Collected and posted by BILL
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Jefferson School
Oconto Falls
Oconto County, Wisconsin
 1st Jefferson Graded School in Oconto Falls. Built in 1882, it was made of wood. It had grades 1 - 12 and later had a wing added. This wood frame building was replaced in 1922 by the brick school after it was struck by lightening in 1920 and destroyed . Photo
contributed
by:Jill
Gondek
|
Photo
contributed
by:
Jill
Gondek
Joe Plain of Oconto Falls wrote in 1958 that Lincoln Graded School was first built in 1882 "and of course at that time it
was adequate, but later on a wing had to be added. That wood building
was struck by lightning in the summer of 1920 and burned to the ground.
The following school year emergency classrooms were established where
ever they could be obtained.
The first school board in Oconto Falls was established 101 years ago (1857) with John Christie Volk, clerk; Henry Volk, treasurer; and James Tourtelott, director. They rented a chicken coop neat the saw-mill (now the paper mill) and fitted it up for a school room. William Seward was hired as teacher for the three month school term.
The next year our first school house was built. 22’ x 40’ and quite adequate. Maria Volk was the first teacher at the age of sixteen. Maria had moved from place to place with her parents so often that her own education was more or less hit or miss. Her mother was her teacher when private tutors were not available. When Jefferson School was built twenty-four years later, this 22’ x 40’ building was sold and moved to what is now the Benson Schaub farm. Part of it was used in the construction of the present Schaub residence." Lincoln Graded School replaced this original building in 1882. Jefferson Elementary School was built in 1922 to replace the burned 1882 graded schoolhouse and closed in 1996. It has since been torn down.
The first school board in Oconto Falls was established 101 years ago (1857) with John Christie Volk, clerk; Henry Volk, treasurer; and James Tourtelott, director. They rented a chicken coop neat the saw-mill (now the paper mill) and fitted it up for a school room. William Seward was hired as teacher for the three month school term.
The next year our first school house was built. 22’ x 40’ and quite adequate. Maria Volk was the first teacher at the age of sixteen. Maria had moved from place to place with her parents so often that her own education was more or less hit or miss. Her mother was her teacher when private tutors were not available. When Jefferson School was built twenty-four years later, this 22’ x 40’ building was sold and moved to what is now the Benson Schaub farm. Part of it was used in the construction of the present Schaub residence." Lincoln Graded School replaced this original building in 1882. Jefferson Elementary School was built in 1922 to replace the burned 1882 graded schoolhouse and closed in 1996. It has since been torn down.