Bio: Guthmiller, Louise “Lou” - Indian School/Sunburst (1981)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Guthmiller, Stucki, Bartelt

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 9/03/1981

Guthmiller, Louise “Lou” (- 1981)

A 32-Year Visit – In October 1949, a young woman left her home in Tripp, South Dakota, and made the long trip to Neillsville to begin work at the Winnebago Indian School, now Sunburst Youth Homes.

Something about the place must have interested Louise “Lou” Guthmiller because she decided to stay, and stay and stay. After 32 years of service, Guthmiller, who retired last week as Riverview School secretary, finally decided to return to Tripp and tend her garden, relax and do some traveling.

“I’m leaving Sunburst in a happy frame of mind,” she said. “I did my job to the best of my ability, and I think I accomplished what I set out to do.”

Guthmiller was born and raised on a farm near Tripp. After the death of her parents, she kept house for her brothers until one by one they were married. She then took several different jobs in town but was not completely satisfied. It was after a discussion with her pastor, whose uncle, the Rev.
Benjamin Stucki was the superintendent of the Winnebago Indian School, that she decided to come to Neillsville.

So in October 1949, the pastor and his wife picked up Lou at her home for the drive east. She packed a small bag, not knowing how long she would stay.

For the past 32 years she resided in a room in the main building.

Guthmiller’s first position at the Indian School was that of kitchen manager. Soon afterward, she became an assistant cook, a position she held until 1957. At that time, she began to do secretarial work in the administrative office. Finally, in 1968, Guthmiller was transferred to the River School, where she stayed until her retirement.

Gladys Bartelt, the director of education at Sunburst said of Guthmiller, “She has been a fantastic person… she has given of herself so fully.”

Bartelt added that Guthmiller’s dedication to her work has served as an inspiration to other Sunburst employees. “She has given a lot of meaning to the word ‘work’. Whatever needed to be done, she would do.”

Through her years at the school, Guthmiller has seen many changes. The main building at Sunburst was the Winnebago Indian School. Guthmiller estimates that there were approximately 100 Indian students and 15 staff members at that time.

Over the years, though the number of Indian students declined, and the school began to tackle other projects. It is now a boarding school for the emotionally disturbed.

“While other boarding schools have been forced to shut down,” said Guthmiller, “Sunburst has survived because it has been able to keep changing.”

“I hate leaving Sunburst,” she added, “but I feel that after 32 years, it’s time that younger people start taking the responsibility.”

Guthmiller owns a small house in Tripp that she hopes to enlarge. “I want to work on my yard and garden for a while, and then I want to travel.”

“After that, I hope to be active in the church and help others,” she said.