Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-07-02
Highest Of all Ill Leavening Power-Lae U. Report
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the interests of the school and made
1t as pleasant as any teacher could
possibly have done. He departed in
August, 1873, to Fort Atkinson, Wis.
and in short time afterwards became
president of the River Falls Normal
School. Every citizen, scholar and
member Of the school board expressed
their profound regret over Mr..
Emery's departure. Mr.. Emery was
succeeded by j. \. GaynOr, a graduate
of the University of Wisconsin. His
| former home was at WaukeSha. Wis,
and moved to Grand Rapids, to take
| charge Of the school in September,
1873. Mr.. GaynOr was as able and
efficient teacher as his predecessor
and he was well liked. He taught
| two years until June, 1875. Mr.. Gay
nor was the first teacher to turn out q
graduating class, consisting of eight.
This was in eighteen hundred and
SeYentyfOur and in the Sameyear the
school was entered on the accredited
list at the university. The graduates
completed all the studies required to
enter the university scientific course.
! After two years service in the school,
| Mr.. GaynOr began to study law and is
now we'll known and able attorney
of Grand Rapids. Mr.. Gaynor
received $125.0O per month, the first
| year, and $l56.25 the second year, Il
higher salary than is paid at present.
| The desks were old fashioned pine
desks, nailed to the floor, and made of
unpainted pine boards. There were
sixteen classes and four grades, A, B,
G and ID, in the upper room. The
building was heated by stoves. The
examinations were held at the end of
each month, little different than at
present, when they are held at the
end of each half-term of school. The
attendance at the school was very
large, and it was rapidly increasing.
In 1871 there was an attendance Of
three hundred and fifty or more, and
in 1872 there were four hundred and
tifty-eight entitled to school privileges
and nearly all Of these attended
school. In 1871 was the first mention
of a new school building, on account
Of the large and crowded attendance
at school, and even tuition pupils
were stopped owing to the OVercroWd-
ing. Regular and special school meet
ingS were held and matters pertaining
to the new school were discussed On
July, 18th, 1872, school meeting was
held and resolutions were proposed
and adopted, and it was finally decided
to build a new building. The land
was bought and cleared adjoining the
old school grounds on which the new
building was to be erected. At this
meeting $50O.00 was voted for the new
grounds and $40, 900 for the new build
ing. This action passed with but one
negative vote. Mr.. Lyman Howe, of
the firm of Howe & Rablin, lumber
men, previous to his death, made a
will giving $4,000 towards the
erection of a new High School build
ing, providing that the school would
be named after'him. 1t was accepted
and the School took the name Of the
Howe High School. Mr.. Howe was
born in Franklin county, Mass, 1906,
and died Aug. 14th, 1866, at Grand
Rapids. He was quite wealthy and
with the aid Of his will, the amount
in all was $4,000 for a new building.
In Feb. 1873, ThOs. Stevenson pre-
sented designs to the board for the
new building. On March 20th, 1873,
a school meeting was held, and the
school house question was voted on.
| SteYenSOn'S plans were submitted and
explained and after much difficulty
and diSSenSiOn, his first plan was
adopted. Mr.. S. J. Purdy was the
| first contractor for the new building.
| The foundation was laid in 1874, and
| then the work was abandoned, owing
| to the Stringency of the times and
the failure to receive the Howe be-
quest. owing to the failure Of Mr..
John Rablin, in whose hands the
money had been placed. Work was
| not resumed until very nearly year
afterwards Money was raised, and
some borrowed from the state, and
| the work was then resumed. ThOS.
| Stevenson took charge of the work in
| 1879, and it was continued until the
school building was completed and
furnished in the fall Of 1876. The
actual cost of this building was
$32, 800. 1t is four stories high, in
Guiding the basement, built Of stone
and is 72XS2 feet in size. 1t has seven
| departments.
The first principal in this school
was Mr.. |. n. Stewart, who taught
one year. He was the successor of j.
| 4. GaynOr in the Union School, and
he taught the last year in that school
and the first year in the present build
| ing. Succeeding Mr.. Stewart was
| ThOS. w. Chittenden. who taught one
year and then became secretary Of the
state board of health, at Appleton,
which position he held until his
! death eight or nine years ago. Mr..
| Chittenden was a remarkable man in
more ways than one. He was an eX-
cellent teacher and everybody liked
him. The work he did, during his
stay in Grand Rapids, adds much to
his credit, and he is spoken Of with
no little interest. Succeeding Mr..
| Chittenden was j. ROshOlt. formerly