OLD GREENWOOD SCHOOL HOUSE ERECTED IN THE SUMMER OF 1881
Courtesy of the Greenwood, WI Public Library
This halftone shows the Greenwood High School to the southwest of town. The cut
is made from a camera picture taken last spring by William Dawes, and is printed
on the Greenwood High School Special Tablet, sold by the City Drug store. It is
with courtesy of their manager, Alfred Kristiansen, that we are able to give Gleaner
readers the view. Greenwood Gleaner, Sept. 13, 1901, pg. 1 (Transcribed by Janet
Schwarze).
During the summer of 1881, a new building replaced "The Red School House." It was
designed for a graded school and cost 7,000. One teacher was hired and as the population
grew, more were added. In 1894 a high school department was organized with
B. O. Dodge serving as principle. English,
German and Agriculture were offered and in 1898, Eva Miller and Mabel Varney became
the first graduates.
*Click to enlarge.
Early Greenwood High School Classroom (circa 1895)
Courtesy of Patricia A. Kay, from collection of her grandfather, Smith Honeywell
Miller
(1) Naomi Carpenter, (2) Pearl Pratt, (3) Bride Miller, (4) Latelsea Cook
(5) Bennie Johnson, (6) Smith Honeywell Miller
(7) Davie Shanks, (8) Roland "Patsy" H. Johnson, (9) Margie Thompson, (10) Mabel
Rossman
(11) Cooles Bryden, (12) Senna Hansen, (13) Ollie Rand, (14) Jason Mack
(15) Ross Miller, (16) Stella Hogue, (17) Mabel Bishop, (18) Gladys Cummings, (19)
Alice Miller
GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI NOTES
(The First Greenwood High School)
Transcribed by Janet Schwarze
HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1898
Memories and Notes
HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1899
Memories and Notes
HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1900
Olive Rand (Mrs. E. Dixon), Neillsville, WI; Jason Mack (cashier
in bank), Beardsley, MN.
Memories
—On a drizzly September morning, a dimpled youth wearing
a blue jacket, and carrying an old battered family umbrella, which measured
nearly six feet in diameter, and wearing number eleven rubbers, made his way
audaciously toward the school house.
Jason Mack, even then displayed some of his mischievous powers, as he innocently
closed that wet umbrella in the faces of two very demur little friends as they
went dumb with fright up the steps to the school house. One of them was Olive
Rand, the class historian, the other Bernice Stewart, our Solomon, who while
she pored over her books until the lights burned low, found her greatest enjoyment
in a pale face, as it seemed to dance on the beams of the moon. But alas! The
moon went down and far off Wales disappeared.
How proud we were when we were addressed a "Mr." or "Miss" for the first
time. It was then James Fradette in his delight and surprise exclaimed, "How
goot already yet."
During this year we were especially conspicuous, and blushed consciously
when Mr. Dodge called attention to those "fresh little Freshies."
Our second and third years were made bright with many air-castles until Miss
Case arrived with her vocabulary of synonyms and conjugations, then all hopes
were shattered. And still we had one bright spot which time cannot erase from
our memories. For during these years we were deep in the study of Physiology
and must have our experiments from real life. Imagine then the feeling of us
Sophomores as we passed a home, to see the Mistress appear at the door, grab
her pet cat or dog and disappear within, closing the door with a bang. This
seemed also to be a warning for her neighbor. And Oh, the ammunition wasted
in the warfare of eyes upon us poor innocent Sophs.
But the crowning episode came during our Senior year when Mabel Rossman came
back and joined our class for the privilege of winning her diploma from a four-year
course. We then became reckless with our knowledge and displayed it loudly in
the Assembly room whenever an opportunity permitted.
Prof. Dodge and Letelsia Cook our Botany fantasies were disensuing the science
of plant life, when Miss Cook, who lisped slightly, exclaimed that, "thugar,
that and other combuthible subthances," were absolutely necessary for plant
life. This was where all sedate demeanors became combustible and we were dismissed
to write our orations for June first.
All great men leave a good example to the generation succeeding them, and
we thought it would be profitable for the succeeding classes to follow our example,
although they may never be able to excel or even equal us. Perhaps dear schoolmates
you do not realize what geniuses you have lost from your midst, but in these
later years you have learned to recognize our true merits as we pass on: "To
the Stars through Bolts and Bars."
Miss Dixon
HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1901
Esther Estella Hogue (Mrs. Owen O’Connor), St. Paul, MN; Bessie M.
Warner (teacher), Terry, MT; Daisy Sheets (Mrs. Dawes), Greenwood,
WI; Emma J. Dawes (Mrs. Nelson), Sioux Falls, SD; Pearl I. Pratt
(Mrs. Porter), Silverton, OR; James H. Fradette (teacher), Withee, WI.
Memories—
September 14, 1900 (Greenwood Gleaner): The senior class
have organized, and held their first meeting last Friday evening at the home
of Daisy Sheets. They adopted the name of G. H. S. S. S. S. for their class.
Officers were elected as follows: Daisy Sheets, president; Stella Hogue, treasurer;
Emma Dawes, critic, and Pearl Pratt, secretary.
Commencement (Greenwood Gleaner, June 7, 1901)
The third annual graduating exercises of the Greenwood High School will be
held in Woodmen hall tonight. The class consist of five young ladies and one
young man. The class motto is "To the stars, through bolts and bars." The colors
are gold and white. Following is the program:
Music-----------------------------------Mandolin Club
Invocation------------------------------Rev. W. E. Kloster
Song-------------------------------------Male Quartette
Messrs. Scafe, Taylor, Wellen, Hartson.
Oration---------------------------------One Woman’s Life
Estella Hogue
Oration----------------------------------A Plea for the Preservation of Wisconsin
Forests
Daisy Sheets
Duet------------------------------------ Gail Sheets, Naomi Carpenter
Oration—Iago--------------------------Emma Dawes
Song-------------------------------------Male Quartette
Class Prophecy------------------------James Fradette
Valedictory-----------------------------Pearl Pratt
Pesentation of Diplomas.
Music------------------------------------Mandolin Club
HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1902
Gale Sheets (Mrs. P. T Tscharner), Lemmon, SD; Gladys Cummings
(Mrs. J. Arends), Greenwood, WI; Marguerite Bredesen (Mrs. G. Menk),
Longwood, WI; Mabel Bishop (Mrs. Wilson), Chicago, IL; Genenera Loft,
(teacher), Fond du Lac, WI; Mabel Lucas (Mrs. Von Pohle), Fairland, IN;
Irma Palms (Mrs. Mead), Edmunds, WA; Naomi Carpenter (opera singer),
Seattle, WA.
Memories—
I have been invited to review my school days and since
anecdotes are permissible, I will give a couple that always stand out in my
memory.
On one occasion dear Mr. Dodge requested some of the members of our expressive
reading class, to take front seats. They refused to obey the command and a storm—ensued.
The principal actors were moved to tears but the supreme word was the law and
all went smoothly on again.
The trip we made after ferns with which to decorate for the Senior respite
too stands out vividly, too. How we were driven to the old ill for shelter from
the downpour of rain. We had not escaped it all, however, but despite dripping
clothes, we thoroughly enjoyed the orange feast. And as expressed in the verse
taken from the class history.
"With drooping hats and dripping clothes,
But hearts as light as air;
We rode through town, with shouts and yells.
For the weather we didn’t care."
Mrs. K. W. Baker
HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1903
Dolly Nichol (Mrs. E. B. Carpenter), Seattle, WA; Rose Bowen (teacher),
Superior, WI; William Miller (bookkeeper), Seattle, WA; Ella Larson
(Mrs. Orn.), St. Paul, MN; Gertrude Nelson.
Memories—
Rah! rah! rah! who are we?
We’re the class of 1903.
Are we in it? Well I guess.
We’re the S. F. E. L. S.
HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1904
Ella Wollenburg (Mrs. K. W. Baker), Greenwood, WI; Molly Johnson;
Nina Baird (Mrs. W. Raymond), Twist, WA; Margaret Masters (Mrs.
B. J. Johnson), Stevens Point, WI; Joseph Thompson (teacher), Ashland,
WI; Chester Miller (bookkeeper), Skykomish, WA; Arthur Chamberlain;
Hazel Warner (teacher), Terry, MT; Ralph Meeks (conductor, Soo Line),
Stevens Point, WI; Peter Peterson.
HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1905
Ethel Hogue (Mrs. E. O. Tripp), Portland, OR; Alma Lang (stenographer),
Spokane, WA; Viola Pfunder (Mrs. C. Lusk), Tucson, AZ; Malcolm Pfunder
(teacher), Charleston, S. CA; Charles Sheetsfi (salesman for Ford
Ct.), St. Paul, MN; Jessie Thompson (Mrs. C. A. Braley), Maxwell, IA;
Ralph Von Voorhis (bookkeeper), Grand Forks, MN; Maud Varney (teacher),
Cheyene, WY.
HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1906
Matilda Elstrom (Mrs. C. W. Sorenson), Longwood, WI; Dimple Harlow
(Mrs. A. Eidsmore), Harlowton, MT; Bessie Fradette (Mrs. M. Burch),
Toulan, IL; Robert Zetsche (teacher), Hixton, WI; Joseph Klinke
(merchant), Greenwood, WI; Frances Anderson (lives on claim), Conrad,
MT.
HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1907
Ralph Thompson (merchant), Payallup, WA; Elmer Sheets (electrician),
Lemmon, SD; Vera Drummond (Mrs. J. Wuethrich), Greenwood, WI; Dorothea
Master (Mrs. E. Ketchpaw), Greenwood, WI; Iva Moore (teacher), Waupun,
WI; Hilda Kippenhan (teacher), Reeseber, WI; Anna Schwartz (Mrs.
R. Rossman), Greenwood, WI.
Class Moto: "Impossible is Un-American."
Class Colors: Lavender and White
Memories:
Sir Ralph the Rover, tore his hair
And beat his breast in his despair,
To find that the prophecies he had spilled
Over his class, were yet unfulfilled.
Dora, Dora, called the Master,
Looking for something to make life go faster:
Her charming good nature ne’er had a flaw.
So she was woo’d and won by a daring Ketchpaw.
Iva Moore, Iy Moore,
If her standing was ninety she wanted more:
We never found a truer heart,
How well in life she plays her part.
Elmer Sheets, Elmer Sheets,
Living ‘mong the fields of wheat;
If in school he was given a chance.
He led Mr. Austin a pretty dance.
Vera, Vera, ne’er in trouble,
She was always teacher’s bubble.
Smiling face and heart of gold.
Of her sterling worth John need not be told.
Nellie Youngs, Nellies Youngs.
She could always do the sums;
Spreading sunshine far and wide.
She became a doctor’s bride.
Anna Schwartz, Anna Schwartz.
We know your heart is not of quartz:
In every, joke you had a share.
And now the name of Rossman bear.
Hildah Kippenhan
HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1908
Alex LeGault (doctor), Hayward, WI; Alida Swenson (Mrs. P. Vine),
Poplar, MT; Frances Potter (principal), Molar, OR; Nellie Hogue
(teacher), Portland, OR; Helen Klinke (Ass’t. Supt.), Neillsville
WI; Hattie Rhea (teacher), Thorpe, WI.
Memories:
Seven dignified Senior, sitting on the stage,
Graduation—Oh, that was the rage!
Seven timid Senior out to make their way.
Alex stopped at "P. & S." and "Doctor" now we say.
Six lonely maidens, left without a chaperon.
Alta go one, and the five were left alone.
Five ambitious pedagogues, trudging their weary way.
Cupid caught Alide, and then there were four, I say.
Four wise "schoolchums" teaching day by day.
Frances becomes a Prof. ‘way out western way.
Hatties three little teachers, Hattie, Helen, and Nell.
Two old comrades plodding on and on.
Nell becomes a principal ‘way out in Oregon.
One lone Senior—oh how the wind it moans.
They made her "a supe—" and now o’er the world she
Roams.
H.. C. K.
HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1909
Julia Johnson (Mrs. M. Anderson), Greenwood, WI; Estella Masters
(Mrs. T. Coan), Stevens Point, WI; Velma Hartson (Mrs. J. Jardine),
New Virginia, IA; Arthur Hoglund (merchant), Havre, MT; Floyd Snyder
(druggist), Minneapolis, MN; Forrest Varney (Clerk), Washington,
D. C.; Beatrice Howard (University), Madison, WI; Eloda Stabnow
(Mrs. E. T. Opdyke), Federick, SD; Vera Ferneau (Mrs. J. Morris),
Randolp, WI; Cynthia Varney (teacher), Withee, WI; Cloy Sloniker
(teacher), Veefkind, WI; Mary Chamberlain (Mrs. L. Furne), Greenwood,
WI.
HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1910
James Thompson (druggist), Granton, WI; Cora Johnson (teacher),
Kindred, MT; Harry Youngs, Greenwood, WI; Donald Hunt; Setonia Braun
(teacher), Greengrove, WI; Gertrude Clute (bookkeeper), Chicago,
IL; Ruth Larson (Mrs. O. Johnson), Greenwood, WI; Elsie Pfunder
(Mrs. H. G. Danneman); ? Bryden, Greenwood, WI; Bessie McCormick
(teacher), WI; Edna Burch (teacher), Randolph, WI; Moses Zaffke
(farmer), Backus, MN; Florence Hembre, Greenwood, WI; Beatrice
Ketchpaw (bookkeeper), Minneapolis, MN; Margaret Knap, Frances Upham
(teacher), Campbellsport, WI.
Memories—
Six years have elapsed since the merry, fun-loving class,
numbering seventeen, the class of 1910, left "School life" to enter "Life’s
School."
The class of 1910, is the class which claims the distinction of being the
mother and father of the High School Annual. "The Quiver". And as such, we look
with pride on the efforts of each succeeding class.
Only sixteen now answer to the class roll call, as Don, our best and brightest,
crossed the Great divide in 1913, and we who are left have scattered in answer
to the call of our chosen work.
Though our class had only three teachers, poor and crowded Assembly room,
and a recitation room that we aptly named "the chicken coop." –and you enjoy
all the privileges of a spacious, modern building, and an adequate number of
teachers, our institution was as dear to us as your is to you.
In conclusion, I extend, in behalf of the class of 1910, to the class of
1916, our heartiest congratulations.
Edna L. Birch
HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1911
Fern Sloniker (Mrs. A. Byer), Greenwood, WI; Helen Davis (Mrs.
J. Cramer), Curtiss, WI; Emil Drummond (bookkeeper), Milwaukee, WI;
Mabel Rossman (teacher), Neillsville, WI; Benjamin Zaffke (Normal
School), River Falls, WI; Dora Horn (stenographer), St. Paul, MN;
Ida Hembre (teacher), Velva, ND; Clella Andrews (teacher), Forest
City, IA; Harry Palms (garage), Long Beach, CA.
HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1912
Arthur Potter (fireman on Soo Line), Stevens Point, WI; Maud Miller
(teacher), Greenwood, WI; Floyd Volk (bookkeeper), Marshfield, WI;
Arthur Buker (ass’t. cashier Farmers and Merchants Bank), Greenwood,
WI; Leon Clute, Greenwood, WI; Helmer Hembre, Greenwood, WI;
Juluis Hembre (Univesity) Madison, WI; Edmund Klinke, Greenwood,
WI; Roy Masters (bookkeeper), Park Falls, WI; Ward Raymond (teacher),
Kalona, IA; Paul Smith (creamery), Cameron, WI; Edna Sheets (teacher),
Greenwood, WI; Hildur Hoglund (dressmaker), Greenwood, WI.
Memories:
"Dig and delve, dig and delve,
We’re the class of nineteen twelve."
We’re has-beens now, we weren’t so then,
But thirteen wide awake women and men.
All Freshies first, Sops, Juniors too.
But always the Seniors year in view.
There were Sticks and Baldy, Red and Curt,
For fun they were ready—sometimes for work.
Don’t forget Stevenson, Herman, Klink.
Not algebra nor geometry made them shrink.
You’d never see Judie nor Grandpa flunk,
And no teacher could quell irrepressible Bunk.
And last, but not least, to complete the line,
Are Onion Tops. Red Pepper and Quinine.
I hope you’re not gaining a bad impression,
Of this brief, but worthy procession.
Did we gain our titles as did knights of old.
Their inscriptions on shields of silver and gold!
Our only merits do these names imply?
No, else you shake your head and sigh.
Wait a moment and I will tell
The motto we loved and followed well.
Our struggles were many, our hearts were stout.
We endeavored ever to "Hammer it out."
May these thirteen soldiers, in life’s school,
Put down the wrong and help right rule.
So "Hammer it out"—live strong and clean.
The message of "Twelve to nineteen sixteen."
Maud Miller
