one room schools

The one room schools have all but disappeared from the landscape of the county, but today I discovered some slides of these wonderful old places of learning.

Top on my list are these pictures of John Marshall school.  It was located on County V in the Town of Fond du Lac, and this is the school where my dad and all his siblings got their education.
I have looked for a picture of this school for years!!!

Another school picture I found today, was the Nels Anderson School.  This was in section 2, Township of Byron.

The following two pictures were just labeled "Estabrooks School"

Finally, the picture of this small building was labeled as being the school near Empire Cemetery. Not sure what it's name would be, but it is probably Hill Crest School.

pictures to remember

Sometimes when sorting through and adding photos to the collection of the Historical society, you can't help but remember something unusual about a photo, even when there are no names of the person being photographed.

This unusual plaid dress can't soon be forgotten.

And who will ever forget the long hair on these two girls.

Now, after enjoying these pictures, sit down right now and start to label your own photo collection!

Mengel's

Just had to share this picture, from a 1913 Reporter.

Hamilton in 1913

Many small communities in Fond du Lac county, were once thriving locations.  Thanks to a 1913 newspaper, (and my volunteer, John B.)  I have several articles about these communities, and their history.

see below for a transcription of this article.

These photos accompanied the article on Hamilton in the 1913 newspaper.

"Hamilton is a small hamlet about seven miles south of Fond du Lac on the Soo Line.  The main enterprise there is the plant of the Union Lime company whose headquarters are in Milwaukee. Besides the plant at Hamilton the company has five others which are located at the following places: Marblehead, High Cliff, Brillion, Grimm and Hayton.

The plant at Hamilton consists of five lime kilns, a stone crusher and a pulverizing machine. During the greater part of the year a force of fifty men is employed. The product of the lime kilns is shipped in large quantities to Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois and Indiana besides many points within Wisconsin.

The pulverizing machine is used for the grinding of rock into fine material which is used for fertilizing purposes upon the lands in various  parts of the state. This has been somewhat of an experimental proposition but has produced very satisfactory results wherever used and has resulted in a greater demand for the product each year.

The product of the stone crusher is also extensively used. It is in great demand for concrete work and also for the construction and repairing of highways.

During the coming spring the company plans to install a large hoisting equipment which will be used for raising the stone to be manufactured into the products of the plant. the equipment will be operated by gasoline power.

Anderson is Manager

Louis Anderson is manager of the company's business at Hamilton while H. C. Anderson is the bookkeeper and has charge of the office.  The engineer of the plant is J. A. Hirst, formerly of Fond du Lac, and who at one time was in the employ of the Soo line at North Fond du Lac.

The only store in the place is under the supervision of J. A. Hirst who deals principally in groceries, notions and flour. He has been a resident of the place for the past five years.

The agent of the Soo line at Hamilton is G. A. Meyer who has served the company here for four years. He is also the postmaster, the office being in the depot. The express company serving this place is the Western, and its business is in charge of Mr. Meyer."

The Reporter, Dec. 16, 1913

The office building that was in the quarry, can still be seen today.  It is now used as the Photographer's Studio on the grounds of the Galloway House and Village.

Mystery photo

Does anyone know what this is about?  This is a request from another FDL historian.

This photo was taken about 1890 in Fond du Lac. (The photographer Herman J. Buss started in business around 1887.)

The young man seated at left was J. West Dittmar (1872-1956), who resided his entire life at 92 West Division Street in Fond du Lac. He was a Corporal in Company E (Fond du Lac) of the 2nd Regiment of Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and  he served in Cuba with that company in 1898 during the Spanish-American War. 

Was there a nautical club or group that they all belonged to??

The Breeders Gazette

Today is National Farmers Day, and if you live in Wisconsin chances are that you have some farming ancestry somewhere.  One of the reference works that we have in the library is The Breeders Gazette, a National Farm Magazine, so I thought that I would post a few of the pictures featured in the issues that we have from 1899. A one year subscription to this magazine cost $2.

We have a bound collection of issues from July to Dec 1899.

For their Christmas issue in 1899, they printed full sized photos of many breeds of farm animals.

Shorthorn Bull

Percheron

Hereford Bull Calf

Jersey Bull

Eden-Ashford School District #4

Among the many old ledgers packed away in the library archives, is one volume relating to the expenses of running the local school.  The first entry is dated Dec 19, 1868, and is a payment to Miles Lytten of $5.00  for repairs.  Then on Dec 23, 1869 J. C. Divers is paid his teachers wages of $20.
On Feb. 4, 1869 J.C. Divers is paid $26 for teachers wages, and then on March 24, 1869 he is paid $174.35.

Further pages show expenses for 1892, and in this year  Genevieve Doyle is paid $129.00 for teachers wages.  They also paid $9 for a dictionary, and 20 cents for a box of chalk. A tin cup and dipper cost 30 cents.

In 1916 there must have been some work done on the building, because there are a lot of expenses for shingles, and labor for masonry work.

Quite a picture of what it took to operate a school, and how the many neighbors all participated in the upkeep of the building, as well as furnishing the wood to keep it heated.