254 
 
 
      Early Settler. 
           A history of Oaro township-and early Omro village was printed

      in the Omro Herald beginning with a November of 1939 issue as a week-

      ly series. It concluded with a shorter history of other townships--

      Poygan, Rushford, Nepeuskun, Utica, Winneconne, and perhaps others.

 
           No one seems to recognize the "Early Settler"t in spite
of the 
      many clues he has scattered throughout his writings. He apparently

      lived in the Omro vicinity all of his life. 
 
           The Early Settler's grandfather took up land in Section 9 and

      10, 110 acres, in the Townsnip of Omro. The Early Settler was born

      in Section 9. From there his folks moved to Poygan where he spent 
      his barefoot days. His father's farm was just west of the Oak Hill

      Cemetery. His folks are all buried there, and a part of the cemetery

      is their old orchard.    r dp &                   v q  ,Ij- ) 
 
           Later they moved to the village of tOmro, in what was later the

      A.J. Marble home. His pals were Leslie Leighton and Hard Gummer. 
      He attended the Eas4 Side school. 
 
           The Early Settler's uncle had the ice business, and owned two

      ice houses. One was on the new addition to Scott Park, the other 
      west of the Oro Lwumber Company. 'He mentioned angle irons used in

      a mill formerly located in what was Beckwithtown-were still visible.

      At one time he lived in the Western Addition where Cal Root resided

      in the area west of the Baptist church. He wrote of swimming in 
      the brick mill pond. One of his teachers in the old Red Brick school

      was Cora M11"cAllister. 
 
           Another place of residence was on the north side on Poygan 
      Avenue. He then attended the North Side school. 
 
           Vfvloever the Early Settler was, he left an interesting account

       of early Otro. 
 
       Henry B. Patch. 
            M, r. Patch was for many years Winnebago County Superintendent

       of Schools. One year prior to taking over as the Principal of 
       0.'11.S.Mr. Patch commented to a Daily Northwestern reporter on 
       JuIv 30, 1913, "The Omro Village school board is to be commended

P.     for thPe introduction of two new additional courses at the High 
      School.--One is the teacher's training course. The other a new 
    ,Ide-oarloment, the Coimercial Course. The fall term will open Sept.

 ',- ,    The Teacher's Training room was Room K in the Webster Manual 
   //  Training school, first door to the right across the bridge.  The 
       Commercial room was on the ground floor, same building, northeast

       corner room.  it was referred to as the "nether regions."
 It was 
       a long route from the assembly room, across the bridge and down 
       the two flights of stairs to the "commnercial depths"1.
The rest 
       of th e floor was f or Mlanual Training and Forgery. The second floor

       besides Teacher's Training were the Science and Agriculture room,

       Domestic Science with the kitchen, dining". room and sewing room.