School: Withee H. S. (School History 1883 - 1955)
Transcriber: Robert Lipprandt
bob@wiclarkcountyhistory.org
Surname: Allen, Amo, Barager, Barber, Bartholomay, Bell, Brown, Carey,
Christensen, Conley, Craney, Dickson, Donaldson, Dougherty, Duel, Fitzgerald,
Fritsch, Frost, Funk, Greenwalt, Hamel, Hamilton, Hansen, Hansen, Hemminger,
Hodnett, Hugill, Hunt, Johnson, Lage, Laneville, Mc Leod, Mowers, Munchow,
Nielsen, Nimtz, Osterbrim, Owen, Packer, Philippi, Roberts, Roth, Swan, Thelen,
Tufts, Wierich
----Source: Flora Bartholomay/Public Records/Allan Hodnett, Owen-Withee Facebook
By: Flora Bartholomay
1883: Was the year in which the first school was organized. The location was on
the extreme north-west corner of Front Street, the first street north of the
railroad tracks. These were the days of the board-walk, lamp light, outdoor
plumbing, wagons and sleds. The old round, iron stove was the source of heat.
Lucinda Amo was the first teacher. Little is known about how long she taught
here or who followed her until the late 1890’s.
1890: The present brick structure on Division Street was built, the land having
been donated by Mr. W. S. Tufts. The original structure contained four rooms.
During the early and middle 1890’s, enrollment began to increase by leaps and
bounds due to the rapid advancement of the agricultural development. It was at
this time that Withee became a State Graded School. One of the first principals
of the State Graded School was Mr. T. H. Barber, now deceased. He was a graduate
of the Oshkosh Normal School. The teaching staff has increased in the middle
‘90’s to three or four.
1902: Mr. Lucius Allen came to Withee as principal. Noting from a collection of
his photographs, he organized a basketball team which included some of the
student of the school, and also a girl’s team. Mr. Allen was a man very devoted
to his profession, and the school progressed under his leadership, only to lose
his services in 1906.
1906: 1906 brought a very energetic young man, Mr. William C. Greenwalt, to the
position of principal. It was during his administration that the 9th grade was
started. Mr. Greenwalt now resides in Wauwatosa and is, to this day an active an
energetic man. In his recent communication regarding the early history of the
Withee school, he states as follows:
“In September 1906, we began to work for the establishment of a High School.
There were only two or three ninth grade students, and I was the entire High
School faculty. The subjects taught were Algebra, English, History and Physical
Geography. These were the required subjects for a high school. There were no
laboratories or equipment of any kind, just subject matter from text books.
There were three teachers in the graces. In September 1906, the board, at my
request, hired another teacher so we could start the 9th grade work. The Withee
High School really had its beginning at a dinner meeting at the home of Mr. and
Mrs. T. H. Barber, who had invited Mr. Walter Hunt, State School inspector, and
me, for dinner. Mr. Hunt advised us about High School laws and just how to
proceed.”
Mr. Greenwalt mailed a copy of the 1906 commencement program showing the first
8th and 9th Grade graduates in the history of the school, some of whom were the
first 12th grade graduates in 1908. There had been several previous 8th grade
graduations, but the following people were the first students who entered the
9th and 10th grades upon the establishment of a High School in the village of
Withee: May Barber, Irving Barager, Florence Brown, Earl Brown, John Conley,
Mary Fitzgerald, Thyra Hansen, William Hansen, Pearl Laneville, Myrtle Mowers,
Esther Nielsen, Ralph Owen, Maisie Hemminger and Ida Funk. The teachers at this
time were: W. C. Greenwalt, Principal; Anna Mc Leod, 1st Assistant; Kathryn
Philippi, 2ns Assistant; Mayo Roth, Third Assistant. School Board members were:
E. Neilsen, Director; John Christensen, Treasurer and B. Packer, Clerk.
1907: Mr. Greenwalt decided in 1907 he wanted to get into City School work.
After leaving Withee, he was principal of a school in Ashland and La Crosse and
spent most of his years in Milwaukee Junior High Schools as a consultant and
advisor, after having received his Master’s Degree from the University of
Wisconsin.
It was in 1907 that the 10th and 11th grades were added. From all records
available, it appears that 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade graduates shown on
record in the year 1908, were the 1906 eighth grade graduates. This would
indicate that a school year in that period was equal to what we, in 1964,
consider as one semester.
The course of study in 1907 for 10th graders was: Ancient History, English,
Composition, Geography (1st 1/2), Bookkeeping (2nd 1/2), Physiology (1st 1/2)
and Botany (2nd 1/2).
1907-1908: Mr. A. E. Hamilton was the Principal of the school. This last note
was taken directly from the records of Mr. Hamilton: “How different are the
texts and scientific experimental equipment available today. These early
instructors are to be commended on their dedicated efforts to do the best they
could with the materials available.”
1908-1909: Anna Bell was hired as an assistant to Mr. Hamilton.
1909-1910: Miss M. Craney was hired as an assistant to Mr. Hamilton. Mr.
Hamilton left the vicinity of Withee and was last heard of when residing in
Superior, Wis.
1910-1911: Mr. I. J. Osterbrim was principal with Jessie Swan as his assistant.
Mr. Osterbrim’s term was one year.
1911-1912: Enrollment of both the grades and high school had increased
considerably, which led to the construction of a large addition to the building,
on the northwest corner.
Mr. T. H. Lage was principal with Kathryn Thelen as his assistant. Mr. Lage’s
term was one year.
1912-1913/1913-1914: Mr. M. M. Duel was principal with A. Dougherty as his
assistant.
Citizens of Withee who attended at this time seem to recall that 1913 was the
year in which there was a change back to a three year high school. Many 12th
grade students had t attend Owen their final year in order to receive diplomas.
1914: I would like to insert at this point in the story, that our present office
of the State Superintendent of Schools has mailed a copy of the Certificate of
Establishment of a Free High School, stating as follows:
“This certifies that Jt. School District No. 2 of the Town of Hixon, and Village
of Withee, county of Clark and State of Wisconsin, has complied with all the
provisions of Sections 490 and 491,Statutes of 1898, in consequence whereof a
Free High School is herby established in said Jt. School District No 2.”
Given under my hand and seal of office this 27th day of July, 1914.
Signed by C. P. Cary, State Superintendent
1914-1915: Mr. Duel was assisted by Mr. A. S. Nimtz.
Mr. Duel then left Withee in 1915 and it is not known just how many years he
remained in the educational field, but he later became State of Wisconsin
Insurance Commissioner.
1915-1916: Mr. Nimtz then succeeded Mr. Duel as Principal.
It is believed this was the year in which the high school again became a 4 year
one.
1918-1919: Mr. Nimtz was principal during the period of WW 1, and during the
school term, the entire school was closed for 44 ½ days due to the epidemic of
influenza. Many, many citizens were dangerously ill and several were overtaken
by death.
1919-1920: Miss Thyra Frost, who was a local resident and had graduated from the
Withee High School and entered the teaching profession, followed Mr. Nimtz as
principal. She was the one and only woman principal after the turn of the
century. Miss Frost is now Mr. Edwin Hansen and resided in Muskegon, Michigan.
1920-1929: Carl L. Johnson (reared in Owen) was principal.
In a letter written by Mr. Johnson before the proposed merger of Owen and Withee
High Schools:
“Let me state that the present undertaking of a joint high school was proposed
many years ago. Mr. John Wierich (deceased) proposed this back in 1915. He, at
that time suggested a building midway between Owen and Withee, but there were no
takers. A prophet is very often not known in his own area.”
1922-1923: First band instructor was Mr. John Dickson. He commuted from place to
place, two days at Medford, one at Owen, one at Abbotsford and one at Withee.
1925: The Withee basketball team was known as the Withee Shamrocks. The games
were held in the Woodman Hall (now remodeled as the Seventh Day Adventist
Church) on Second Street.
1927: Mr. M. G. Hamel came to Withee as band instructor.
1929: Mr. Johnson left Withee and spent the following year obtaining his
master’s Degree at the University of Minnesota.
1929-1932: Mr. Arthur Munchow was principal of the system.
1932: Mr. George Donaldson was Principal. He had been in Owen previously.
1935: Mr. Donaldson officially organized the Withee Shamrocks. They were listed
in a conference, but they did not participate. His term ended in 1936 and left
Withee for a better position.
1937: Mr. Curtis Hugill became the new principal after having taught in the
grades. 1937 is first class to graduate in the school gymnasium.
1940: Football team was named “Champions” for the first time. Some farming was
taught in high school.
1941 Grade school lockers were added.
1943-1944: Heating system was improved.
1945: Mr. Hugill’s term ended. He was succeeded by Mr. Myron Fritsch.
1946-1950: Hot lunches were introduced 2 days a week, without aids. Boy’s
physical education introduced. First full time music director hired. Drivers
training course (dual control car) offered to seniors. Girl’s physical education
instruction. Improvements to the building, basement remodeled and a recreation
room added.
1950-1951: Parking area improved and blacktopped. New equipment purchased
including gas stove, record player and opaque projector.
1951-1952: Application for integrated school sent.
1954: Renewed serious talks began about consolidation/merger of the Owen and
Withee school systems.
1954-1955: Progress was made in remodeling school, lowered ceilings, new
fluorescent lights and home economics rooms. Windows in gym remodeled and
replaced with glass block and ventilators.
1955: Many opposed the action of consolidation. But as a result of committee
meeting and citizens’ influence, an order was issued by the Clark County School
Committee calling for the merger of the Owen and Withee Districts. This action
of the Committee followed the public hearing held May 12th on the proposal.
Following this, taxpayers of the six precincts held a special election on June
24, 1955. The Village of Withee voted the issue down, many in Longwood opposed
it, but the combined “Yea” of the City of Owen, Towns of Longwood, Green Grove,
Hoard and Hixon favored the merger.
1955: The term of Mr. Myron Fritsch as Principal of Withee schools ended with
the consolidation of the Withee and Owen Schools in 1955. He then continued as
Principal of the Junior High School in Withee until 1963, when Mr. Elwyn Roberts
resigned as Superintendent of the Owen-Withee Schools, and Mr. Fritsch took over
as Superintendent.
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