This file part of www.dodgejeffgen.com website

One-Room School Houses of Dodge County. An online eBook

Beaver Island (1937 – Island School)

District # 5

Westford Township

Year	Teacher
1901
1902	Margaret A. Snowden
1903
1904	Mayme Murray
1905
1906	J. Isabel Clement
1907	Allene MacMichael
1908	Sarah Carew
1909	Mae Holland
1910	Estella Kelly
1911	“
1912	Miss Kelly & Susan Arman
1913	Sarah Carew
1914	“
1915	Ada Belle Klatt
1916	Helen Griffen
1917	“
1918	Ruth O Brien
1919	“
1920	Velma Klein
1921	Edna A. Bobholz
1922	Harry J. Hoefs
1923	Marie Schmidt
1924	“
1925	Raymond Drover
1926	Alice Callahan
1927	James J. Ryan
1928	“
1929	Irma Schmidt
1930	Esther J. Rohde
1931	Joseph F. Derivan
1932	“
1933	Lucille Roller
1934	“
1935	“
1936	Marietta Gillispie
1937	Estella Dahn
1938	“
1939	Charlotte Meagher
1940	“
1941	Mrs. Dorothy Kienow
1942	Grace Rhodes Gogert
1943	“
1944	Frances Cullen Spoon
1945	Grace Rhodes Gogert
1946	“
1947	“
1948	“
1949	Mrs. Vivian Snyder
1950	Mrs. Marjorie Pullen
1951-62	Mrs. Margaret Wedel
1962-63	Closed

1920s

1927

1935

Beaver Island Annual Report 1935, a pdf file

1937 Miss Marittia Gillispie Passed Away Beaver Dam Daily Citizen

02 17 Teacher’s Death Follows Slight Highway Mishap

Miss Marittia Gillispie Passed Away Suddenly This Morning, Funeral Saturday

Miss Marittia Gillispie, of the city, teacher at the Island School in the Town of Westford, passed away suddenly this morning at 1:15 o’clock at the home of her mother, Mrs. James Gillispie, 408 Grove Street. Coronary thrombosis, (a blood clot) was the cause of death.

Tuesday morning while Miss Gillispie was driving an automobile on her way to the Island School, her automobile skidded on an icy patch on Highway G and ran off the road. The car was considerably damaged. Although Miss Gillispie appeared to have escaped with minor injuries, she returned to her home after the mishap and throughout the balance of the day and last evening, Miss Gillispie seemed to be in a normal condition outside of the effects of the shock of the accident.

Marittia Gillispie was born in the Town of Courtland, Columbia County, on May 13, 1904, a daughter of Mrs. And Mrs. James Gillispie and for the past thirty-one years, has been a resident of Beaver Dam. Miss Gillispie graduated from the Beaver Dam High School with the class of 1923, and also from the Columbia Normal School at Columbus in 1924.

Surviving is her mother, Mrs. James Gillispie and one brother, Erwin at home.

Funeral services will be held Saturday morning at nine o’clock from St. Patrick’s church, Rev. Fr. Wright officiating. Interment will be in the cemetery at Lost Lake.

Friends may call at the Briese & Heilmann Funeral Home after one o’clock Thursday afternoon.

1953-54

Beaver Island School (Island School) 1953-54

Front Row: _________, Carol Hintz, Edward Masche, Albert Salzman, Jane Nehring

2nd Row: __________, Marjorie Kikkert, James Masche, Tom Hinz, Ethel Dronek, Agnes Dronek, Kathy Welch

3rd Row: Phyllis Westra, Gerald Salzman, Raymond Dronek, George Pfeffer, __________, Daniel Masche, David Masche, Mrs. Margaret Wedel

A record of the school census from Island School, 1953-54, there are students not on picture that may be the missing names – they are Richard Hatzinger, age 8; John Kikkert, age 13; Carolyn Kikkert, age 5; Jolene Westra, age 6; Charles Welch, age 6; Barbara Salzman, age 6; Susan Masche, age 5; David Neuman, age 9; and Bonnie Neuman, age 7.

1956

Front Row: Mary Monro, Susan Masche, Eugene Salzman, Patsy Willet, Charles Welch, Donna Ter Loan, Carolyn Kikkert, Donna Monro, David Monro

2nd Row: David McMahon, Jane Nehring, Richard Hatsinger, Albert Salzman, Agnes Dronek, Sandra McMahon, James Masche, Kathleen Welch, Edward Masche, Jolene Westra

3rd. Row: David Masche, Lorraine Garlow, Daniel Masche, Gerald Salzman, Mrs. Margaret Wedel, Phyllis Westra, Marjorie Kikkert, Kenneth Shafer, Ethel Dronek, Thomas Hinz

Absent: Allen Ter Loan, Barbara Salzman, Susan McMahon, Carol Hintz

1958

ISLAND SCHOOL 1958

FRONT ROW: __________, Lester Neuman, Sandy Salzman, Cheryl Westra, Rita Nowak, Randy Link, Kathy Kasmiski, Barb Neuman, Jimmy Steisma

2nd ROW: Kathleen Klapper, Mary Munro, Leonna Munro, Susan Masche, Eugene Salzman, Allan Terlon, Marvin Nehring,__________, David Munro

3rd & 4TH COMBINED ROW: Mrs. Margaret Wedel, Kathy Welch, Sandy McMahon, Albert Salzman, Jim Masche, Jane Nehring, David McMahon, Barbara Salzman, Loran Garlow, Ed Masche, Agnes Proneck, Dnnie Terlon, Jolene Westra, Susan McMahon, Carol Hintz

Click on thumbnail to enlarge

2011

Yesterdays: In Years Past

I Was Island School,

District #5, Westford Township, Dodge County, WI

The man with the heavy walk and the cart with the squeaky wheels is bringing more wood into me. My floors are gouged and my windows are dirty. I have become a collection of odds and ends. In years past I was a school house.

I sat on a three-quarter acre of land. I don't know when I was built but I have never been enlarged. I have three windows facing the east and three facing the west. Two doors face south, from the wooden entry stoop, the boy's entering the left one and the girls entering the right. They hang their clothes in their entryways. A drinking bucket with a dipper is in the boy's entryway. There one sees a wash basin on a shelf with a waste pail under, for washing hands.

When one enters the class room, he sees bookcases with glass doors. Kerosene lamps light my walls. The Round Oak Heater supplies heat. Desks of three different sizes are bolted to the floor. The three large slate blackboards are between the doorways. The floors are oiled before each school year. I am District No. 5, Island School.

In those days the Teacher boarded with the closest farmer. Her duties were to start the fire in the morning so to have it warm when the students arrived. On very cold mornings the heater might not warm the room very quickly. The teacher then had the students gather around the heater. The little ones came first, then those of larger size, until the older and taller ones stood in the back. It took only a little while for everyone to be nice and cozy. Water was also brought from the farmer. The older children got the second pail of water.

The smaller children came to me in November, with their lunches in lard pails. When the fieldwork was done, the older children arrived. The teacher assigned a desk to them by their size. The desks had a groove for a pencil with a hole for an ink bottle. Some time the older boys would have to sit on a bench or on chairs. They also brought a small slate. Most of the children were first generation Americans. They returned home to teach their parents how to read and write. There were five or six grade levels; the teacher would call each group to recite. They sat at a table or on a bench. The bench held about ten students, with room for books under the seat. Some students that did not do what the teacher wanted were sent to the corner to hide his face for a time.

Time passed. I got a new ceiling made of embossed sheet metal with interlocking circles. I also got a new stove; it's called a sheeted furnace. It's larger than the old one but still has to have wood or coal for its heat. With the furnace the teacher does have to not live at the farm next to the school any more. So a boy is hired to come early to start the fire. A cement stoop replaced the wooden one. I think it makes me look so much better. The floors are still oiled and the windows washed with new curtains.

When the time for school has arrived, the students come to me in September and must remain for nine months. There are eight grades now. The teacher still called one grade at a time to recite. I do believe that I have some of the children of the children I had when I was new. These children are just as good and bad as their parents were.

Over the years improvements were made to my insides. Electricity was added. The furnace was changed to burn LP gas. Cupboards were built in the back of the room. The children are third generation students. I do not see as many pupils as there were in earlier years. Classes are still held as when I was new. Only the children have much more to learn.

In the early years we had box socials. Ladies brought lunches in decorated shoeboxes. But I do not recollect a time that we didn't have little dramas. The parents would bring eight bundles of shingles and a bunch of 2x6's for the crosspieces, to make the stage platform of planks. The whole district came to this social event.

For a few years I stood empty. I didn't know where the children were. I did see something yellow pass my windows. Inside I saw a lot of little heads in the yellow thing. Are they going to another school? I sure hope so. I did miss all the activity that the children generated over the years.

At last the farmer jacked me up and took me to his farm. Even though I am used for odds and ends I stand straight. For in my mind's eye I am Island School, District No 5 in Westford Township, Dodge County, Wisconsin.

Created by Betty Eilbes

Special Thanks must be given to:

Alice Welch Spielman who was in a class in 1918

John L. Nowak in the classes of the 1920's

Myself, Betty Eilbes from 1937 to 1945

ISLAND SCHOOL

It must be fall for I have had my windows cleaned the floor oiled and the walls painted. Also a new rope for the American Flag. I am a schoolhouse, in the Township of Westford, in Dodge County, Wisconsin. I am district No 5 named Island School. I sit on a three-quarter of an acre of land. With a shed for wood and coal. They use it for storage also. There are two toilets, one for the boys and the other for the girls. I don't know when I was built but I have never been enlarged. I have three windows facing the east and three facing the west. I sit on a corner where the children have an easy walk to me. There are two doors facing south, from the wooden entry stoop, one is for the boys and the other is for the girls. They hang their clothes in their entryways. There is only one drinking bucket with dipper in the boy's entryway. There is also a wash basin on a shelf with a waste pail under, for washing their hands. The water is brought from the closest neighbor. I have a Round Oak Heater for heat. The Teacher must start the fire in the morning so it is warm when the students arrive. The teacher boarded with the closest farmer to the school. On very cold mornings the heater may not warm the room very quickly. The teacher then has the student gather around the heater. The little ones first then those of larger size until the older and taller ones are in the back. It takes only a little while for every one to be nice and cozy.

The smaller children come to me in November, with their lunches in lard pails. Most of the fieldwork is finished, but some of the larger boys first come when the weather is cold and there is no more work to be done outside. There are three sizes of desks, which are bolted to the floor. Some of the older boys must sit on chairs or benches. But it is good that they come to learn to read and write. There are kerosene lamps on my walls. They are lit when we have Box Socials or Plays. Oh, those box socials, they are lunches in a shoebox that the women decorated. The men of the community bid upon them and the winner eat the food with the lady that packed it. The plays are a part of country life. The fathers bring eight bundles of shingles and a bunch of 2x6's for the crosspieces, to make the stage platform of planks. There were poems and plays. That was one evening the whole district came to me for it is the social event of the season.

I think I am very modern for I have bookcases that have shelves and glass doors for each shelf. Some of the books are for the students to read only at school. Most of my students are first generation Americans. They return home to teach their parents how to read and write. What a wonderful melting pot our district is. I have three large slate blackboards that the teacher writes upon. Sometime she lets the students write on them also. The other children bring their own slates. My desks have a grove that will hold a pencil with a hole for an ink bottle. Until the students are able to write their letters are they given paper to write upon.

As I have five or six grade levels, the teacher calls each group to recite. They sit at a table or on a bench. The bench can hold about ten students, with room for books under the seat. There were also some students that did not live with that, my students can see better when there is no sun. This year's children are third generation students attending me. I don't feel that old. My furnace has had things put in it that will heat the school without coal or wood. I'm sure the teacher will like that. I still stand in the same place, have the parents clean me before the beginning of the school year. Have the same book cases, but the books are now for all the student to take home and read. They built some cupboards in the back. There are so many things that the teacher must have that they needed more space.

There are not as many pupils as there were in earlier years. I guess the families are smaller. There are new white out houses, boy am I glad of that. Still one for the boys and another for the girls. Classes are still held as when I was new. Only they have so much more to learn. I'm glad I don't have to recite like they do.

Again it is the passage of time and I feel rather weary. For the last couple of years I have stood empty. I have no knowledge where my children went. I do see something yellow that passes with lots of little heads. Are they going to another school? I sure hope so. I do miss all the activity that surrounded me.

One of the farmers came and jacked me up in the air. He took me home with him. I am a collection of odds and ends. But it gives me time to reflect on my many years of the Island School, District No 5 in Westford, Dodge County, Wisconsin.

Created by Betty Eilbes

Special Thanks must be given to:

Alice Welch Spielman who was in a class in 1918

John L. Nowak in the classes of the 1920's

Myself, Betty Jane Nowak Eilbes from 1937 to 1945