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Rappel, Joseph J. / A centennial history of the Manitowoc County school districts and its public school system, 1848-1948
([1948])
Schleswig, pp. 193-203
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Page 193
Schleswig territory originally was a part of the Manitowoc Rapids township from 1848 to 1849. Then it became a part of the Meeme township until 1855 when the present town of Schleswig was organized and named Abel. It was not until a year later that the township was officially named Schleswig. This change in township name was petitioned for by 35 persons living in Abel and was granted by the County Board on November 18, 1856. School districts number 1 and 2 were organized while the township was designated Abel. The numbering of the school districts was ac- cording to the establishment and official organization of each. Kiel, which was orig- inally Schleswig Jt. 4, became Kiel Jt. 1 and the'new Schleswig Jt. 4 set up in 1929. SCHLESWIG JT. 1 -FOUNTAIN PARK Lorraine Janing Schleswig District No. 1, lo- cated in the northeast area of the township, is called the Fountain Park school. That name was derived from the fact that an artesian well on the school grounds shoots forth a fountain of water, and from the fact that the trees and grass on the grounds remind one of a park. To nearby and county residents the name of Wilke's Lake School is more familiar since it is located a short dis- tance from that body of water. To some it is known as the , Ucker Road School. The assessment roll of 1856 shows that this district was set up prior to that time. Since the earliest written records for the school date back to 1866, it is impossible to state when the district was organized for educational purposes. The 1856 assess- ment roll shows that the district was then made up of sections 1, 2, 11, 12, 13, 14. By 1863, after Schleswig 7 had organized, the district consisted of sections 1, 2, 11,. 12. In 1893, the W½h of the SE¼A of the E½ of the SWV4 of Section 36, town of Eaton was added, making this district Schleswig Jt. I with Eaton. About the same time the S½h of the SEV4 of section 3 Schleswig was added to the district. Christian Schultz gave the district permission to build a school on his land. This was adjacent to and west of the present school site. The school built on the first site was erected in the early 1850's, but no definite district records prior to 1866 are available. It was a log cabin school about 12 x 16 feet. The interior was white-washed, while the exterior was "pointed out"-with red clay. A Woodstove furnished the heat. Windows on both of the long sides furnished light and ventilation. A row of seats and desks four feet long placed near the sides of the room provided seating and left a large aisle through theF center of the room. Wooden blackboards hung on the wall served their usual purpose. The old log school was torn down shortly after the new one was constructed. On September 6, 1880, the voters discussed plans for a new building, but it was decided to repair the old one instead. On July 18, 1887 the voters decided to build a new frame building 34 x 26 feet. The stone foundation was to be 18 inches above ground and 2 feet in the ground. The new building which is also the present school was built in 1888 and cost about $719. On November 21, 1887, the deed for the school site was recorded in the register of deeds office. The land, purchased from Fred and Mina Gensch for $25, is located in the NW corner of the NWiA of section 12, and was one quarter of an acre in extent. In 1938 an additional one-half acre of land was purchased for $50 from Ralph and Eldora Matznick. In 1898 efforts were made to dig a well east of the school. An iron pump was purchased, but evidently no water was found because the pump was sold in 1902 and the children continued to carry water from neighboring farms. A new well drilled north of the school in 1918 resulted in obtaining an artesian well. In 1911 new black- boards were installed for $18.43. During the years that followed a new stove was 193 * . :LT-TT.EWTC".
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