The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1912-07-04
DISTRICT NUMBER z FAMOUS
Chicago Teacher Shows that Many Peo-
pie Who Gained Prominence Former
~ Attended School in the Town of
Pleasant Prairie.

District NO. OF the town OF Pleasant
Prairie, recently read by Mrs. Lottie
Reynolds Bemendorfer at the annual
reunion of the students Of the school
held on last Saturday. The school was
one of the most notable of the pioneer
schools of the county and the history of
it as told by the Chicago writer will be
of great interest to many people in the
county. The paper read by Mrs. Benz
endorfer follows:
It was happy thought of the one
who suggested that a short history OF
the district be written while there are
with us those who know from actual
experience of those early times; who
had part in all those stirring pioneer
events, and whose memories inger as
fondly about those times as do ours of
later generation about the scenes
which have taken place in this room.
And from them we have obtained the
following facts:
The first school in this vicinity was
held in the home of Mr.. Eastman, on
the farm now owned by Mr.. Keuek;
the house in which Miss Human, the
teacher, first called the boys and girls
together, was burned many years ago,
The next year the kitchen in the home
of Grandmother Foote served as a
school room; after the family break
fast, the room was cleared and made
ready for school, and Miss Sarah Weed
had control from 9 o. clock till 4, when
it again became the kitchen.
For three winters school was held in
that room, taught by Mr.. Dana, and
then by Mr.. Hatch. During the sum-
mer the children attended school in
what is now District No. 4, on the Mil
waukee Road Think of children walk
ing that distance!
For two summers following, the scene
of action was the woodshed at the
home of Mr.. Terry, where James Dabbs
now lives, the teachers being Miss
Stockwell and Miss Terry.
During the winter of 1846-1847, Mr..
Reed taught in the Dana house, which
has entirely disappeared, but which
some present will remember as stand
ing in the field north Of VIM. Foote s
old home.
The seats in these home schools
were rough planks, with sticks driven
in the under side for legs; the desks
were boards on braces fastened to the
walls; but no one could have seat at
the desk unless he was so far advanced
along the path of knowledge as to be
able to write.
The attendance was from twelve to
twenty pupils; the teachers were paid
by the parents, according to the num-
Der sent from each family.
There were no regular textbooks,
the children using anything in the
shape Of book that they happened to
have. There were no maps, charts,
globes, blackboards, dictionaries, nor
reference-books of any kind, the teach
err herself having to take the place of
all of these.
The course of study required shat
the pupils be instructed in reading,
spelling, writing, and geography, with
arithmetic as a general exercise. What
contrast to our present over-crowded
course.
Allow me to quote from the Chicago
Course for Elementary Schools: '.Eng-
lish, including reading, word-study 1--WE
do not teach spelling now days., lit
erature, and composition; mathematics,
history, civics, geography, penmanship,
nature study, which includes observa-
tions and experiments in all the
sciences you ever heard Of; music, and
musical history; art, including drawing,
designing, illustration, and modelling;
Industrial arts, sewing, from the max
ing of doll clothes and marble bags in
the first grade to the making Of house
dresses, bed and table linen, etc., in
the upper grades; hem-stitching, and
crocheting; book-binding, basket-weav-
ing, clay-modeling, ornamental brass
and copper work and woodwork; phys
zeal education and humaneness.
The board of education really has
not the conscience to ask any more Of
one person, so has employed special
teachers for German, domestic science,
and manual training. And l under
stand, that in Wisconsin you have adj
ded scientific farming"
Really, don t you pity the little fell
lows9
None of US question the use of any
Of the things, but I wonder sometimes
if the great number of subjects which
we attempt to teach does not take from
that concentration Of thought which is
SO essential to progress in any line.