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Schools, Public
1838-40
John Chadwick school
somewhere between 1838 and 1840; the first teacher in Watertown. Became brick maker.
1855
Patrick Rogan
organized the school system here in 1855, having secured the passage of the
act providing therefore.
1858
07 08 Bible reading, Superintendent Gill WD
08 12 Examination
of teachers WD
09 09 Teachers
for fall term of the public schools WD
09
09 Miss P. G. Jones conducts private
school WD
09
23 Failure to build two union school houses WD
1859
02 10 Cancel
contract by P. B. Basford with the City of Watertown for the erection of
two Public School Houses WD
06 02 Charges
against members of Board of Education; Jacob J. Enos; Charles R. Gill,
removed from office WD
09 01 Select
school proposed for city WD
1860
05 17 Ashley D. Harger keeps one of the best schools in
this city. WD
1866
Watertown High School established.
1870s c
Mr. John Ford
was first Superintendent of Schools under the union plan, afterward
Commissioner of Schools for the Sixth Ward for one year, and in 1878 was
Commissioner of Schools for the First Ward.
1873
08 14 A. Luboueveau
resigned as Principal of Union School No. 2; John Kaltenbrumm
appointed WD
1880-1904
Prof
Charles Viebahn, Principal and Superintendent of School (1880-1904)
While he was principal of the schools
of Manitowoc in 1873 he established the first kindergarten in the state to be operated in connection with a
public school.
1887
-------- The average salary paid in 1887,
including high school teachers, was $45 per month; in 1908 it was $60.50
1903
Death
of Orlena Moak (and sister); taught at No. 4 School
1904
10 16 Superintendent of Schools
William D. Roseman gives the following excellent advice to parents relative to
signing the monthly report cards of students:
"You
are earnestly urged to examine the cards carefully and sign them in English or
German. Please do not delegate this duty to your child. The interest which you
show in examining the cards will, to a great extent, determine your child's
progress in school. If the marks are low, inquire why, and encourage them to
earn higher marks next month. It takes much time and energy, on the part of the
teachers, to issue report cards and unless you examine them, and sign them
personally, the result will not warrant the expenditure of the same. It can be
spent to a greater advantage in other directions."
1904
11 12
Some
day, perhaps, we will return to sane methods in the teaching of children: Speed
that day. At the present time the little ones are the victims of education gone
mad. Their small heads are troubled with things beyond their understanding and
they are made to say things like a parrot. Fancy a little grammar student of 10
attempting to diagram a sentence taken from a history of mythology! And fancy a
child of 9 struggling to read ancient history with all the latter's
unpronounceable names! It is all - all wrong. We are not teaching children in
these days. We are simply attacking their nervous systems and racking their
undeveloped brains. WDT
1907
10 17 New compulsory education law WL
1908
02
05 Truant Officer appointed
-------- The average salary paid in 1887,
including high school teachers, was $45 per month; in 1908 it was $60.50
09
11 Eighth grade transferred from High School
to vacant room in School No. 4 WG
10
16 Public
school teachers entertained by Board of Education WG
11 20 Public night school twice a week began
in the High School building WG
11 27 The Horace K.
Turner art exhibit will be under the auspices of the public school teachers
and pupils WG
12 04 Diphtheria in public schools, report
on cases WG
12 18 American National Red Cross campaign;
stamps placed in schools WG
1909
02
19 Pupils of 4th grade No. 4 School enjoyed
a sleigh ride; teachers of No. 2 School gave a valentine party WG
06
25 Eighth grade graduation at Turner
Opera WG
1910
04
15 Visiting day at public schools WG
1916
03 31 Prof. W. P. Roseman elected
superintendent at Sheboygan; served at Watertown for seven years.
1921
11 02 William
Voss [1847–1921] served a number of terms embracing two long periods as president
of the school board. His interest was
almost passion.
1957
07 12 Margarethe Schurz School, construction of WDT
1958
04 23 Watertown Citizens Council for Better
Schools formed WDT
1959
02 06 Roger B. Holtz, Superintendent of
Schools, resignation of WDT
05 05 Board of Education organization
meeting WDT
08 22 New hot lunch service equipment; three
elementary schools WDT
08 29 David R. Ross, new principal, Junior High
School WDT
10 14 Open House, Schurz Elementary WDT
10 28 Watertown School District expected to
increase WDT
11 16 Buildings and Grounds Superintendent,
new position created WDT
1960
02 22 Proposed seven
man board of education, elected from school district at
large WDT
03 17 Position of elementary supervisor
abolished
WDT
05 05 Henry Winogrond elected president of
board of education, succeeds A. E. Bentzin
WDT
1983
08 21 Computerized braille word processor for
blind students . . . example of mainstreaming handicapped students into regular
classrooms WDT
1984
02 14 Special Education Program, Watertown
School District will run its own in 1984-85
WDT
03 17 Asbestos in ceilings at Watertown High
School and Schurz Elementary may be removed
WDT
07 07 Reuben Feld surprise retirement
reception WDT
10 09 Enrollment lowest in two decades WDT
1985
01 12 Wayne Strayer scholarship fund, former
vocal teacher WDT
02 14 Special Education Program, Watertown
School District will run its own in 1984-85
WDT
1997
08 25 30-year-old school completes$250,000
facelift WDT
1998
03 26 All-day kindergarten proposal WDT
08 01 Proposed laws
concerning student conduct in public schools WDT
09 25 Riverside Middle School is bursting
at the seams with an eighth-grade class numbering 325 pupils. WDT
10 18 Federally Subsidized School Breakfasts;
half of schools in Watertown Unified School District
participate WDT
10 23 Educational foundation dedicated to promoting
and strengthening public and private schools in the Watertown area WDT
1999
02 27 Former
Douglas School property; land division and changes to an existing
conditional use permit approved WDT
04 21 Two
full-day kindergarten sections may be added next school year WDT
03 25 Feed Your Brain;
after-school homework WDT
05 21 Network
schools; District received loan of almost a half million dollars WDT
08 28 Enrollment,
Watertown Unified School District WDT
10 02 Asbestos; class-action suit to recover
the cost of removing WDT
2008
10 04 Vision
of more college classes taught in Watertown. “We need more people with more
education.” WDT
11 05 $22,385,000 referendum approved for
additions and renovations; second referendum to exceed revenue limits
defeated WDT
2010
06 15 School district to upgrade icommunications
system; includes installation of antennas at all city schools; Full text, WDT
article WDT
Cross References:
Douglas School, chapter on
Lincoln School, chapter on
