1906 Pike River School

by Kay Novy

Title

1906 Pike River School

Artist

Kay Novy

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

A vintage school room, located at Hawthorn Hollow, in Kenosha county, Wisconsin.

Kenosha County history is not only preserved, but it too is brought to life, thanks to the continued efforts of the Kenosha History Center, home of the Kenosha County Historical Society. Area students are given the chance to experience A Day in a One-Room Schoolhouse. In the Yesteryear Gallery of the museum, a one-room school is among the early Kenosha scenes on display. Many local students have been able to do more than just look at that scene; they have actually been part of a one-room schoolhouse re-enactment. Two schoolhouses, one built in 1906 and one in 1847, can be found today at Hawthorn Hollow Nature Sanctuary & Arboretum. Both were at one time used nearby as the Pike River School. The Historical Society, in conjunction with Hawthorn Hollow and funded by the Elizabeth J. Riley Charitable Trust of Kenosha, makes it possible for Kenosha County third grade classes to use the 1906 Pike River School. The program takes students through a reenactment of a typical 1906 school day. The program provides a school teacher, dressed in period costume, who guides the students through a reading class using McGuffey's Reader, an arithmetic class using lap slates, a penmanship lesson using dip pens and bottle ink, a 1906 social studies class and an old-fashioned spelling bee. Recess consists of a nature walk through the woods and old-fashioned field games. Students and classroom teachers are encouraged to come dressed in period costume as well.
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1905-1906, the new school is built, probably by Ben F. Yule, though no records show how the school was built. Some of Yules homes still stand in Somers.
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The schoolhouse accommodated 50 students and was valued at $1150.00 for schoolhouse and grounds, apparatus $80.00, and the library $50.00.
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In September 1960, the seventh and eight grade pupils at Pike River were sent to schools in Kenosha by bus because the numbers in all eight grades were too many for one teacher to handle. In September 1962, the remaining grades, one through six, began to attend the new Somers Elementary School, and Pike River School was closed.
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In 1967, the Second Pike River School was moved to Hawthorn Hollow. In 2005, the School was adopted by the Charles Heide Family further assuring the preservation and dedicated in memory of Christen P. and Anna Heide.

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April 11th, 2013

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