fond du Lac and Sheboygan on March 30^th. According to the figures given by the Sheboygan school paper, we will find one hundred and fifty “Chair City” students waiting for us at the theatre that evening with one hundred and fifty pairs of lungs and possibly an equal number of rousing yells. Do we want to meet them unprepared? Not much! We will meet them, fully prepared to beat them in every possible manner. Fond du Lac has never yet been out-yelled by Sheboygan and we must maintain our reputation. There are three hundred and fifty students attending this high school and there will be room for every one of them in the theatre on that evening. We confidently expect to fill every seat and if we do, it means not only a triumph for the school in debating but also the liquidating of the athletic debt; for it has been decided by the Inner Circle debating society to turn eighty percent of the profits over to the Athletic association for that purpose. "GET OUT!”  “GET IN THE BUNCH!”  and “YELL!”  Show the Sheboygan people that we know what good, old-fashioned SCHOOL SPIRIT is like.

From the March, 1906   High School Life, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin

More Houses

I found a few more pictures of some of the older houses that used to exist in Fond du Lac.

Moved back from N E corner 4th & Marr.  Gone

Bought by Presb. Church as Parsonage, for $4000 - 1867-1872,    or possibly home of Dr. Patchen.  unknown.

Typical mill hand house, in Lincoln Ave area.

M. T. Simmons, cashier at Wells Bank; occupied by Dr. Kalk.

West side workers home (near mills) Lincoln Ave.; residents mainly Belgian-French from Canada. - "Bel-jacks" worked in woods in winters, and in mills in summers; much singing in Brooke St. tavern.

H. L. Sweet, brother of B. F. Sweet; together they built "Common-sense" sleighs and other conveyances.

Chandler House on 5th st - he was a merchant with Dan. W. Smith

Upjohn house - he came from Hudson valley, hence a Dutch house; Anna, d. of Boston archi. m. he who later became Bishop Brown - her bro. edu in Latin & Greek - traveling preacher. son bookkeeper 1st Natl Bank.

Dr. L. A. Bishop residence; he married Cynthia Patchen, dau. of Dr. Patchen - Mrs. Bishop & Mrs. Blankenburg both sang - rivals.;  Marlea, dau. of L. A. Bishop, was music teacher in a private school in Spokane.  Located on the corner of First and Marr, the house was acquired by St. Joseph's, when the school needed more classroom space.  Named Willard Hall, it was eventually demolished.  The Doctor's office was located south of his house, on Marr, and is currently a garage.  You can still see the medical emblem on the garage.