Oconto
County WIGenWeb Project
Collected
and posted by Oconto
County WIGenWeb Project
Collected
and posted by BILL
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HISTORIC
OCONTO COUNTY SCHOOLS
Stiles Junction School
(originally
Leigh Town School)
Town
of Stiles
Oconto
County, Wisconsin
Please
click
on the
photos for a larger view.
This
is the second school built, in
1912, in the Northwest corrner of section 23 on Military Road.
The first wood frame structure was Leigh Town School
built on highway 22 in section 24 in 1898 and
had 112 students.
Photos contributed
by:
Jill
Gondek
Taken 2010
Please
click
on the
photos for a larger view.
Photos
contributed
by:
Jill
Gondek
Taken 2010
STILES
JUNCTION SCHOOL
(originally
Leigh Town School)
contributed
by:
Larry
Grady
(transcribed
from the 1953 news article below found in his late mother's scrapbook)
Facts furnished by Mr. Hendernon
Stiles Jct.
—
Stiles
Junction School, being district number two, township of Stiles,
consisting of Sections 13, 23 and 24, and the south half of Sections
12. 14, 15 and 22. The present brick school house, erected in 1912, is
located on the old Military Road in the Northwest corner of Section 23.
The present brick structure replaced a smaller frame building which was
located in the Southeast part of the school district, in Section 24 on
what is now known as U. S. Highway 22. The district then was much
larger, consisting of Sections 12, 13, 14, 15. 22, 23. 24 and 25. It
was then about the year 1898, that the enrollment reached a total of
102. This included a number of pupils who lived in the Town of Oconto
and attended school here. The old school was known as the Leigh Town
school, named for the three families of Leighs — John, Joseph
and
Thomas — who settled this little hamlet on the west bank of
Little River and where John Leigh owned and operated a grist mill and
store. The people came from great distances to this mill to have their
grain ground. In those early days the grain was hauled to the mill by
horses or oxen, sometimes requiring two days to make the trip.
Two members of the first school board were Angus McAllister and John
Leigh, who served without pay. Some of the early teachers were:
Margaret Appleby, Joseph Volk, James McKeever and Edward Griffen, who
later taught in Milwaukee county and became County Superintendent of
Schools there.
It is related that at this school, just before one Christmas, the
scholars, following the tradition of ancient days, barricaded the door
and kept the teacher outside until he agreed to furnish cake and pies
for a Chrjstmas treat. He protested against this demand contending that
his pay was only $10.00 per month. He finally effected a compromise by
agreeing to supply whiskey and sugar. After the compact, had been
entered into, the door was opened and the teacher came in and resumed
his authority and the school work went on as though there had been no
interruption.
Among the pupils enrolled in this first school were young
men who
commenced to learn their alphabet, and afterwards obtained sufficient
education to enable them to become teachers or to conduct business.
In this first school heat was furnished by a rectangular wood stove,
long enough to admit a four foot stick of wood. The room equipped with
a blackboard running across one end of the room, a chart to teach the
first grade reading, a few maps and a globe. The seats and desks were
wide enough to seat two pupils. The district now boasts of her fine
commodious structure equipped with an oil heater, electric lights,
modern seats and a radio.
The present school grounds comprise one acre of land which are dry and
well kept. They also have a number of shade trees, making them very
attractive. Playground equipment is also furnished the pupils. This
includes swings, a merry-go-round, and basket ball. No equipment of
this nature was furnished the old school.
The present school board is composed of Arthur Schroeder, clerk; Frank
Seeman, treasurer; and Bert Dumas, director. The present teacher is
Mrs. Pat Jones
 |
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