History of Barron County Wisconsin, Part 171

Author: Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge
Publication date: 1922
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1767

USA > Wisconsin > Barron County > History of Barron County Wisconsin > Part 171

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Peter F. Rogstad, who developed a good farm in Section 32, Rice Lake Township, was born and reared in Norway, there learned the stonemason trade and there married Mary H. Oiel. He brought the family to America in 1871 and located at Menomonie, Wis., where he entered the employ of Knapp, Stout & Co. In 1875 he came to Rice Lake in the same employ. Later he homesteaded 100 acres in Section 32, Rice Lake Township. This land was all wild timber. He built a log house, log barn and other buildings, cut off the timber, grubbed out the stumps and developed a farm. In the meantime he also worked at his trade as a mason. It is worthy of note that in 1889 he assisted in building the foundation for the Norwegian Lutheran Church at Rice Lake. He died in 1896, his wife having passed away the year previous. The family faith was that of the Norwegian Lutheran Church.

Eing P. Rogstad, a well known farmer of Section 32, Rice Lake Township, was born in Norway, July 12, 1870, son of Peter E. and Mary H. (Oiel) Rog- stad, who brought him to Menomonie in this state in 1871 and to Rice Lake in 1875. He was reared on the home place and has always lived there, having purchased it after his parents' death. He is one of the hard-working men of the community and is well liked by all who know him. He is a good citizen and a good neighbor. He has reared a good family, all the members of which bear

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a most excellent reputation. Eing P. Rogstad was married at Rice Lake, Wis., to Carrie O. Skarrvold, daughter of Ole E. and Marit R. Skarrvold. This union has been blessed with eight children: Peter E., Ole E., Edward R., Mabel H., Marit C., Rendina E., Christina O. and Ellen K. Peter E. was born April 15, 1893. During the World War he trained in Texas. Ole E. was born Feb. 16, 1895. He was inducted into the United States service July 5, 1918, and trained at Camp Hancock, Ga. The transport upon which he sailed for France was struck by a torpedo, killing six men and wounding twenty. In France he saw much active service. At one time while on a scouting party between the lines he was lost for four days and nights, during which time he was absolutely without food. Edward R. was born March 10, 1897, married Nora Wesper and has one son. Mabel H. was born Dec. 23, 1899. Marit C. was born April 11, 1901, and married Sigurd Lund. Rendina was born May 18, 1903. Christina was born Oct. 24, 1905. Ellen K. was born Dec. 26, 1907. The family faith is that of the Norwegian Lutheran Church.

Normand M. Strand, a well-known and enterprising farmer of Section 17, Doyle Township, is a native of this township and son of Andrew C. and Belle (Oleson) Strand. He was reared in this township, and as a youth began work- ing on farms in the neighborhood. Like so many of the other young men of the neighborhood, he spent one winter in the lumber woods. In 1909 he rented a place in Doyle Township and started farming on his own responsibility. Two years later he purchased 80 acres in Section 17, Doyle Township, which was mostly wild, but some of which had been improved. There he made general improvements and farmed until 1919. Then he sold and bought 80 acres in Section 17. This place has good buildings and was well tilled. On this place, Mr. Strand carries on general farming and dairying, making a specialty of a good herd of cattle headed by a full blooded Holstein sire. As a native of the township, he is interested in everything that is for the best interests of the community and does his share as a good citizen in every public endeavor. He and his wife delight in keeping open house to their friends and their home is a place of joy and contentment, brightened by the presence of happy children. Mr. Strand was married at Rice Lake, May 2, 1912, to Olga Skar, the daughter of Christ and Sarah (Olson) Skar, natives of Norway. The children are: Morris A., born Aug. 31, 1913; Inez, born Oct. 1, 1914; Edna, born June 20, 1916; and Merene E., born Oct. 1, 1920. The family faith is that of the Norwegian Lutheran Church.

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CHAPTER XIV.

EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

The educational development of Barron county has about kept pace with its agricultural progress. The county is new. When older portions of the state were prosperous communities, Barron county was still a forest. Later, when older portions of the state were reaping a wealth of crops from well- tilled acres, the lumber barons were devastating Barron county, draining its wealth of forest and leaving it a waste .. Therefore, when Barron county was organized in 1869, its few schools started about where the older commu- nities had started more than two decades before. But with the quickened strides in agriculture in Barron county, public school progress also quickened, and the school system of the county, as a whole, is now well abreast of the other counties of the state in the splendid opportunities given its youth.

Most of the early schools were of a most primitive variety, as were the conditions under which most of the pupils were living at home. Some of the early schools were log houses built for the purpose, some were held in settlers' abandoned shacks. Sometimes the seats and writing benches were logs split in two, and smoothed down with an axe. Sometimes a fireplace furnished heat, sometimes a stove. Janitor service was done by the teacher or one of the older boys. Text-books were of a non-descript variety, usually handed down from an older child.

None of the teachers had special training, many were without experience. Some were extremely young. To have "gone through the book" one's self, sup- posedly made one qualified to teach the subjects of which the book treated. Usually the teacher was the relative of some prominent man in the district. Some were young men "working their way" toward a higher education. Some were married women.

Certificates were issued by the county superintendent, usually after a most superficial questioning. Fortunate indeed was the community which secured a teacher who had brought teaching experience from an older commu- nity, or even an unexperienced teacher who took a real interest in the work, and directed the studies with real intelligence. The memory of several such gracious ladies and enthusiastic young men still lingers in the hearts of mid- dle aged men and women who attended school in those days.

The first school in Barron county was probably the private school taught at Prairie Farm village in 1862, when Knapp, Stout & Co. designated one of its cabins for the purpose and provided instruction for the children of its employes there.

Possibly the settlers along the line in the southern part of Prairie Farm were included in some district created in Dunn county to the southward.

There is, however, no record of any districts created in the county until March 30, 1869, although Oliver Demers, appointed county superintendent of schools by the Governor in 1868, had taken office Jan. 1, 1869. On March 30, 1869, the first district was created by the town board of Barron. It consisted of township 32, range 13 (now Prairie Farm), except sections 1, 2, 3, 10, 11 and 12. The records of May 28, 1869, mention a schoolhouse in section 26, in the southern part of Prairie Farm township, in this district.

Two more districts were created the same day, March 30, 1869. District 2 consisted of township 33, range 10 (now east Chetek). District 3 consisted of sections 1 to 12, township 33, range 12 (west Maple Grove), and sections 13 to 36, township 34, range 12 (Barron).

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No record appears of the creation of District 4. District 5 was the Young district, in which the old Young schoolhouse in section 2, Prairie Farm, early became a landmark. It embraced all of township 38, range 13 (Arland), except sections 6, 7, 18, 19, 30 and 31. It also embraced sections 1, 2, 3, 10, 11 and 12 in township 32, range 13 (Prairie Farm), and sections 18, 19, 30 and 31, in township 33, range 12 (west Maple Grove).

When the census of 1870 was taken, six persons gave their occupations as teachers: Hannah Newhall, aged 56, from Connecticut; Alfred Finley, aged 23, from Pennsylvania; Charles Finley, aged 21, from Pennsylvania; William Van Waters, aged 21, from Ohio; Bertha Kelsie, aged 19, from Wisconsin; and Martha Plato, aged 19, from Vermont.

Oliver Demers, the first superintendent, was succeeded in 1874 by Wash- ington Bird, and in 1876 by H. J. White, who served until 1882.

Mr. White, writing from Canton, Jan. 25, 1922, has the following to say of school conditions in his day:

"As a matter of course, the regions first settled, were the first to have schools. When the writer was elected to the office of superintendent of schools, he found schools in towns of Chetek, Dallas, Prairie Farm, Sumner, Barron, Rice Lake and Stanfold. Other towns were organized as they were settled up, and this went on for a number of years, the town of Maple Plain being created comparatively recently.

"He began to perform the duties of the office of superintendent in the year 1876. At that time there were 27 districts organized.

"The town system of school government was in operation in the town of Prairie Farm. In a few years, however, it was abandoned for the district system. The town of Stanfold was, for a short time, under the town system. The State Superintendent at that time labored to make the town system uni- versal throughout the state, claiming for it great superiority over the district system. However, he failed to convince a majority of the people, hence the town system went out of use, and the towns which had dropped it returned to the district system. It seems to have been a matter of "home rule."

"The new settlers everywhere showed a lively interest in schools. As a consequence, as soon as a few families had settled in a part outside of an organized district, they would insist upon being organized into a district, so they could have a school. Schools in some of these early districts were very small. In some less than a dozen were enrolled. During his incumbency of the office, six years, 50 new school districts were organized.

"I do not know of any better way to convey an idea of the condition of the schools of the county than by copying, in part at least, my notes when I visited the schools in the years 1876-77. A few explanatory remarks are occa- sionally added :

"Visited, January 7, subdistrict No. 3, Sumner. Number enrolled, 14; present, 10. Miss Lelia M. Gee, teacher. Books not uniform, but, considering the conditions, pretty fair work being done.

"Subdistrict No. 1, Chetek. Number enrolled, 25; average attendance, 15. Miss Edith Sacket, teacher. Wall maps. No uniformity in books.

"January 10, visited district No. 4, Sumner. Miss Mattie Youmans, teacher. Number enrolled, 11; present, 3. Most advanced pupils in fourth reader.

"January 12, visited subdistrict No. 1, town of Barron. Miss Eva Roberts, teacher. Number enrolled, 17; present, 10. A log house about 16 by 20. A tier of seats and desks projecting from the wall, capable of seating about 24. Provided with a small blackboard, which, with teacher's desk, is opposite the door.

"January 12, visited subdistrict No. 2, Prairie Farm. Miss Ames, teacher. Number enrolled, 17; present, 10. Log house about 16 by 26. A tier of seats and desks on each side, capable of seating about 30 pupils. Map of United States, of World, and of Europe. Blackboard and teacher's desk opposite.the

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door .. School books in all districts of this town are uniform and free, for which the very efficient clerk, Fred Telke, deserves credit.

"Subdistrict No. 1, village of Rice Lake. Miss Mary L. Beauchene, teacher. Number enrolled, 23; present, 15. Books not uniform.

"Subdistrict No. 1, Stanfold. Mrs. Cabino, teacher. Number enrolled, 25; present, 20. Log house about 16 by 20, seated in various ways to accommo- date about 30.

"The foregoing will indicate the kind of school houses to be found in the county at that time and their provision in the way of seats, desks and books.

"As has been mentioned, Prairie Farm was the only town that had uni- form and free text-books. Such being the case, the superintendent labored to remedy the condition. He urged school boards to adopt a uniform series of books, then have the district purchase them and either have them free or sell to pupils at cost, 'the plan of district purchase and free distribution to pupils being preferred, but by all means let the district purchase them.'

"At the time he retired from the office he had the satisfaction of knowing that nearly all the districts had adopted the plan of district purchase, and in most of them they were free.

"It was the custom to have an institute once a year, the late Professor J. B. Thayer, of River Falls Normal, being the conductor.

"As to the teachers, it must be said, in justice to them, they were all qualified for the work they were expected to do, and exhibited an intelligent interest therein. There were a number of married persons teaching, and it was no detriment to the schools that such was the case."

The first county report, now preserved in the county superintendent's office, is that of Mr. White's, for the year ending Aug. 31, 1876. At that time there were 42 school houses, of which 38 were reported in good condition. None had enclosed grounds. Free text-books were furnished in Prairie Farm and Rice Lake townships. In Sumner township the town purchased the books and sold to pupils, at cost, thus securing uniformity. The best school house was in Prairie Farm township, valued at $700. School apparatus in Prairie Farm township was valued at $390, in Rice Lake township at $110, and in Sumner at $43.

Ninety-one teachers taught during the year, several were as young as 16 years. Of the 69 women teachers, one was given a second grade certificate by the superintendent and 68 were given third grade ones. The 22 men teachers each were given a third grade certificate.

An attempt was made to hold a teacher's institute in the fall of 1875, but failed for lack of attendance.

There were 706 boys and 639 girls of between 4 and 20 years in the county, a total of 1,345, of whom 825 were reported as attending school. One child under four, and five young people over twenty, also attended. There was no school of over one department.

The statistics given do not include Lakeland, which township then em- braced all the northwestern part of the county, and from which no report was received.

Value was placed on school furniture, registers, and the like, in only four townships: Prairie Farm, $122.50; Rice Lake, $76.45; Dallas, $7.38; and Sum- ner, $1.15.

The value of the school houses in the township is given as follows: Bar- ron, $500; Chetek (no report) ; Clinton, $275; Dallas, $900; Maple Grove, $624; Prairie Farm, $2,100; Rice Lake, $1,200; Stanfold, $750; Sumner, $1,900; Cedar Lake, $500.

The superintendent maintained his office at his home in what was then Sumner township, and received $3 a day for actual time spent in school service.

The average monthly wages of female teachers ranged from $22.60 in Dallas township to $32.50 in Cedar Lake; for men teachers, from $27 in Prairie

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Farm township to $40 in Maple Grove township. The highest monthly wages paid in Dallas township was $40; in Dallas and Stanfold, $35; in Cedar Lake, $32.00; in Clinton, Prairie Farm, Rice Lake, Chetek and Sumner, $30.

In 1897, twenty-one years after Mr. White's first report, the old logging days were passing, and the dawn of the modern agricultural era was already on the horizon. In that year, Charles H. Museus makes the following encourag- ing report :

"At no time has our educational system been in better shape than at pres- ent. At no time has the supervision of our schools been so well under control and the organization so complete. We have thriving summer schools, enthusi- astic teachers' institutes and meetings, and the report of the schools is re- quired of each teacher each term.

"Our teaching force at present, not including Rice Lake, numbers 103 teachers. Of these, five hold State or Normal school certificates, eleven hold first grade certificates, forty hold second grade certificates, and seventy-eight are teaching on third grade certificates. The teachers are distributed as fol- lows: Cumberland city, 9; Barron city, 6; Chetek city, 4; Cameron village, 2; Turtle Lake village, 2; district 3, Cumberland, 2; district 4, Cumberland, 2; district 4, Maple Grove, 2; joint district 2, Oak Grove, 2; and one each in the 103 rural districts.

"The average wages paid to male teachers (including high school prin- cipals) is $42.60 a month, and to female teachers, $28 a month. The teachers were for the most part employed for the entire year in the same school.

"Our schoolhouses with some exceptions are good, comfortable buildings. There are a few places in the county used for school purposes, notably 5, that do not deserve the name of schoolhouse, and where it is not only a waste of time and money to attempt teaching school, but where the health of both teacher and pupils is threatened during the winter months. In such miserable hovels we find little if any supply of material to work with, and only thumb worn and possibly dog eared text books.

"Three new buildings have been added during the year; one in the town of Maple Grove, costing $539; another in the town of Cumberland, costing $660; and a third in the town of Turtle Lake, costing $767.95.

"There are now in the county 110 districts, the number of departments being 132. There are 133 teachers, the extra one being the assistant principal at Cumberland.

"The number of children in the county of school age, that is, between four and twenty, is 3,671 boys and 3,477 girls, a total of 7,148. Of this number, 5,273 have attended our public schools for twelve or more weeks during the past year. Of the children between 7 and 13 there are 3,238. Of these, only 2,556 attended our schools, leaving a large number of children of this important school age who are not being educated.

"One institute was held during the year, with an enrollment of 114, and an average daily attendance of over 90.

"Fifty-nine districts now furnish the use of free text books free to pupils. And the schools now have a library, ranging from 8 to 150 volumes. There are about 3,000 volumes altogether in the school libraries, some 800 having been added in the past year.

"Eighty-nine schools observed Bird and Arbor day, and Memorial day. I found in my visits in many places afterward, that fences had been fixed up, rubbish removed, trees planted, flower beds made, and the school grounds beautified in other ways."

Mr. Museus rendered another interesting report in 1901. The modern period of agriculture and dairying was getting under way, and the schools were reflecting the coming prosperity of the county. In 1900 there were eight log schoolhouses in the county, but five were replaced with more modern structures so that when the report was rendered in 1901 there were but three log schoolhouses left in the county.

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A total of $9,681.42 was reported as the cost of new buildings during the year, and in addition there were at least two whose cost was not reported. District 5, Rice Lake, cost, $312.24; District 3, Maple Grove, cost, $742.63; District 8, Maple Grove, cost, $360.95; District 7, Chetek, cost with equip- ment, $600; and District 9, Chetek, cost with equipment. $460, were the buildings which replaced log structures. Joint District 6, Cumberland town- ship, erected a large two-story building at a cost of $1,480.65, and had used it but two terms when it was burned. Another building was at once put up. A new district, No. 17, in Cumberland, also put up a good building. At the time of the report, District 6, Dallas had a four-room building under con- struction, and the city of Barron, Joint District 1, a large brick building of four rooms, now the Ward school, so called, at a cost of $6,271.30.

There were 120 districts in the county and 129 buildings, having a total seating capacity of 6,565 pupils. This furnished accommodation for 2,000 pupils less than the number in the county, but as the enrollment was but 6,188, the schools furnished seating capacity for some 400 more pupils more than were enrolled.

There were 151 departments and when the schools were in session required the services of 154 teachers.

The estimated value of school property on June 30, 1901, was $98,545.52. For this the bonded and general indebtedness is subtracted, leaving a net valua- tion of $90,630.52.

During the year 1900-01, 52 male and 152 female teachers were employed. Of these 24 held state or normal qualifications; 28 held first grade county cer- tificates; 47 held second grade county certificates; and 103 held third grade qualifications.

Teachers' wages amounted to $36,689.19, of which $11,459.75 was paid to male teachers, and $25,129.44 to female teachers, giving an average monthly salary to male teachers, including high school principals, of $42.25 and to female teachers, $30.63.

Examinations were given at the completion of the fall (1900) and spring (1901) term to pupils completing the grades. Of the 66 who tried the examinations, 36 pupils were given diplomas.

Four graded schools in villages not having high schools qualified for state aid under the Act of 1901: First class (three departments), Cameron and Turtle Lake; second class (two departments), Dallas and Prairie Farm. Bar- ron, Rice Lake, Cumberland and Chetek were doing high school work.

A teachers' institute was held with a total enrollment of 120 and an average daily attendance of 99. During the year 996 volumes had been added to the school libraries. Complaint is made that in some districts no provision was made for keeping the libraries at the school, and that they were kept in many instances in the home of the clerk or other official where they were not easily available.

The following statistics are given in this 1901 report: Number of male children over 4 and under 20 years of age, 4,418; number of female children over 4 and under 20 years of age, 4,205; total between 4 and 20 years, 8,623. Whole number between 4 and 20 enrolled in public schools, 6,188. Number of children between 7 and 14 years of age, 4,352. Number between 7 and 14 who attended school twelve weeks or more during the year, 3,460.

At the present time Barron county is well in the lead in educational mat- ters among the rural counties of the state.

The Barron County Training school is maintained at Rice Lake, as is the Rice Lake Day School for the Deaf.

There are six full accredited high schools; located at Rice Lake, Chetek, Cumberland, Barron, Cameron and Turtle Lake.

The first class graded schools of three departments each are at Prairie Farm, Dallas and Canton. Haugen has a first class graded school with four departments. Each of these four schools also do some high school work.

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There are nine second class graded schools of two rooms each: Almena village (Joint 2, Almena and Clinton), Comstock (District 4, Crystal Lake), Baronett (Joint District 8, Lakeland and Washburn county), Hillsdale (District 3, Maple Grove), District 7, Crystal Lake; District 1, Prairie Farm; District 3, Turtle Lake; District 2, Vance Creek; District 3, Vance Creek.

One district, Joint 1 B, Dallas, Dovre, Sand Creek and Wilson, has two schoolhouses.

The report of Miss Regina Kohten, superintendent, rendered to the county board in 1921, gives the following interesting facts :

Number of children of school age, 10,652; total number of children enrolled, 7,587; number of one-room schools, 126; number of one-room schools disbanded, 4; number of two-room schools, 10; number of first class state graded schools, 4; number of high schools, 5; number of teachers employed, 221; number of teachers holding permits, 7; number of common school diplomas issued, 209; number of pupils having completed reading circle work, 3,221; number of teachers having completed reading circle work, 110; number of school societies organized, 135; number of schools serving warm lunches, 59; number of schools observing good school week, 89; number of schools taking part in Junior Red Cross, 76; number of library books ordered from township library fund, 1,521; cost of these books, $1,108.90; total amount received for school purposes, $559,538.47; total expenditures, $480,830.56; balance on hand June 30, 1921, $78,707.91.

"During the year eight teachers' meetings beside the institute were held at various points in the county to which nearly every teacher in the county came. Following this was given the Monroe Form 2 Standardized Silent Reading Tests twice to every school in the county and the arithmetic test in the four fundamentals once. The first reading tests showed that all children were below standard, especially the third, fourth and fifth grades, this being true of the city children as well as of the rural children. The second test showed all grades coming very nearly up to standard and in cases of the eighth grade, above. This test concerns itself with the rate of reading as well as with com- prehension. It has been conclusively shown that in almost every case the children who read rapidily, understand more readily what they read. Barron county is the only one in which a test of this kind was given in every school."

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History of Barron County Wisconsin, Part 171

Author: Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge Publication date: 1922 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1767

Author: Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge
Publication date: 1922
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1767