Page View
Rappel, Joseph J. / A centennial history of the Manitowoc County school districts and its public school system, 1848-1948
([1948])
Two Rivers, pp. 208-220
PDF (5.7 MB)
Page 208
TWO RIVERS One of the four original townships was Two Rivers. Since its organization as a municipality, the township expanded to include the present towns of Mishicot, Gib- son, Two Creeks, and Two Rivers. The areas near the pioneer settlement of the vil- lage of Two Rivers were the first to become settled. One of the first school districts set up in Manitowoc county was the present Two Rivers city school district, known as Manitowoc county district number 1 organized in 1844. After the county was or- ganized into four distinct townships in 1848, the second district to organize was the present Tannery district. The numbering of the school districts was done in sequence of their establishment with the exception of the present district No. 1 which replaced the original district 1, now the Two Rivers city system. TWO RIVERS I- SANDY HILL VIEW Edna Dunne When the state law of 1918 was passed, the patrons of Dis- trict 1, Town of Two Rivers, chose Sandy Hill View for the name of their school because of a high, sandy knoll which can be viewed from the school. It had always been known as the Sandy Bay School previous to that time, because it is located near the Sandy Bay Road, now leading to Point Beach State Forest. Sandy Hill View School is located in the southwest corn- er of the southwest 1/4 of" the southwest _/4, Section 19, Range 25 East, Town 20 North. Up to 1898 the Tannery District included what is now District 1 and 2. Due to the dissatisfaction of the location of the school, many meetings were held to try to relocate the school nearer the center of the district. Finally, it was decided to divide the old district into what we now know as District 1 and District 2 with the dividing line being what is now known as Highway 42. It takes in all of sections 19-20-21-29- 30-31-32 except those parts cut off by Lake Michigan and the city of Two Rivers. Originally, the area now in the city of Two Rivers was known as District 1 but after the Tannery District was divided, the present District became known as District 1. Sandy Hill View School was built in 1898. It is a light-colored brick building about 34 x 24 feet, having three windows on either side with two windows facing the front. The school, when first built, was one of the very few to have single seats and slate blackboards. A stage was built across the front of the room because no school was considered properly equipped without a stage. The stage still remains in the school. Electric lights were installed in the school in the winter of 1947-1948. Fred Luebke was the first teacher in the district and taught there for four or five terms. Mr. Luebke boarded at the Matt Kimmes home for $8.00 a month. This farm is just about one-half mile from the school house. The first enrollment was 26. Some of Mr. Luebke's pupils were ten years of age and were starting school for the first time due to the long distances some of the pupils lived from the school when it was located in the Tannery District. Mr. Luebke says that often he and the pupils, after walking long distances through the deep snow, were required to take off their shoes and stockings and dry them around the furnace before continuing with school. The greatest number of pupils ever enrolled was 33. The highest enrollment was between the years 1903 to 1910. The average family in those years had about eight children, while today's average family numbers about five. The present enrollment has decreased to about 12 pupils. From 1940 to 1942 it was necessary to close the school because the enrollment had dropped to below 10. The pupils were then transported to the Tannery school, for one year and to the Rangeline school for another term. In 1942 the school was again reopened with an enrollment of 14 pupils and since then has remained open. 208
Images cannot be copied or reproduced without the written permission of the Manitowoc Public Library. For information on re-use, see http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/Copyright