School: Town of Fremont, Cozy Corner School
Transcriber: Michelle
 

Surnames: ACKERMAN ALBOUGH ALLEN BALKE BANDT BARTSCH BEILKE BOSEN BOOTH CHITWOOD CONE DAVIS DORST EBERT ERICKSON FAGAN FEUTZ FOEMMEL GARBUSH GARDNER HADDEN HAPPE HENNING JOHNSON KETTER KIDD KISSINGER LAK LEE LINDOW MCHONE PIETENPOL PISCHER POPP SCHMIDTKE SPARKS VER KILEN

----Source: Granton Community Memories 1856-1976

COZY CORNER SCHOOL

In 1913 the citizens of Sections 17, 18, 19 and 20 town of Fremont saw the need of a schoolhouse and the 26th day of May, 1913 was set for the first meeting. This meeting was held at the c. A. Happe residence. Edwin Happe was appointed chairman and Arthur Happe clerk of the meeting. First in order was to build or not to build. The majority voted to build a schoolhouse. The following officers were elected: Gordon Davis, Clerk to serve until the annual meeting F. M. Chitwood, director for one year and C. A. Happe, treasurer for two years. It was voted to buy one acre of land on the southeast corner of Section 18 (it was leased) on which to build a schoolhouse. R. Balke, George Ver Kilen and Arthur Happe were appointed building committee and were instructed to get plans and to find out where money could be borrowed, and report at the next business meeting set for the 9th day of June.

The first term of school started Jan 15, 1914 with Vera Pietenpol as teacher and children of these families were enrolled: Davis, Schmidtke, Ebert, Popp, Ver Kilen, Happe, Allen, Pischer, Hadden, McHone and Chitwood. As of 1938, three of these are still members of the district. They are Clare Davis, Herman Schmidtke and Ermine Happe Bandt.

In summer of 1916 the bell was bought and installed. On July 7, 1919 the school received its name, Cozy Corner.

The officers during the first 25 years were: Gordon Davis, Katharyn Lee, Walter Foemmel, F. M. Chitwood, Albert Lindow, Wm. Happe, E. W. Lee, C.'s . Happe, Chas. Lindow and Ray Dorst.

The teachers were Vera Pietenpol (Kidd), Jennie Ackerman, Elsie Johnson, Grace Albough, Elda Happe, Emma Bosen, Lorena Happe, Elva Garbush, Dora Henning, Mamie Gardner, Lynn Feutz, Gladys Cone, Helen Sparks and Florence Lak (Foemmel). The largest enrollment was 36 and the smallest 14. The school in Cozy Corner was built in 1913, in the southeast corner of Sec. 18, Town of Fremont, on land leased from W.. R. Happe, Sr. Herman Ketter laid up the basement wall, and Arthur and Edwin Happe did the carpenter work on the building. The officers of the first board were Gordon Davis as Clerk F. M. Chitwood as Director and C. A. Happe as Treasurer. The members of the building committee were Richard Bielke, George Ver Kilen and Arthur Happe. The total cost of the building was about 1,550.00. There were about 43 legal voters in the new district. The first term of school started in Jan. Of 1914 with Vera Pietenpol (Kidd), as teacher. On July 7, 1919 the school was named the Cozy Corner School. Larry Fagen was the last teacher prior to the closing of the school in 1959.

Other teachers were Ruth Kissinger, Jane Bartsch, Joyce Vendeberg, Elaine Booth and Vesta Erickson.

******************************

Responses

School: Town of Fremont, Cozy Corner School
Contact:  Susan

Hi! Am excited to find this info! I'm doing some research for a friend of mine ill with MS. The Herman Schmidtke mentioned above is her ggfather, whom I have found in the 1900 census of Clark Co., in Fremont. It's good to have this data about the Cozy Corner School. From the census, I have his wife Augusta & their 9 children, but I'm wondering if you have any further info on them? viz: Herman's parents' names & data, Augusta's maiden name & her parnets? Also, did Herman's parents accompany him when he emigrated in 1890? And Augusta's parents?

Thanks so much in advance for any enlightenment on these questions. And thanks again for the info in your site. Susan suds91820@starpower.net