History of Stearns County, Minnesota, Volume II, Part 105

Author: Mitchell, William Bell, 1843-
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago : H. S. Cooper
Number of Pages: 1110

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Township of St. Joseph. District Num- ber 9, the village school of St. Joseph, was organized in 1859. Nicholas Hoffmann was the first teacher, school being taught in a little log church which stood at the west end of the village. About twelve pupils attended. This was a private school, in existence two years before the district was organized. The names of the first school officers are unknown. Other teachers em- ployed were William Heimert, Henry Duerr and Joseph Duerr. After that Sis- ters of the Order of St. Benedict had com- plete charge of the school, until 1905 when it was placed on the state graded list and a male principal engaged. This was Jacob Zimmer, who was followed by Philipp Goerger, John Schwinghammer and again Mr. Goerger. In 1914 the district school building was sold to the Catholic parish, whereupon a parochial school was started. A new modern structure was erected and two teachers employed, the public school continuing on the semi-graded plan.

District Number 10, which was at one time the largest in the county, was estab- lished by the county commissioners in 1858, but the organization was not com- pleted until 1863 when the first school officers were elected. These were Henry Campbell, director; Frederick Schilplin, clerk; and John Stanger, treasurer. Miss Henrietta Campbell was the first teacher, twenty-six pupils attending. Frederick Schilplin, son of the first clerk of the dis- trict and at present business manager of the St. Cloud Daily Times, attended this school when a boy. Some of the teachers who were employed in this district were Frederick Schilplin, Sr., Frona Lovelace, Michael Walz, A. H. Pike, Charles Pike, E. G. Pike, Sadie E. Macomber, Theresa Schwalier, Myrtle Lorenz, Tessie Lorenz, Helen Staples, Daisy Haines, Beatrice Waite, Daisy McKelvy, Blanche Phelps, and Charlotte Wilkes.

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District Number 108 was organized in 1875. Math Ethen, Constantin Crever and Peter Heinen were the first school officers, and John Rebmann was the first teacher. School was taught in the present building, about fifty pupils attending. Dominik - Galama, John Stock and Veronica Bechtel, who later became teachers, and J. C. Crever, for eight years auditor of Stearns county, attended this school in their youth. The teachers employed were Michael Walz, John Blonigan, Barney Fietsam, Nicholas Lahr, Sister Aurelia O. S. B., Sister Ro- mana, O. S. B., Sister Aquina, O. S. B., Jacob Friedmann, A. C. Seifert, Michael Bormann, Theodore Thielen, Sister Gon- zaga, O. S. B., Anna Seifert, Arnold Pung, Christine Keller, Michael Meinz, Anton Ethen, Dominik Galama, Margaret Kosel, Agnes Kosel and Mary Schroeder.

District Number 1 was organized in 1877. It will thus be seen that though first in numerical order it is not the old- est district in the county. This is the Schroeder school, about half way between St. Joseph and Jacob's Prairie. The first school officers were Fred Schroeder, Sr., John Terwey, and John Henninger. John Wimmer was the first teacher, school being taught in an old log building which is now serving the unprosaic purpose of sheltering the hogs of a farmer who lives nearby. Later a more commodious frame building was erected, which in turn was replaced by a fine modern structure, erected about five years ago. Other teachers employed were Sister Cecilia O. S. B., Jacob Bold, Philipp Richter, Sister Vincentia O. S. B., Pater Danzl, Sister Hilaria O. S. B., Anton Eldrich, Conrad Marschall, Michael Gans, John Jacobs, Elizabeth Wiessen, Adolph Lodermeier, John Lauermann, J. M. Gillit- zer, Carrie Walz and Jacob Jacobs.

Township of St. Martin. The first school in the township of St. Martin was taught in 1861 within the present boundaries of District Number 74, which occupies the northwest corner of the township. The teacher was a Miss Brooks who gave private instruction in the home of William Bosworth. Her salary was paid by private subscription, but it appears from all ac- counts that Mr. Bosworth was the chief supporter. It is not known for how long this school continued. District Number 22, the village school of St. Martin, was or-

ganized in 1862. Henry Ley, Peter Kuhl and Peter Haehn were the first school officers, and William Heimert was the first teacher. In the absence of a more suitable building school was first taught in a gran- ary belonging to Mr. Ley, one of the officers. Though rather small in size the granary, which stood on the present site of Valentine Haehn's store, was sufficiently large, since the enrollment consisted of only nine pupils. At the present time a modern, well-equipped, two-room building is occupied. The teachers in the order of their employment were William Heimert, H. B. Meyer, Math. Gans, W. F. Lenz, Nicholas Hoffman, Henry Duerr, Joseph Walz, Theodore Muellermeister, Mr. Sieke, J. P. Menthì, Michael Kummer, Frank J. Weisser, John Wocken, Sisters of the Or- der of St. Benedict, and Nicholas Bohnen. The year following two teachers were em- ployed, W. F. Kuehnl being the first prin- cipal. After him came Charles A. Boerger, who in turn was followed by J. C. Diek- mann. The assistant teachers were Valen- tine Haehn, Clara W. Ginther, William Bloms, Katharine Hecklin, Edward Linster, Aurelia Theisen and Henry Haehn.

District Number 74 was organized in 1869, eight years after the first school had been taught within its present boundaries by Miss Brooks. The first school officers were Samuel Ferraby, Eben Pillsbury and William Bosworth. The schoolhouse, a log structure, stood about two miles south of the present location. Emma Caruthers was the first teacher after the organiza- tion of the district. In 1873 the log school- house was destroyed by fire and a small frame building took its place. In 1884 a new and better building was erected, and was moved to the present location in 1894. The teachers following Miss Caruthers were Etta Foot, Artie Beach, Mrs. Theo- dore Smith, Samuel Ferraby, Martha Sut- ton, Susan Buchanan, O. F. Trace (who later became Superintendent of Schools of Benton county), E. G. Vaughan, E. P. Vaughan, John Slattery, Ida E. Blaisdell, Martin H. Lynch, John F. Uhl, E. Slattery, Eva V. Bryant, Kitty E. Allen, Mary Han- nan, F. E. Lynch, Alice A. Moon, Anna Macfarlane, Jane McGowan, Mary McNulty, Mary Graham, Blondina Breher, Sophia Kranz, John Goetz, Lawrence Iten, Math Garding, Joseph Krebsbach, Elizabeth

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Mohs, Victoria Gumper, Anna Krick, An- drew Bauer, John L. Meyer, Casper P. Eickhoff, J. E. Lemm and Rose M. Sand- brink.

District Number 81 was organized in 1869. Carl Dufner was the first clerk, Peter Rausch, director, and Nick Evans, treasurer. Casper Klostermann was the first teacher. School was first taught in an old log building which stood some dis- tance east of the present site, near the Thelen home on the Farming-St. Martin township line. The new schoolhouse was built in 1889 and a short time after a cot- tage for the use of the teacher was erected. The teachers employed were John M. Biehler, John Blonigen, Peter Kuhl, Nicho- las Schmit, Joseph M. Gillitzer, John Wocken, George Haupt, Joseph Heinen, M. S. Weyrens, Peter J. Weber, Joseph L. Krebsbach, Joseph Dufner and B. G. Kruchten. So far as can be learned no woman teacher was ever employed in this district.

District Number 125, known locally as the Garding school, was organized in 1883. Bernard Garding, Math Kollmann and Michael Klinkner were the first school officers. Michael Kummer, now a promi- nent business man of Cold Spring, was the first teacher. School was taught in the present building which occupied the pres- ent site, about thirty pupils attending. In 1897 a dwelling house was erected for the use of the teacher. John Rausch, at pres- ent teaching in District Number 119, at- tended this school when a boy. The teachers employed were Michael Kummer, George Sauer, Joseph Kramps (who died during the term), John Kramps, Frank Kramps, Joseph M. Gillitzer, N. K. Weber (twenty-two years) and H. J. Adrian.

District Number 48, known as the Mc- Gowan school was organized in 1898. The first school officers were M. T. McGowan, John E. Christen and David Shay. Miss Jane McGowan, now living in West Butte, Montana, was the first teacher. The first school was taught in the present building, thirty pupils attending. Other teachers employed were Lois Campbell, Emma Wightman, Josie Cosgrove, Leonore Sel- key, Mary Mimbach, Catherine Sieverding, Mary Lynch, Anna Gerding, Nanita Wim- mer, Minnie Harren, Gertie Madden, Susan

Auer, Elinor Theisen, Hilda Bechtel, Mary Helsper, and John Mondloch.

St. Wendel Township. District Number 56, whose building is located about half a mile north of Collegeville station, was or- ganized in 1867. The school officers were Mr. Theisen, Mr. Sand and Mr. Goedert. Nicholas Hoffman was the first teacher. The old school building was replaced by a strictly modern structure in 1906. The teachers employed after Mr. Hoffman were J. Terwey, Michael Waltz, Mr. UI- rich, Conrad Marschall, Sister Paula O. S. B., Sister Dominica, O. S. B., Miss Seifert, Sophie Kranz, E. Winter, J. Kugler, Henry Stoetzel, Joseph Ruf, Mr. Hartnett, J. Bockerhauser, Anna Marschall, Helena Popp, Anna M. Heger, and Jeanette Guthrie.

District Number 11, known as the Fiedler school (and more recently as the Indian Busch school) was organized in 1867. Simon Lodermeier and Joseph Eich were two of the first school officers, the name of the third being unknown. An- thony Froehlich was the first teacher, school being taught in the present building. Dur- ing the first years the teacher occupied rooms above the school. The teachers who followed Mr. Froehlich were Michael Walz, John Salter, Joseph Meyer, Frank Weisser, Charles M. Weber, Elizabeth Seifert, Anna Marschall, Simon P. Brick, Edward Gans, Sophia Kranz, Adolph Lodermeier, Carrie Walz, Bertha Walz, Mary Heid, Leonore Hennemann, Agnes Kosel, Frances Koelzer, Mary Zierden, Mathilda Lemm and Hilda Bechtel.

District Number 42 was organized in 1869. The first school officers were Ed- ward Barrett, Barney Murphy and Michael Barrett. Patrick Grimes was the first teacher. The schoolhouse first stood on the south west corner of the southwest quarter of section 6, but it was later moved about three-fourths of a mile west. The teachers following Mr. Grimes were John Browne, Joseph McIsaac, Clara Thorpe, Lizzie Collins, Bridget Collins, Anna Zim- mer, Helen Zimmer, Irene Reed, Mary Bar- rett, Sarah Twomey, Blanche Kimball, Hat- tie Lavette, Julia Slattery, Theresa Hill, Sarah Fearon, Marie Heid, Sarah Tracey, Mrs. Patrick Welsh, Agnes Burns (later superintendent of the Benton county

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schools) Anna Then, Alice McGenty and Sarah Ryan.

District Number 142, known as the Fischer Hill school, was organized in 1890. The school officers were Joseph Pohl, Joseph Eich and John Seifert. Bertha Long, now Mrs. Frank W. Boos, of St. Cloud, was the first teacher. The Misses Agnes and Margaret Kosel, who later be- came teachers, attended this school in their youth. Other teachers were Barney Reiter, Dora Eich, John M .. Goetz, P. Jacobs, John C. Crever, Frank Fersch- weiler, John Heimenz, Dominic Galama, John Stock, Monica Aschenbrenner, Joseph Heinen, Martin Schmitt, Cecilia Betten- burg, Mary Mies, Martha Ziska, Magdalen Eschpeter and Elizabeth Just.

District Number 188 was organized in 1900. James Meagher, John Rossman and Peter Barrett were the first school officers, and Margaret Twomey, now living in St. Paul, was the first teacher. The frame building erected at the time of the or- ganization of the district was destroyed by fire in 1911, after which a fine new brick structure was erected. Other teachers employed were Mary Schauble, Louise Mc- Laughlin, Clara Dezelar, Jessie Kennedy, James L. Barrett, Margaret Murphy, Georgie Hanza, Sarah Tracy and Louise Lenz.

Spring Hill Township. The first school in this township was taught in the sum- mer of 1867 by Henry Duerr in a frame schoolhouse on section 27, about one mile east of the village of Spring Hill. This was in District Number 21, which had been organized the previous year. Some years later the old schoolhouse was moved to section 22, about a mile north of its first location, where it stood for several years. As new settlers arrived and other districts were formed, the area of District Number 21 decreased and the center was shifted farther to the north. The little frame building was then sold to John Bauer for $50 and a new one erected near the north line of section 15, where it now stands. This was in 1887. The first school officers, whose names could be learned, were Peter Gau and Joseph Salchert. The first teacher, as already stated, was Henry Duerr, who was followed by Theodore Muellermeister, P. J. Limperich, L. J. Rocholl, Thomas Brown, August Doerner,

Sr., James Sullivan, Anton Hilger, Anthony Joseph, Charles Hilger, William Hilger, Nicholas Phelpsen, Frank E. Minette, James J. Dufner, Joseph Weyrens, Joseph Lemm, Katherine Dreis, Bertha Pallansch, Dorothy Artz, Mary Jacobs, Lawrence Hoeschen, Michael Omann, Catherine Reiter and M. Priscilla Weber.

District Number 38, the school in the village of Spring Hill, was organized in 1880. J. P. Krebsbach, Math Haub and Joseph Edermann were the first school officers and P. H. Schomer was the first teacher. Others employed after him were Nicholas Lahr, John C. Drexler, Rev. Am- brose Lethert, Conrad A. Marschall, Peter Henricy, James Sullivan, Caspar Kramps, M. P. Schiltz and H. W. Lembeck. For the past eighteen years Mr. Lembeck has been in charge of the school, and during all that time it has enjoyed a high standard.

District Number 135, recently designated the Boxelder school, was organized in 1887. The first school officers were John Brown, Michael Kolb and Bertus Weber. John Kranz was the first teacher. School was taught in the present building, twenty- eight pupils attending .. Other teachers were Jacob Zimmer, Valentine Haehn, Nicholas Klein, Jacob Jacobs, Anna Sand- brink, Mary Folmer and Anna Gerding. A word of appreciation is here due Mary Folmer, during whose activity in this dis- trict (three years) splendid results were achieved. When she took charge of the school the building and equipment were in an almost pitiable condition. However, with great skill and ability Miss Folmer drew the parents to the school on numer- ous occasions, and in this manner they were brought to a proper realization of the conditions. Without much apparent effort on her part the necessary changes were brought about, so that now the school is one of the most attractive in the county.

District Number 133, lying in the south- eastern part of the township, was organized in 1887. Henry Emmel was the first clerk, Peter Winter treasurer and John Hess, director. Valentine Haehn, now pro- prietor of a large store in St. Martin, was the first teacher. The first school stood about fifteen rods south of the present lo- cation. Among the pupils who attended this school was the Rev. Father Meinrad O. S. B., pastor of the Catholic congrega-

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tion at Freeport. The teachers who fol- lowed Mr. Haehn were Carrie Farrington, John Lang, Mrs. A. Lyman, Max Grave, Frank Messing, Theodore Schulter, Martin J. Jahn, Gertrude Scherkenbach and John Olmscheid.

District Number 161 was organized in 1891. The first school officers were Joseph Winter, Martin Schoenberg and Henry Nietfeld. Joseph Lemm, now living in Tobler, Montana, was the first teacher. Others were Joseph S. Weyrens, Edward . Ortman, W. F. Hilger, Anton J. Hilger, Jacob Jacobs, Charles Hilger, John J. Gum- pert, William J. Noe, Anton F. Reuther,

John Hoeschen, Blonda Smith, P. J. Pung, John L. Tschida and Rose Lahr. At the 1914 Stearns county fair this school was awarded the third prize for the number of parent's visits. The enrollment that year was 27 and the number of visitors 164.

District Number 167, known locally as the Humbert school, was organized in 1893. Ben Humbert was the first clerk, Ben Frieler, director and Frank Wolbeck, treasurer. Clemens Vornbrock was the first teacher. School was taught in the present building, forty-two pupils being en- rolled. Other teachers were Joseph Benol- ken, Joseph Weyrens, Michael Finnemann, Casper Loesch, Barbara Krick, John Hoe- schen, Michael Klein, Norbert Schneider, John Eickhoff, Joseph Theisen, Anna M. Heger, Esther C. Drenckhahn and Louise Lenz.

Wakefield Township. The first school in the township of Wakefield was taught by Frank Kuhn, in the winter of 1859, in what is now known as the Bavarian settlement, the house of Michael Niebler, a log struc- ture, being used for the purpose. The school was a private venture, the salary being raised by subscription. Later an- other private house was used, since no schoolhouse had as yet been built. Mr. Kuhn, the first teacher, is still living on his farm, on which he made a homestead claim and a part of which he donated for school purposes.

Singularly all the school districts in the township of Wakefield were organized within a fortnight. Districts Number 14, 15 and 17 were organized on April 13, 1861, and District Number 18 on the twenty- sixth of the same month and year.

In District Number 15 the school officers

were Frank Kuhn, Michael Niebler and George Niebler. The teachers who fol- lowed Mr. Kuhn were Michael Niebler, Anton Moosbrugger, Henry Klostermann, Lucas Lembeck, J. Lang, Theodore Muel- lermeister, Casper Klostermann, Charles F. Ladner (now proprietor of a large hard- ware store in St. Cloud), John Fischbach, Mr. Hueltner, Caspar Balthasar, Conrad Marschall, Michael Weyrens, George Sauer, Nicholas Jacobs, Jacob Weismann, John Eich, John Jacobs, Peter Weber, Peter Biewer (who was drowned in Mullein lake during the term), Frank Lorinzer, Nicholas Thomey, Mr. Schmueller, Ignatius Fuchs, B. Lemm, Michael Lutgen, Lucas Lembeck, Michael Weyrens, J. L. Hohmann and Henry J. Weismann. It will be observed that though school has been taught in this district since 1859 no woman teacher was ever employed.

District Number 14, the village school in Cold Spring, was organized, as already stated, in 1861. The first school was taught in a frame building situated in a small grove where the creamery now stands. Florence Jodoin was the first teacher, finding employment in this district for several terms. The building is said to have been very primitively furnished. The customary long, unpainted and unvarnished benches were used, and these, together with a box stove and a few primers, com- pleted the interior equipment. Only ten children attended the first term, and since these were all small (or at least beginners) it is not surprising that the primer was the only book used. Miss Jodoin was suc- ceeded by Miss Sommers, Miss Odell, M. Caruthers and Emma Caruthers. The fol- lowing year a two-room schoolhouse was built on the river bank across the street to the north of the mill. The teachers in this building were Joseph Kunkler, G. Schmit, Mr. Hertle, Fr. Ellenbecker, Joseph Walz, Pierre Schomer, Stephen Mond- schein and Michael Kummer. In 1886 a new brick schoolhouse was erected about half a mile west of the former location. The assistant teachers were William Bold, John B. Glass, Mary Phlepsen, Michael Meinz and Barbara Tschumperlin. Since 1887 John Wocken has been employed as a teacher in this district and it is only fair that a little more than passing men- tion be given this pioneer teacher. Mr.

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HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY

Wocken is a native of Hanover, Germany, where he was born in 1855. He was graduated from the Diocesan Teachers' Seminary at Osnabrueck in 1874, after which he taught in the old country for seven years. In 1881 he came to America on the promises of a man who had painted glowing pictures of what he would do for the young teacher, only to learn that he was basely deceived and deserted upon his arrival. But the treachery of one person alone was not sufficient to drive the young man to despair. By strenuous efforts he learned the English language, spending a year in St. John's University for the pur- pose, after which he took up the work in the school room again. He taught in Dis- tricts Numbered 33, 81, 106, in the village of St. Martin, and in 1887 became principal of the Cold Spring village school. In this position he remained for twenty-seven years. In the fall of 1914, in order to lessen his responsibility, he relinquished the principalship and took the place of first assistant. Mrs. Wocken was Kather- ine Schlick of St. Martin. Mr. and Mrs. Wocken have eight children living, three others having died in infancy. Since Sep- tember 1914 Martin J. Jahn has held the principalship in the Cold Spring school.

District Number 17, which came into be- ing on the same day with Districts Num- bered 14 and 15, embraces the southeast- ern part of the township. Its school is known as the Old St. Nicholas school. Ja- cob Lentz was the first teacher, instruc- tion being first given in a little log build- ing which stood half a mile north of the present building and which was also used as a church in the early days. Angela Schmit and Nicholas Hoffman also taught in this building. In the early seventies a frame structure was erected about half a mile west of the present building. Twenty years later the present schoolhouse was built on the present site and the old frame building was sold to Jacob Doetzel, on whose farm it is now serving a variety of purposes. One of the early teachers, in order to save a few dollars out of his meager salary, placed a couch in the little frame schoolhouse upon which he slept, thus saving the expense of fuel and room rent. Observing that the practice was productive of good results he sought fur- ther to increase his savings by doing his

own laundry work. He accordingly in- vested in a tub and washboard, and before the arrival of the pupils on Monday morn- ings got out his weekly edition of shirts, underwear, stockings and handkerchiefs. During the summer months this domestic journal was flung to the breeze on the playground, but during the cold winter months a less painful method prevailed. The good man simply stretched a line diagonally across the schoolroom whereon he suspended his rejuvenated garments, not a whit abashed by the presence of the pupils. Whatever additional economy the gentleman planned to apply is not known, for his practice came to an abrupt end. One day, when a rather larger output of wearing apparel than usual was in evi- dence, the county superintendent drove up to the schoolhouse and before the discom- fited schoolmaster could remove his re- galia the official was upon him. It may be easily surmised what the superinten- dent's instructions were, for thereafter the pupils were obliged to learn their lessons without the invigorating odor of drying clothes. Shortly thereafter a midnight rover forced an entry into the schoolhouse in search of warmth and shelter, and the frightened schoolmaster resolved to sleep in a near-by farmhouse after that. Follow- ing Mr. Hoffmann, school was held in the little frame building and in the present structure, and the teachers were Mr. Meyer, Mr. Ziegler, Joseph Lemm, Gott- hard Harren, Philip Lemm, Joseph Heinen, Hubert Miller, Nicholas Steil, Joseph Gillit- zer, Michael Lutgen, Mathias Schmidt, Val- entine Henkel, Clara Streitz and Margaret Keil. Among the pupils who attended this school were the Rev. Benedict, O. S. B., the Rev. Theodore Peters, and Charles Schmit, the present assistant county su- perintendent of schools.

District Number 18, the school at Jacob's Prairie, was organized April 26, 1861. It is not known who the first school officers were. The first school was taught in a little log building which stood near the road a short distance west of the present school building. The first teacher was Nicholas Fuchs. After him were Miss Lus- tig, Math Gans (father of the Rev. Dr. Leo Gans), Pierre Schomer, Joseph Broker, Joseph Ruf, Lucas Lembeck, Stephen Mondschein, H. Eldrich, Joseph Hilt, Jo-

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seph Heinen, F. X. Statz, W. A. Boerger, John A. Maus, William Bloms and Joseph N. Huss. Among the pupils who attended this school were the Rev. James, O. S. B., the Rev. Polycarp, O. S. B., and the Rev. Pius, O. S. B.

Zion Township .- The first school in the township of Zion was taught in 1866 by John Moore in a log schoolhouse. This was in District Number 45, now known as the Salem school. The first officers of the district were M. F. Plantikow, David Moede and Michael Nehring .. In the be- ginning there was a large attendance, but for a number of years the enrollment has steadily decreased, so that at the present time there are only five pupils. The teach- ers following Mr. Moore were George Haller, David Kirchner, Herman Bretzke, Herman Plantikow, Silas Utzinger, Albert Utzinger, C. W. Walthousen, Robert Hel- mer, Emmet Helmer, Martin Eppert, Har- rison Schmidt, Ida Manz, Adolph Sack, Ada Michaelson, Gustav Reeck, Violet His- lop, Olive Waite, Miranda Plantikow, Mary Hiller, Elsie Klampe, Lydia Groenig and Cecilia Dignan.

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History of Stearns County, Minnesota, Volume II, Part 105

Author: Mitchell, William Bell, 1843- Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Chicago : H. S. Cooper Number of Pages: 1110

Author: Mitchell, William Bell, 1843-
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago : H. S. Cooper
Number of Pages: 1110