GIBSON JT. 7S-RIVER VIEW


Ruby Skarda


    The last school district set
up in the township of Gibson
was Gibson Joint 7. The dis-
trict has land in the townships
of Gibson, Mishicot and Kos-
suth. It originally was. part of
Gibson No. 1, Gibson Jt. 3, Kos-
suth 5, Kossuth 1, Kossuth Jt.
1 and Mishicot A't. 4. A casual
glance at the district boundary
lines will indicate what is meant
by a gerrymandered district,
since few political lines were
followed in setting up the
school district in 1914. There
seemed to be several reasons
for the creation of this new


school district. The remote-
ness of some families from the existing schools seemed to be the main reason.
    It is a historical fact that there was a Gibson District No. 7 in another
part of the
township of Gibson. The school history of Jambo Creek, Gibson Jt. 3, reveals
the
fact that that district was Gibson Jt. 7, joint with Mishicot, from the time
of its or-
ganization until about the year 1874 when that district became Gibson Jt.
3. From
1874 on up to 1914 there was no Gibson Jt. 7.
    On the sixth day of June, 1914, a meeting was called by Joseph Peroutka
at his
home- for the purpose of organizing a npw school district, of electing district
officers,
and of transacting other necessary matters pertaining to the establishment
of the new
school. The meeting was well attended and much business was transacted.
    At the first meeting at the Peroutka home, the first school officers
were elected.
They were Clerk Joseph Peroutka, Director John Bouda, and Treasurer John
Fischer.
It was decided also to build the school house on one acre of land to be purchased
from
Joseph Kronforst who lived on the farm now owned by Frank Kunz. The location
of
the building was to be at the northern extremity of the newly formed district
where
many of the farm homes were situated. It was built on the present County
Trunk Q,
about a mile West of Fischerville and two miles north of Kings Bridge. The
school has
been identified as the Fischerville School by residents of this and the surrounding
communities. In 1919 the school was named the River View School because of
the
view of the West Twin River which flows past the school.
    Immediately after the first meeting preparations were made to build.
The school
was constructed of cement blocks and cost $3,300 when completed. It has a
full base-
ment and a main floor of one class room and the usual entry and cloak rooms.
It has
always remained a one-room rural school.
    School began in October in the fall of 1914. Roy Sievert, recently deceased,
was
the first teacher. His salary at that tinme was $48.00 a month. He was succeeded
after
two years by Henry Kliment, who now operates a store and tavern at Brockville,
The
other teachers who taught this s1hool were: Emily Shimek, Ed. Ramesh, Germaine
Sinkular, Kathryn Z. Wirtz, Norma F. Stueck, Esther Schroeder, Eugene Peroutka,
Elsie Maas, Lester Kornely, George McKeough, Virginia Brandl, and Ruby Skarda.
    About twenty-five pupils were enrolled the first year of school. The
greatest
number enrolled was 47 while the smallest number was eight. The present enroll-
ment averages ten pupils. The small enrollment now is due to the fact that
many
older residents now reside in the district and due to other factors.
    In 1920, the school board set aside a certain sum yearly to be used for
prizes to
be given at the school fairs which were held each fall. The people of the
district ex-
hibited choice selections of fruits, vegetables, and grains, while the pupils
had their
school work on display. In 1922 a box social was held in the schoolhouse.
The money
derived from the affair was used to purchase a victrola. During the years
from 1920
to 1925, hot lunches were served to the pupils for dinner.


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