River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1895-02-28
OUR SCHOOLS THEIR HISTORY.


the resolution, but the project and
the support it received showed that
there was a strong sectional senti-
ment in some parts of the district
for special accommodations. One
part of the district was antagoniZed
against another, com binations were
made among the factions, trades and
promises were contaminated for votes
and influence, and the intention was
partially concluded IN the building of
one of these houses.
No further attempts toward build
ing were made in 1876, but at the an
nual school eting in July 1877 it
was determined by majority present
to move the old building off its found
ations and construct a stone school
house on the site to cost not
more than $1,000. The sum If $4,000
was voted as a special building fund.
But the opposition to this scheme
held special meeting Aug. 9th, 1877,
at which 90 votes were cast, So voting
| to reconsider the action of the annual
meeting so far as building new house
and raising a fund OF $4,000 for that
| purpose. This meeting, however, di-
| rected the School Board TO make such
repairs on the old building as they
deemed necessary and advisable.
Another special meeting was held
Oct. sth, 1877, TO decide upon building
a primary school house south of the
South Fork bridge. This meeting
showed majority for building such a
| house. 1t was to be yeneered with
| brick and of sufficient capacity to
seat fifty pupils. Eighteen hundred
| dollars was placed at the disposal OF
the Board for this purpose. Before
| an opposition could determine upon a
| line of action the contracts for build
ing were made and the work COM
| menced
The school opened in this building
in the fall of 1878 with Miss Lizzie
| Curtis as teacher. Services were
maintained here for several years with
varying success and disproportionate
expense without the exceptional facil-
| tiles offered at the main building.
Subsequent unexpected events so
modified the conditions that the two
| other primary buildings contemplated
| by the arrangement between the sew
eral sections of the district that eff
| fected the location of the South Fork
house were abandoned.
1t was apparent that the old Acad-
envy stood in the way of a new house.
1t had been determined to move it
from its foundations, but that did
not dispose of the question or the
house. There was way in view of
settling both questions. The old
house out of the way would open the
| way for a new one. The obstacle was
removed. The evening of Sept. 10Th,
1879, Monday, was rainy. Lightning
might be expected with thunder
shower. About seven o'clock, some
one passing the building discovered
smoke in the woodshed, attached TO
tile north side of the Academy. The
smoke indicated there was a fire in
the woodpile. The fire totally con-
Sumed the building. 1t was insured
for 81 900.
a temporary building was deter
mined upon to accommodate the
school until a permanent house could
be constructed. Lumber was pur-
chased and 'sheep she'd" as the pu-
pills facetiously termed it, was erected
loo feet long and "a feet wide, parti-
toned off into five rooms.
Several meetings of the citizens OF
| the district were held to consider the
| question of new building, at which
| a great variety of views were mani
tested, until the meeting of March
20, 1880, adopted the plans of COM
mittee for house by vote OF l24 tC
IS. A loan of $4,000 was authorized
and the contract was immediately
made with John Green to conn lete
the structure by the first of October
School commenced in the new
| building about the lst of November
| 1880, with Hosea Barnes as principal
/ and an attendance of 100 in all de-
| partments, and with four of the five
rooms occupied. The building was
under contract for $1l, 335; the fur
nishings and grading of the grounds
carried the entire cost to about
$4,000.
The building may have been con
| templat ed with view to the accom-
mediation of the city for generation,
but the increase of population has
been much greater than was antici-
pated by the projectors, and in 1891
| the crowded condition called im-pera.
lively for enlargement. The west
| wall of the building was removed and
/ an extension effected that made the
| west end of the house conform in APP
pearance TO the opposite end, preserv.
ing the symmetry of the building and
adding two rooms to the capacity.
The entire cost, including new fur.
mace of improved pattern, and furni
ture was $4,000. Two thousand dol
lars was hired at per cent. interest,
one thousand due in one year and one
thousand due in two years. The dis
trict is out of debt, having paid both
loans for building at maturity.
The district will soon need still
more extensive quarters, the lower
rooms already being overcrowded.
The first term In the new building
In 1880 showed an enrolment OF 16C
pupils in four rooms. The present
| enrolment for seven rooms is 400.
BY this statement it will be seen that
admitting the High School room to
have a capacity for 100, the other six
rooms must admit an average of 80 in
each. The assessable valuation of
property has kept an even pace with
the increase of population, so that
while the school tax is double what 1t
was fifteen years ago the rate OF
| school tax is no higher, and in fact is
much less. The district covers an
area of about nine square miles, and
comprises the territory within the
city limits, besides several sections of
| land in each of the towns of River