Including names of Teachers and of graduates from 1906 through 1949
"The first pioneers built a log school house north of the village. School, religious services, shows, and all public meetings of the area were held there. This school was financed by the township.
George W. Fitch was hired to teach the school in the winter of 1865-66. A religious meeting being held at about the time school was to begin was the probable cause of the building burning. In those days a good deal was preached about 'fire and brimstone,' so Fitch said this fire might have been a case of 'spontaneous combustion.' Fitch then organized a commercial school at 'Hageman Hall' and enrolled anyone, young or old in a room about 16 feet square. Some learned to write and keep accounts but more, Fitch said, improved the art of 'sparking,' in which accomplishment none seemed to be deficient.
The burned schoolhouse was replaced by a larger one-room stone structure, 18' x 36' on the site at the west end of the present cemetery. It was erected on contract with Major Harriman for $800.00. The first term, Fitch had 94 enrolled ranging in age from youngsters to young men older than Fitch. Marble slab benches were used, some of which actually had backs on them. An assistant teacher held classes at one end of the room while Fitch taught another at the other end. Wide planks were fastened around the wall on two sides with stationary planks for seats. This is where they studied, but when writing they stepped down and faced the stone wall, using the seat as the desk. The room was heated with a huge 'box stove' in the front of the room.
After the railroad came, and the village grew in population, a two story brick school was built down near the center of town and pupils were graded according to their progress.
On July 22, 1895, when Wadena was incorporated, an independent school district was established. (Also, ten rural 7-month schools were established in Illyria Township, at least two miles beyond city limits.) The central part of the building was built at this time.
In 1909 a two-story addition was constructed on the north of the original brick school building and three teachers were employed. Two women and one man were hired for a term of eight months at $43.50 per month. There were 119 school age pupils in the district, 94 of which were enrolled in school. The average daily attendance was 62. In 1922 a two-story brick addition was added to the south side of the original building.
The average cost of tuition per month for each pupil was $1.23 and the value of the school equipment was $180. The school library boasted 202 volumes.
The four year high school was established in 1923. Wadena then had an educational system of a 12-year school financed by taxes from the Wadena Independent District. Ten rural sub-districts were established in 1909. 168 pupils were enrolled in these country schools. In 1946 the rural districts were consolidated with the town district and the district bought four school buses. The first bus was bought September 23, 1946 and financed by the Wadena Business Men's Club. The first buses were second hand and bought at a cost of $1,204.10 and $1,180.00 and $1,400.00. One new bus was bought - a 1946 Dodge for $3,047.44. Certificates of $100.00, $150.00, and $200.00 were sold and paid back by the school district. Kenneth Baldwin was President of the Business Club at this time and Leallen Knox secretary. Ray Herwig was president of the school board and J. H. Wilson secretary.
This school system contined until 1959 when Wadena voted itself into the already organized system of Clermont and Elgin.
Before this reorginazation the Wadena Consolidated district built a gymnasium and connecting hall in the year 1948-1949. This was built with a majority of donated labor.
The new reorganization was called Valey Community School District of Clermont, Elgin, Wadena. The high school is located between Clermont and Elgin. Each town has Kindergarten through sixth grade. The Junior High is located in Clermont.
Two long term teachers in the Wadena School: Miss Ella Foxwell and Miss Cecil Flanagan."
(If a year is not in the list there was no information in the book.)
1906 - Olive (Starr) Boston
1907 - Emma (Poor) Jennings
1908 - Dawson Clark
1911 - Eva (Heiden) Aeschliman, Sophia (Frey) Wenger, Ellen (Poor) Weyant
1912 - Francis Corkery, Xanta (Talcott) Finch
1913 - Walter Cook, Grace (Voshell) Popenhagen, Lulu (Minger) Hunsburger
1914 - Mary B. (Livingston) Gilchrist, Lola (Whittenbaugh) Gell
1915 - Harvet Aeschliman, William Corkery, Bertha Gernand
1916 - Clair Kelly, Ella Kieger, Lillian Flanagan
1917 - Loretta Mattocks, Richard Corkery, Alice (Bigler) Geer
1919 - Milo Oldfather, Lawretta (Corbin) Popenhagen, William Probert, Elsie McCoy, Dr. Henry C. Gernand
1920 - Zella (King) Strong
1921 - Leo Page, Alice (Poor) Bennington
1922 - Lester Gehring
1923 - Arthur Herrling, Robert Whittenbaugh, William Vayle Leonart, Madge (Cline) Murray, Gayle Whittenbaugh, Milo Whittenbaugh, Harold Luenberger, Blanche (Aeschliman) Fuller, Cecil Flanagan, Ester Roys
1924 - Ruth Hall
1925 - Jeanette (Flannagan) Egan, Elizabeth (Leonhart) Stockwell, LaZadia (Whittenbaugh) Moran, Charles Wilson, Kathleen (Corkery) Duffy, Erma Corkery, Edna Corkery, Albert Cook
1926 - Bessie (Whittenbaugh) Gilbert, Florence (Gehring) Heyer, Georgianna Probert, Laurel (Davis) Welch, Grace (Foxwell) Landon, Gladys Jennings, Paul Voshell, Eunice (Page) Davenbaugh, Edith (Fox) Doudney, Cora (Fox) Trusty, Lyle Corbin, Frank Tschantz
1927 - Nica (Fay) Corkery, Madeline (Pierce) Kuhens, Thelma (Davis) Herman, Georgia (Kuhens) Leonhart, Donald Leonhart, Paul Kuhens, LaVerle Popenhagen, Kenneth Green, Bernadette Corkery, Cleo Whittenbaugh, James Clair Davis, Mertyle (Smith) Mudd, Donna (Mattocks) Clothier
1928- Mary (Maxfield) Walker, Herman Peterman, Lavon (Voshell) Kuhens, Elizabeth (Herrling) Tynan, Joy (Jennings) Stanley, Kenneth Frey, Bertha (Johnson) Randall, Viola Foxwell, Leona (Zuercher), Robert Klingman, Floyd Ernst
1929 - Virgin Shaffer, Lucille (Voshell), J. J. Kennedy, Leona (Voshell) Cunningham, Leona (Popenhagen) Medberry, Ena Ruth (Mattocks) Wilson, Thelma (Green) Baugous, Zita (Raftis) Meskel, Wilma McBride
1930 - Wilder Mattocks, Ella (Peters) Jacobson, Fred Klingman, John Fay, Matt Dwyer, Kenneth Baldwin, Lucille (Raftis) Weigel, Gertrude Kelly, Ivan Moore, Ruth (Smith) Nordhus, Marjorie (Ernst) Philips, Mervyn Schroeder, Gladys (Voshell) Frieden, Francis Whittenbaugh, Orvin Thompson, Woodrow Leonhart, Dale Broughton, Osta (Anderson) Westbrook, Bessie (Voshell) Hofer, Richard Jones, Tillman Thompson, Homer Kuhens
1931 - Faye Whittenbaugh, Dorothy (Wood) Loving, Clay Keefer, Blanche (Whitcher) Feller, Francis Baldwin, Alice Corkery, Elwood Aeschliman, Glen Stannard, Evelyn (Thompson) Rogness, James Davis, Rita (Kennedy) Kuhens, Kathryn Tschantz, Alfred Cline
1932 - Ethel (Fay) Crandall, Leona (Welch) Halford, Grace (Cline) Davis, Helen Stannard, Frances (Raftis) Horan, Forrest Moore, Eileen (Raftis)Baldwin, Aulden Wilson
1933 - James Probert, Keith Jennings, J. D. Raftis, Marvel Crawford, Clarkie Voshell, John Wood, Russell Frey, Bertha Crawford, Max Jennings, Parker Mattocks, George Crawford
1934 - Gerald Everett, Floyd Thompson, Russell Jones, Earl Stannard, Russell Jennings, Frances (Jones) Wood, Florence Felder, Wanda (Everett) Jones, Bernice (Sniffin) Woodson
1935 - Genevieve (Leonhart) Probert, Ella Nora (Patterson) Whittenbaugh, Gertrude (Frey) Witt, Eleanor (Domke) Bowles, Mabel (Young) Kneesdern, Marjorie (Whittenbaugh) Knox, Helen Peterman, Kathryn (Baldwin) Huber, Frank Wetzel, Lois (Mathys) Voshell
1936 - Mary (Whittenbaugh) Krivanek, Veva (Voshell) Thyer, Florence (Cline), Ameila Fay (Moore) Lindaman, John Wood, Dale Minger, John Hinkel, Francis Walters, Merl Bond, Thomas Sniffin
1937 - Clement Messerli, Lucille (Welch) Hasbrook, Elizabeth (Aeschliman) Notbohm, Ivan Flower, Torvald Thompson, Betty (Minihan) Nagel, Glen Thompson, Jeanne (Jones) Muench, Iva Crawford, Earl Runge, Adrian Lockard, Mary (Keefer) Oelberg, Gladys (Shaffer) Maurer
1938 - Vera (Voshell) Evans, Irene (Kennedy) Flower, Junior Sniffin, Marcia Knutson, John Longmuier, Raymond Felder, Freemont Marbel, Marie (Corkery) Fagan, Everett H. Elliott, Alo (Hinkel) Church, Dora (Frey) Medberry, Frances (Miller) Cousins, Faye (Corbin) Patterson
1939 - Russell Shaffer, Virginia (Herwig) Lambert, Arlene (Welch) Cole, Belma Crawford, Mary Sniffin, Nellie Whittenbaugh, Richard Kennedy, Leo Baldwin, Dawson Clark, Jr., Herman Larson, Jr.
1940 - Warren Frey, Dicy (Leonhart) Reisner, Byrdena (Moore) Schuneman, Robert Minger, Edgar Dunn, Arthur Weber, William Erickson, Virginia (Messerli) Coke, Duane Raftis, George Davis
1941 - Darrel Johnson, Ilo Mae (Johnson) Rau, Earl Thompson, John Erickson, Richard Hinkel, Robert Young, Margaret (Cline) Gibson, Floyd Patterson, Jr., Ray Herwig, Jr., Harley Frey, Janice Nelson, Neoma (Weber) Guenther, Nellie (Crawford) Adams
1942 - Bernadine Raftis, Donna (Johnson) Halverson, Derryl Leonhart, Daryle Fox, Daryle Voshell, <ed. note: seems unlikely that the last three listed have such similar first names but that is as written in the source book> Robert Longmuier, Marjorie Shaffer, William Sylsworth, Ona Hinkel, John Frey, Mary (Kennedy) Quinn
1943 - Betty Ruth (Johnson) Goodenbour, Lee Aeschliman, Hazel (Thomas) Marquette, Daniel Messerli, Keith Messerli, Alice (Rechtenwald) Faith, Donald Livingston, James Fennell, John Murray
1944 - Maxine (Bond) Petsche, Anna (Aylsworth) Newton, Alice (Sniffen) Johnson, Dale Domke, Wayne Larson, Leslie Dean, Delmar Hinkel
1945 - Deloris (DeWald) Clark, Vera (Cline) Konicheck, Vida (Fox) Faust, Donald Nelson, Charles Corbin, Lindy Frey
1946 - Paul Crandall, Robert Clark, Virginia (Cline) Zahn
1947 - Emogene (Bond) Shea, Ella Aylsworth, Dixie Lee (Leonhart) Davis, James Messerli, Frank Probert, John Phillips
1948 - Darlene (Patterson) Halverson, Jean (Hall) Leonhart, Audrey (Murphy) Hofer, Robert Crandall, Viola (Homewood) Messerli, Dorothy Aylsworth, Erla Jeanne (Corkery) Singer, Arla Joanna (Corkery) Vontalge, Stella (Whittenbaugh) Hoewing
1949 - Duane Jellings, William Corkery, Jr., Leo Domke, Lavern Gilson, Frederick Humphrey, Ilo Mae (Pritchard) Corbin, Mary (Gage) Reed, Kathryn (Fox) Karsten, Lillian (Livingston) McTaggert, Beverly (Kuhens) Shaffer
1950 - Francis Winter, Mildred (Fox) Voshell, Cora (Larson) Orton, Milton L. Thomas, Verda (Bond) Shimka,Marilyn (Murphy) Bolte, Norma Jean (Fox) Bartels, William Hianton
1951 - Arthur Gould, Donald Jellings, Lauren Everett, Joe Shimka, Jr., Charles Corkery, Robert Bond, Dale Patterson
1952 - Eddie Gage, Mary (Fennell) Justice, Rosaltha (Humphrey) Keefer, Robert Ainsworth, Gary Jellings, Kathryn (Winter) Whaley, Paul Oldfather, Corrine (Kuhens) Thomas, Joan (Davis) Nutting, Carl Cousins, Jack Lane, Francile (Moore) Cummings
1953 - Barbara Corkery, Janet Gould, Jere Probert, James Davis, James Gage, Charlene (Voshell) Seedorf, Lyle Thomas, George "Mick" Leonhart, Helen (Pritchard) Berns, Ruth (Gehring) Baumgartner, Robert DeCook, David Jones
1954 - Sara (Larson) Brause, Ilon Ann (Boji) Patterson, Jane (Corkery) Wheeler, Joyce (Erickson) Norbeck, Mary (Cousins) Hofer, Mary (Messerli) Belden, Robert Whittenbaugh
1955 - Lois (Gage) Nelson, Sidney Corbin, Martha (Messerli) Smith, James Crandall, Wanda (Fox) Holden, Mary (Smock) Benner, Charles DeCook, Keith Gage, Donna (Murphy) Lane, June (Herriman) Caley, David Stetson, Donna (Hinkel) Candee, James Kauzlarich, John Kauzlarich
1956 - Patricia (Jones) Baumler, Elwood Kuhens, Arthur Livingston, Byron Murray, Stanley Yearous
1957 - Gregory Everett, Raymond Pritchard, James Murphy, Della (Davis) Weber, Joyce (DeCook) Hammer, Arlene (Voshell) Corbin, Leigh Roger Erickson, Larry Spencer, James Kuhens, Gene Aylsworth, Terry Whittenbaugh, Keith Everett
1958 - Ellis Corkery, Jerry Livingston, Max Crandall, Roger Oldfather, Gene Ficken, Dean Corbin, Gloria (Shippy) DeCook, Lorraine (Shippy) Livingston, Patricia (Aeschliman) Doocy, Annola (Aeschliman) Rathbun, Patricia (Hinkel) Yearous, Sheila (Messerli) Clark
(The class of 1958 class was the last to graduate from Wadena High School.)
Early teachers in the Wadena School:
Mr. Fitch, 1892; Minnie Fennell 1892/93; A. J. Toomey 1893; R. G. Anderson 1893/94; Guy Rawson 1895; R. R. Fussell 1896; Margaret Mockin 1897
Former Superintendents of the Wadena School:
Lester Meyer 1923 - 1926; Ross Miller 1927 - 1929; Lee Lowenberg 1930 - 1935; Reed Doughty 1936 - 1938; H. T. Holt 1939 - 1940; J. W. Freeman 1941 - 1942; Conrad Rectenwald 1943 - 1944; Richard Benish 1945 - 1949; J. S. Telecky 1950 - 1952; M. V. Kauzlarich 1953 - 1955; Richard Ott 1956 - 1958
The above information has been excerpted from
"Permanent Record of History of
Wadena"
a project of the Wadena Public Library and sold at the 75th
anniversary of the
Incorporated Town of Wadena, June 24, 1972.
Farmer's Directory of Illyria Township - 1957
Servicemen
From Wadena
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