Monroe County, Wisconsin - Chapter with an unread heading (no. 25 of those read), 1912

The Tomah Schools

Just as it should be. the cause of education was practically the first public institution started by the people who originally settled in the future village. A few weeks after the arrival of the early settlers and after their establishment, plans were made for opening a school of some kind. At first a corn crib was the only building available, Avhich was situated west of the cemetery of today.

Miss Emma Bush, who had been attending school in ]\Iihvaukee, being the daughter of Harvey Bush, a pioneer merchant, returned home and was ofit'ered the position as teacher. The first class consisted of the members of three families, JMrs. Lottie Wood, mother of Miss IMinnie AA^ood, who is now teaching in the city schools, and her sister and two children from a third family. The teacher and pupils soon found tliat it was not pleasant to hold school in a corn crib and during the next summer it was transferred to a log house which stood near the site of the AVatsen Earle residence. The front part of the building was used as a storeroom, and it is related that one night two sacks of flour which were stored there were broken open by some pigs who had gotten into the building, and the next morning the school room was found to be literally dusted all over with flour.

Ten children attended the first school, but when the railroad came through in 1858 the little village grew rapidly and arrangements were made for a larger building, which was soon erected on the corner where Harvey Sowle's residence now stands. This was the first building erected for school purposes in the village and it was used a great many years, and afterwards turned into a residence. - At one time the father of the editor of this work, Dr. J. F. Richards, lived in it with his family during a time of the building of his residence in that village, and it is to be presumed that the editor received some of his early education by alisorption from the atmosphere surrounding this educational building.

required a corresponding increase in the teaching force. Soon school was held in various places in the village which could he procured for the purpose. One of these temporary class rooms was above a blacksmith shop located south of the residence owned by H. H. Sherwood. Another was in a store building situated in the middle of the block north of the postoffice, and classes were also held in the building located near tlie freight depot, these locations being selected on account of the convenience of the families living in the different parts of the village. During these early school years there was no regular course of study. A student was allowed to take as few or as many branches as he wished, and could drop a suliject or begin it a second time. Latin was introduced in the school in 1868 Avhen there was an instructor who was capable of teaching that language. At another time, when no other form of language was being taught, a class of French was organized by the wife of a principal. It seems that a teacher then taught the subject he knew the most about. All teachers were engaged for a term of three mouths instead of a year, as is the ease today, and the necessary changes were made at the end of the three-months' period.

A new building was soon erected on the corner where tlie Central building now stands, and in 1870 the school was graded with the following departments: Primary, intermediate, grammar and high school. The course of study then embraced reading, writing, spelling, arithmetic, geography, liistory, orthography and higher arithmetic. From time to time additions were made to this building as the number of pupils increased, and in this old wooden school house in 1880 were held the first graduating exercises when a class of three, one of whom was ]Miss Ida Miller, who has been employed for so inany years in the Tomah schools, received their diplomas. The principal at that time Avas T. B. Pray, Avho later became jn-esident of the Stevens Point Normal School. There were no graduating classes in the years 1881-1885- 1887.

In 1884 in response to the necessity for better accommodations the annual school meeting passed a resolution appropriating $16,000 for the purpose of erecting a high school buiUling. Contracts were let and with the removal of the old wooden structure a new brick building for high school purposes was erected, and is what is known as the Central building. The old school building was sold to the highest bidder, being Thomas ^IcCaiU. who cut it in two parts and converted it into dwelling houses. The tAvo portions are still standing today near the site where it formerly

The Tomah Schools 365

Meanwhile the high school curriculum was extended and three courses of study offered, the English, Science, and the Classical. The additional fact that the school was placed upon the accredited list of the State University gave evidence of the progress that had been made. Under the superintendency of Mr. Clark, afterwards at River Falls Normal School, the first school library was established.

Little interest was taken in the improvement of the school grounds until 1891, when Mr. Reigle was principal, and as the year went on new departments were added to the system, E. H. Cassels organizing the kindergarten, and C. H. Maxon, who preceded Professor McNeal, introduced drawing in the grades, and it was during his incumbency that the present high school was built in the year 1902. Before this building was erected the high school was held on the second floor of the Central building, and for a short time the seventh and eighth grades were held in the old Catholic church, now known as the Auditorium. The old high school became so crowded that these two grades had to be conducted in this place until the new high school was finished. It was not long before the grounds were made beautiful by the walks, trees and terraces, and in 1909 shrubbery was planted which added much to the beauty of the grounds.

Even with the new departments which had been added in the past and tlie improvements which had been made, others seemed necessary, and under Professor McNeal the first supervisor of music was engaged. Of course the contrast between the schools of 1856 and 1912 is great, but it is simply another illustration of the progress which is bound to come with the growth of settlement and civilization. From a corn crib to a magnificent high school building with the beautiful grounds is a long step, and from a course of study consisting of most anything to several courses from which a graduate of the high school may step into the university without examination is indeed good progress. The smallest graduating class was that of 1888, which consisted of but one member, and the classes of 1911 and 1912, each consisting of thirty-six members, have been the largest.

In addition to other departments under Professor Bray there liave been introduced domestic science for girls and manual training for boys, and the Tomah High School is now not only upon the list of the university, but stands high among educational institutions in this and other states, and its graduates are accepted

The faculty of the years 1911-1912 are as Follows : F. M. Bi-ay. principal, science; Adeline Keifer, assistant principal, (lermaii and mathematics; Florence Ilargrave, Englisli : May Kice, history; George Karnopp, mathematics and ]>o]itical economy; Emmett Hassett, science; ]\Iary O'Keefe, Latin: Belle Souku]), domestic science: Earl AV. Eversmeyer, manual training; Julia O. Ilarvey, music.

Alany of the prominent business and professional men of ihc village and city have served on the school hoard. The policy ])ursued has uniformly been that of liberality, broad-mindedness and a desire to bring the schools to the highest standard possible, Avith a result that has been very gratifying and is a source of pride to every citizen of the city of Tomah. Back of it all has been the true "Tomah spirit,'' which marks the energy and persistence with which any public movement is aided by the good people of the city.

Among the students have been maintained the usual societies of these modern days, especially debating clubs, and these had a place in the school scheme from very early times. Athletics have come in for a prominent part and the football. basel)all and track teams of the Tomah High School have at times reached high places in the scliool athletics of this part of the state.

Perhaps the most prominent society is the Alumni Associa- 1ion, which w'as organized in June, 1893, at a meeting held at the high sciiool rooms, and through tlie nineteen years of its existence has grown in membership with eacli succeeding year, luitil now its meeting is quite the social event of the year. At the outset the custom Avas inaugurated of liolding a bancjuet and business meeting on the night or evening after the graduating exercises and to receive into full membership the class just gradiuited. This custom has been continued through all the years with the result that its membership keeps pace Avith the graduates and is far better than holding its meeting at some other time of the year Avhen the gradiuiting class has scattered and never again are all together, perhaps, and consequently do not join tlie society, as is the case Avith other associations of the kind. At its banquets fine programs of toasts and addresses are ai-ranged, interspersed Avith musical numbers, folloAved by a business meeting, and usually a ball, and in connection Avitli tb(^ opportunity 1o rencAV "auld acquaintances"" it h;is ])ecome one of the principal events in the school year, the session of 1912 being nuusnally well attended as it was carried out as a sort of a "home coming," resulting in many coming from quite a distance.

One pleasant event of this last session Avas the presentation to Miss Adeline Keifer of a diamond ring in remembrance of her twenty-five years of faithful labor as assistant principal of the high school ; a rare character whose uniform kindness and courtesy, coupled with thorough methods, has made her the friend and almost the companion of the successive classes who have graduated during this time ; a little woman richly endowed by nature to fill just such a position, and in it accomplish great good perhaps gi'eater than in any other sphere of life. Many of the alumni and alumna? have achieved prominence in the various walks of life. Among them may be mentioned Col. W. W. AVarren, now the head of a great banking house in Tomah and the father of a growing family, who achieved prominence not only in business, but in a military w^ay as captain of Company K during the Spanish war, and since as colonel and inspector of small arms practice of the national guard ; the Boltons, Herbert aiad Ed, who have taken prominent places in the educational world ; the Powers boys, AVill and Bert, prosperous merchants at Grand Rapids, Minn. ; Edwin Cassels, a prominent attorney, now practicing his profession at Chicago, 111. ; the Thompsons, Alva and Charles, the former of Avhom served several terms as superintendent of schools of this county and is now the head of the industrial school at Richland Center, where his l^rother Cluirles is also employed ; Alva Goodyear, now deceased, who made a fine war record; Jennie MeCaul-Hart, Mho has become a prominent club woman in the state ; Lulu Janes, whose fame as a musician and vocalist is now assured; John G. Graham and AVm. R. ]\IcCaul, both prosperous attorneys, practicing at Tomah ; Ida IMiller, still engaged in teaching the young idea in the Tomah schools; Arthur AVinter and Ray Bell, both prominent physicians at Tomah ; George Robertson, who served as county superintendent of schools for two or three terms ; Claude Sowle, now the doughty captain of Company K ; and so the list might be multiplied, for the Tomah High School has sent her share of good men and women into the Avorld to reflect credit upon the mother institution.

Perhaps the uian who attained the most prominence from among the number was Earnest Buckley, whose untimely death brought sadness to his host of friends; he was born at Alillbury,

]\Ias.s., September 3, 1872 ; liis boyhood days were spent in Tomah, graduating from the high si-hool in 1S!)() lie entered the university, graduating in 1895; he continued liis studies there, specializing in geology, and acquired great prominence in this work ; he was made director of the natural history survey of the state, and in 1898 his alma mater conferred upon him the degree of doctor of philosophy ; he was soon after called to the position of state geologist to the state of JMissouri, where lie niDNcd to Kollo; he Ix'came an eminent authority in geology and mineralogy and his services were in great demand in the practical ai)iilication. He was also honored l)y being chosen president of the American Mining Congress. In the fall of 1911 he located in Chicago and op(>ned an office as consulting geological engineer.

In the prime of life and in the midst of a brilliant career he was suddenly stricken down. His heart had always been true to the little high school and to the little city of his boyhood, for after his death it was found tliat he had bequeathed a sufficient sum to be devoted to the purpose of building a library for the city of Tomah, which will be his monument for all time.

His death occurred at his home in Chicago on Friday, January 19, 1911, his remains being brought to Tomah and interred in the family lot upon Avhii-h a handsome vault will be erected.

List Of Graduates The Tomah Schools 369

Class of 1890 - Earnest Buckley, Alva Thompson, Adolpli Wilson, Gertrude Janes, Carrie Perry, Melzina Smith, Una Richardson and Ethel Maynard.

Class of 1892 - Charles Thomson, Herbert Calkins, Grace McMillan, Jennie Voswinkel, Nina Lombard, Blanche Bennett, Clara Spaulding, Ella Wells, Ella Perry and Minnie Wood.

Class of 1893 - Lottie Wood, Fred Thompson, Frank Saner, Dora Heintz, I\Iinnie Root, Bessie Jackson, Alva Goodyear, Hattie Nieholis, Herbert Johnson and Gray Graham.

Class of 1895 - Louie Corrigan, Emma Earle, Ellen Gammons, Harriet Hall, Gertrude Reynolds, Arthur AYinter, Wallace Mc- Pherson, George Cassels and George Robertson.

Class of 1899 - Grace Bolton, AVilliam J. Brennen, lone Gove, Edith Mosley, AVill Gooder, George Marcher, Lula Sowle, Gertrude A. Smith, Pearl Gammons, Ellen Clay, Belle Newsome, AVilliam D. Smith, Clara Schedler and Lula Scott.