The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1915-03-23


inp 70 his advanced age, his streng
disease, although hard battle was
Hon. Charles f. Viebahn, or Prof. We
hahn. as he was more Familiarity KhoWh'
was the personifcation Of honesty ana
integrity and was known personally ny
practically every man, woman ana chlio
in the. city. His acquaintance ana re-
spect did not end within the confines Oh
the city. for he was we'll known through
out the county and state. 1here was
not an educator in the state who bore a
greater reputation among the memoeiS
of the teaching profession and none
were more widely known nor highly re-
spected. None of the higher education
al gatherings in the state for years were
considered quite complete without the
presence of Prof. Viebahn. He was much
sought after in matters of an education
al character. So it is that his passing
away is not only blow to the city Oh
w atertown, but to the state at large In
addition to the many qualifications ana
virtues of Prof Viebahn as an educator,
he was thrice elected to represent MS
district in the lower branch of the state
legislature and he served with the high
est honor to himself and his constltu-
ency.
Mr.. Viebahn was a prime mover ana
of along
lines are in force today throughout the
state. The first kindergarten in the
state was established by Mr.. Viebahn III
the schools of ManitOwoc in 1873 While
county superintendent Of Sauk county
he introduced a course Of study for c0un-
try schools, the first in the state and
was the first teacher in the state to be
granted an unlimited teachers certiti-
cate.
He served as superintendent of schools
and principal of the local high school
for term of twenty-fOur years, WITHOUT
interruption from 1880 to 1904. He had
served as county superintendent for
Sank and ManitowOc counties. He had
served as president of the Wisconsin
Teachers Association and had conduct
ed numerous teachers Institutes and
offered instructive papers before nu-
merous educational bodies. He served
as member of the state board Of eX-
aminers for long term of years. In fact
was chairman of the board at the time
of his death.
Mr.. Viebahn was native of Germany,
born near tho city of Cologne in 1912.
At the age of ten years he came to Wis
consin with his parents, residing on a
farm for the first ten years. He recely-
ed his education in the public schools,
by private instruction and at the state
university. He studied law and was ad-
mitted to practice, but decided to follow
teaching as profession. Mr.. Viebahn
was elected to the legislature in 1908.
1910 and again in 1912. He was chair
man of the committee on education dur
ing one term and also member OF the
committee on legislative procedure.
While following his retirement from
the legislature, Mr.. Viebahn had lived
quiet and unostentatiOus life, yet he
took an interest in affairs in general
and retained his full mental faculties to
a remarkable degree and in fact up to
the closing hours of his useful life. He
retained an interest in the local high
school and was a frequent visitor there,
in fact almost daily. Even up as late as
last winter he had taught classes, reliev-
ing teachers who were i'll or absent for
other reasons. For number of years
Mr.. Viebahn served as member of the
local board of education and was one of
the most valued members in its history
He was ever ready TO promote any plan
that would tend for the betterment of
the schools.
Friends who have known Mr.. Viebahn
intimately and associated with him dur
ing the past few months, noted with
deep regrets that he was failing IN bOdl
ly strength. With all, the Grand Ole
Man" still greeted his friends in the same
cheerful manner and wore the same
characteristic and pleasant smile.
Prof. Viebahn was twice married. His
first wife, who was Miss Iona Fischer
to whom he was welded in 1868, passed
away in 1898. One son was the resul
of the union, the late Mr.. Gustave Q
Viebahn, an able man with many of tht
characteristics and excellent traits Of
the father. The Junior Mr.. ViebalM
served the city of Watertown as city EN-
gineer for Several years The death Of
the son, which occurred Feb. 2, 1897
was sad blow to the father. In tht
fall of 1895, Prof. Viebahn was Joined il
marriage to Mrs. Josephine Hall, who
with her two daughters of former mar
riage, mourn the loss of devoted nus
band and father.
There was no cessation with Prof. Vie
balm in adding to his store of knowl
edge and general information. This i
best illustrated in the fact that at the ag
of sixty-two, he mastered shorthand an