Oconto County WIGenWeb Project
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HISTORIC OCONTO COUNTY SCHOOLS
 Apple Orchard School
Town of Gillett
Oconto County, Wisconsin

The first school building of 1889 was on the west side of the old railroad bed on county trunk H between present day Klaus Lake road and Winkler Ln.  The  present building of 1901 is on county trunk H just west of Klaus Lake rd.


Apple Orchard School
Photo contributed by:
Jill Gondek
Taken 2010

Pleased click on each photo below for a full size view.

Apple Orchard School
Grades 1- 8
1946 - 1947
contributed by Carolyn [Ruege] Gipp
 sent by  Larry Gipp
Apple Orchard School
contributed by Carolyn [Ruege] Gipp
 sent by  Larry Gipp

Apple Orchard School
Left side of photo
contributed by Carolyn [Ruege] Gipp
 sent by  Larry Gipp
Apple Orchard School
Right side of photo
contributed by Carolyn [Ruege] Gipp
 sent by  Larry Gipp
Pleased click on each photo below for a full size view.


Apple Orchard School
School Year 1949 - 1950
Grades 4 - 8
contributed by Carolyn [Ruege] Gipp
 sent by  Larry Gipp


Left To Right   Front row [sitting]
Jimmy Muck -- Donald Genke -- Kenneth Kohls - Harvey Miller - Norbert Eggert - Carolyn Ruege - Beatrice Zahn - Mae Joan Winkler

Second row
Lois Westpahal - Marvin Zahn - Wilmer Jaeger - Louis Eggebrecht - Janet Kohls
Jean Muck - Donna Genke - Mrs Blazek

Third row
Phyllis Winkler - Marilyn Tietyen - Beverley Eggert - Patsy Eggert - Marcella
Peterman - A. James Ruege - Carl Mueller - Herbert Fisher

    These are grades 4, 6, 7,  and 8 . I, Carolyn Ruege, am in 4th grade.  There were 12 students in my grade. This was large for a country school. We were shuffled from one room to another each year depending upon the number of students totaled in the other room.
     Also, this year was special because our teacher got married during the Christmas holidays. She was Miss Kamke until Christmas. After Christmas she was Mrs. Blazek.  This was so cool!

    I went to Apple Orchard Grade School from 1946 - 1954 [ grades 1-8 ]
My family has a history of attendance at this school.
1.    Sister Agatha "Gay" - 1945 - 1946  8th grade
2.    Brother Ronald            1946 - 1948  6th - 8th grade
3.    Brother A. James         1946 - 1950  4th - 8th   "
4.    [ Me ] Carolyn             1946 - 1954  1st - 8th   "
5.    Mother Lydia [Kasten] Ruege  1st - 6th   1910 - 1916
6.    Great - uncle Fred Parduhn     1st - 6th   1906 - 1912
       [Grandmother Bertha and Fred's other sisters and brothers went to school in Germany]

Article contributed by: Larry Grady
(transcribed from the news article below)

This is the sixth of o series of cuticles prepared by the Oconto County Teachers Association to promote better public relations in the schools of our county.
Apple Orchard School Boasts
Modern Rooms, Oil Heat and Movie Projector

Morgan School Organized in 1904; Remodeled Last Year; All Buildings Painted
HISTORY OF THE
APPLE ORCHARD SCHOOL

The first meeting of school district number 1 of the Town of Gillett, was held at the home of Fred Yaeger October 8th, 1888 according to the orders of the
Supervisors of the town of Gillett.

At this meeting the following officers were elected: John Hoffman, clerk; Wm. Kohn, Director;  Ed Gomall. Treasurer. It was at this first meeting that the motion was made and carried that they build a log school house, twenty by twenty-eight feet of pine logs, hewn on two sides not less than nine inches face at the small end. All timber to be delivered on or before the first day of April 1889. The first school house being built west of the railroad track on County Trunk H.  Motion was carried to raise  $200.00.  Men elected for a building committee were Ed Gomall, H. Manske and L. Winkler.

At a special meeting it was agreed that the seats be made six feet long and desks to correspond. That 3 windows (9 by 12 inch glass) be put in on each side of the school house, and a common sized door in the front. John Schroeder had the job of doing the finishing work in the school for $34,00 and to be done by the first day of August 1889. The first  floor is to be a double floor and the ceiling to be matched lumber and nailed.

The first annual meeting held at the school house was July 1st, 1889. At this meeting Ed Gomall was elected clerk for 3 years, and was paid $5.00 a year. One Hundred Fifty Dollars was raised that year for teachers wages. Motion was carried that school start the first of September for a term of 3 months and then again the first of March for another 3 months. Twelve cords of hard wood and 2 cords of pine be delivered for 95 cents a cord. John Schroeder got the job of building an outhouse with 2 departments for $5.00.

The first teacher was Maggie Gauld, who taught the first 3 months for $20.00 a month and the last 3 months for $25.00 a month. In 1897 the first male teacher. Fred Larsen, was hired. Until then it was in order to hire a female teacher. The first County Superintendent of these records was W. A. Mc Kinley.

A special meeting was called to order at the school house on August 13, 1900, at which time the board was granted permission to build a new school house at its present location. The new building to be 32 feet wide, 45 feet long and 12 feet high, with a steeple for a good sized bell. The building to be of white brick, having ten windows and two doors. This building committee consisted of Herman Neuman, F. Bublitz and Fred Yeager. J. M. Melchior received the bid to build the school for $1,325.00 and the building to be completed by November first. The heating system for the school was a new box stove similar to the one used in the old school.

It was at the annual meeting in 1901 that they voted to have 7 months of school, namely September, October. November, December, April, May and June. 1911 was the beginning of 9 months of school.

In 1910 they voted to build an addition, 25 x 32 x 12, onto the school building. J. M. Ankerson got the Job of building the addition for $859.00. They then employed 2 teachers, Frank Sexton and Nora Hansen.

In 1920 they voted to have free text books. In 1925 they returned to only one teacher and paid $100.00 for salary and janitor work. On August 4. 1949, a spe-
cial meeting was held whereby Apple Orchard became a State Graded School.

The school was wired for electric lights in 1941. Two new oil burners were installed in 1946 which are the means of heat today. 1948 saw the drilling of a well on the school yard. Up to this time water was bought and carried from the cheese factory across the road.

During the past 5 years. 45 new desks have been purchased, new floor put in the large room, playground equipment and a movie projector have been bought.

At present there are 54 child ren enrolled and being taught bj Mrs. Veronica Neuman, upper: grades, and Mrs. Louis Jones lower grades. On the present school board are Raymond Miller Victor Gehm and Louis Winkler.
contributed by: Larry Grady
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