.
Early Village of Hayward School History
including the McCormick School and Graduate lists from Hayward High School

(Transcribed from the "History of Education in Sawyer County, Wisconsin, 1902," 
pages 283 - 297)

Plans for building the first saw mill in Hayward were matured late in 1881, and it was completed and put into operation early in 1882.  It stood near the mouth of Bradley brook and the water of that stream was used to run the little mill.  Work on the dam preparatory to building the big mill on the Namekagon, was begun in June, '82, and work on the mill proper was begun the following August.  It was completed and had its first day's run on June 2, 1883.

The bill for the formation of Sawyer county was signed by Governor J. M. Rusk on Friday, March 9, 1882.  All the territory south of the north line of town 40 was taken from Chippewa county and all north of that line was taken from Ashland county.  Hayward was named as the county seat, and at that time consisted of a side track, railway water-tank, a logging camp and not to exceed a dozen other structures.

The C. St. P. M. & O. Ry. was built through this territory to Cable in 1881.  The first attempt at educational work within the limits of the territory now included in Sawyer county was made by a Methodist mission under the direction of Rev. John Clark.  In 1835 he sent two Canadian Chippewas -- John Johnson and George Copway and a Fond-du-lac Chippewa -- Peter Marksman as missionaries and teachers to visit the Indian settlement at Lac Court de Reilles and inaugurate the mission.  In July, the Rev. Clark visited the mission himself and after accomplishing his object left the first two missionaries, named above, in charge of the mission.  It seems that the work did not prove to be a success, and we have good authority for stating that the mission was abandoned before 1840.

The second school was the Belille school established by the authorities of the town of Flambeau, Chippewa county in 1877.

The next school started was the Bishop -- during the winter of 1882.  It was taught for three months by Miss Mary A. Wall of Chippewa Falls.

This was followed by a private school in the village of Hayward - during the fall of 1882 and the winter of 1883.  The teacher was Annie E. Schaffer of Chippewa Falls, who is now (in 1902) serving her fourth term as county superintendent of schools of Chippewa county.  This school was first attended by Emma and Myron Hayward.  Later in the fall the McCormicks came to Hayward and William L. joined the little group.  Speaking of this Miss Schaffer says:  "We had a cozy little room upstairs in the Hayward residence which was fitted up with three desks and a blackboard.  Willie was 6, Myron 9, and Emma 13.  So I had three distinct grades and enough classes of one pupil each to keep me busy from 9 to 4.  The school (?) was altogether a private affair."

The first building used for school purposes was erected for a billiard hall by Bunker and Young.  As stated elsewhere, this building stood near the old logging camp and the company's boarding house - about half way from where the Northern Grain Company's elevator now stands to the North Wisconsin Lumber Company's big saw mill.  The spot where it stood is now covered by lumber piles.  It was torn down in July 1884.  During its brief history it had served as a billiard hall, a printing office, a polling place, a school house, a church and for Sunday School purposes.

With the exception of the Belille school, which was in session at the time Sawyer county was organized, the first school held in Sawyer county after its organization was in this building.  Ella J. Russell was the teacher and school was opened on September 23, 1883.  A few days later the Jordan school was opened.  The village school was under the authority of the town of Hayward, but the county affairs had not as yet been fully adjusted and the town of Big Bend, Chippewa county, erected the Jordan school house and paid the first teacher, Clyde M. Campbell, for teaching five months.

During the short time that the town of Hayward was under the District system nineteen school orders were drawn.  Fifteen of these were in district No. 1, and four in district No. 3.  Three of those orders were for teachers' wages - Nos. 2 and 15 of district No. 1 were in favor of Ella J. Russell for teaching in the village, and order No. 3 of district No. 3, was in favor of Ada M. Gillette for teaching in the Bishop school.  The expenses of running the schools in districts Nos. 2 and 4 were paid by the school authorities of the towns of Big Bend and Flambeau, respectively, of Chippewa county. 

THE VILLAGE SCHOOLS

The first term opened September 23 and closed December 21, 1883.  The following is a complete list of the pupils enrolled:
 

ANDERSON, Andrew ANDERSON, Charles BARR, Frank BROOKS, Harry BROWN, May CARLAND, Maud CARMICHIEL, Daniel CARMICHIEL, Foster CARMICHIEL, Jennie CAYO, George CAYO, Louise CAYO, Rosa CHARETTE, Adolph CHARETTE, Hercules CHARETTE, William DALSTROM, Anna EDWARDS, Theron FORD, William HANELSON, Mary HAYWARD, Emma HAYWARD, Myron HOPKINS, Cora McCORMICK, William McEWEN, John MILLER, Clemmie MOORE, Christopher MOORE, Even NOBLE, Annie NOBLE, Carrie

O'NEAL, Clark OTIS, Robert PECK, Clinton PELLAND, Delia PELLAND, Henry PELLAND, Oliver PLEMON, George PLEMON, Mary PRESTON, Alice PRESTON, Lily RUSSELL, Jessie SABEAN, Albert SABEAN, Ashton SABEAN, Benjamin SABEAN, Edwin SABEAN, Ernest SABEAN, Grace SABEAN, Hibbard SABEAN, Robinson SABEAN, Winnefred SAFFORD, Grace SHULER, Edith SHULER, Irene SMITH, Towner SOBY, Severt STONE, Grace STONE, Harry TOMS, Fred WILSON, Oliver

The winter term was also taught by Miss Russell.  It began January 7, and closed March 13, 1884.  Two new pupils entered this term - Oma Cayo and Linds McDonald.

The spring term was taught by E. S. Ireland and was opened March 24, and closed June 13, 1884.  The following names appeared upon the rolls for the first time:
 
 

BAYO, Eva BEAL, Bessie BEAL, Lily BEAL, Nellie CARLAND, Ella CAYO, Tilla COE, Katie COE, Tennie JOYAL, Cadie JOYAL, Olive MOONEY, John MOONEY, Maggie MOORE, Amy

MOORE, Ida POITRAS, Lizzie POITRAS, May ROGERS, Guy ROGERS, Lute STONE, Fred STRAND, Alma STRAND, Elmer STRAND, Oscar STRAND, Torval WILKINS, Roger YATES, Chester .

On the first day of April, 1884, the town of Hayward - including the whole of Sawyer county, exclusive of the Indian reservation - voted on the adoption of the township system of school government.  The vote stood 73 for and none against the adoption.  At the same time two thousand dollars were voted for general school purposes and five thousand dollars were appropriated for a school house to be erected in the village of Hayward.

On May 15 bids for erecting the new school house were opened.  They were for the erection of a four-room building, two stories high, 64x36, and it was to be heated by a hot air furnace - work to be completed by September 1st.  School was to open on September 15, but was delayed for one week on account of the non-arrival of the school desks.

The school opened with 40 pupils in Mr. Irle's room and 45 in Miss Tibbett's room.  The term closed December 19, 1884.

The school census this year reported 83 males and 71 females or a total of 154 in sub-district No. 1.  As the total school population for the entire district that year was only 171, it would show that only 17 children were reported from outside sub-districts.

In 1885, it seems to have been the plan to open the primary department September 7, and the other departments three weeks later.  During the first forenoon that the primary department was in session, the building took fire from a defective hot air pipe and burnt.  The building was insured for four thousand dollars and the furniture for five hundred.

Miss Tibbetts opened her school the next morning in Stone's Hall (the room over Moreland & Pugh's store).  Later in the month arrangements were made to use the court house for school purposes.  Miss Tibbetts used the jury room and the pupils of Mr. Nichols and Miss Day were seated in the court room and another room was used as a recitation room.

Arrangements were at once made for the rebuilding of the school house on the same location - block No. 10, west side addition to the village of Hayward.  It was of the same size and built on the same plan as the former building.  From newspaper files we learn that on Nov. 2, 1885, eight men began to rebuild the school house, and that during the month of December steam heat was put into the new building.

On November 7, 1885, the enrollment in the different rooms were reported as follows:  Mr. Nichols' room 28, Miss Day's room 20, and Miss Tibbetts' room 52, or an even 100 in all.  G. F. Clapp was enrolled as a student in the upper department this year and was commended for punctuality and regularity of attendance.

In January, 1886, the new bell, weighing 500 pounds, arrived.  It seems that it was not satisfactory to the school board and was sold to the town board for use on the town hall.  Another bell, weighing 1000 pounds arrived in February and was placed upon the school house.  The bell used on the school house that was burnt weighed 275 pounds.

On April 3, 1888, the town voted on the establishing of a high school - 24 votes were cast for and none against the proposition.  Evidently not much interest was taken as there were nearly 600 votes cast for the town officers at the same elections.

In May, 1891, an examination was taken with a view to placing the school on the free high school list.  During the same month the high school piano was bought.  In July, 1891, a vote was taken to furnish free text books and free supplies.

During the spring and summer of 1892 the McCormick school building was erected on block No. 8, west side addition to the village of Hayward.  About the time of its completion a new steam heating plant was placed into each of the village school buildings at a cost of $1,293.25.  The first room finished in the McCormick school building was fitted up for the kindergarten department.  It was first used by Miss Brownmark at the opening of the fall term of 1892 and it is still used for kindergarten purposes.  The other room on the first floor was used by H. C. Flagg who taught the second intermediate room during the fall of 1892.

During the fall of 1892 the kindergarten department became so large that an additional teacher was employed after Christmas of that year.  Mrs. E. J. Scott was engaged to take care of the "overflow" and the room used by Mr. Flagg during the fall term was now used by first grade classes.  Previous to this year the kindergarten department used the basement room of the Fourth street building.

In January 1893, the high school and grammar room pupils were transferred from the Fourth street (Block No. 10) building to the two upper rooms of the McCormick school building.

From newspaper items we learn of the enrollment in the village school at the dates given:

In January 1890 - 207
In November 1890 - 211
In January 1891 - 207
In April 1891 - 230
In June 1891 - 198
In the fall of 1892 - 260 (first week)
On September 26, 1892 - 284, or 50 more than at the 
corresponding time of the previous year.
1892 - 1893 total enrollment - 323
1894 - 1895 total enrollment - 404
1899 - 1900 total enrollment - 516
1900 - 1901 total enrollment - 558

During the fall of 1895 the attendance was so large that the basement room on Fourth street school building had to be used again and it was fitted up for a first grade room.  A short time prior to this a basement room in the McCormick school building was fitted up as a science room for the high school.  Before the close of the school year of 1895 - 1896 it became very evident that additional school room must be provided for the increased attendance.

During the summer of 1896 a large addition (much larger than the original building) was built onto the front of the fourth street school building.  The two rooms on the first floor were fitted up for some of the lower grades.  Half of the second floor is used for a high school room and the other half was divided into two rooms - a science room and a recitation room for the use of the high school.  A part of the hall way on the second floor was fitted up for a principal's room and a library.

With the additional school room a larger heating plant became necessary.  Accordingly a tubular boiler, 14 feet long and 5 feet in diameter, was put into the basement of the McCormick school building.  Both school buildings are heated from this one boiler - an underground pipe conveying the steam about sixteen rods to the fourth street school building.  Both the direct and the indirect methods of heating are used.

During the spring shade trees were set out on both school grounds and the high school grounds were graded during the summer.

The addition was not completed in time for the schools to open at the usual time.  The high school and kindergarten departments opened in the McCormick school building on September 14, but the other departments did not open until October 12.  On the last day named the high school and grammar departments were transferred to the fourth street school building, and the McCormick school building has since been used for kindergarten, first and second grade work.

VILLAGE SCHOOL PLACE ON THE STATE FREE HIGH SCHOOL LIST

On June 28, 1892, the upper department of the Hayward village schools was placed on the state free high school list.  The examination for this purpose was held a few days previous to this date and the papers were sent to the state superintendent.  The law requires at least twenty-five pupils to be ready to take up high school work.  The following is a complete list of those who passed the required examination:
 

BIORD, Eddie BROOKS, Harry CAMERON, Charles CAYO, Charles CERNAGHAN, Grace COBB, Ethel FLAGG, Bessie FLAGG, Horatio HARRINGTON, Curtis HELLWEG, Elmer HILL, Eva JORGENSON, Jens KUNSMAN, Mary

McLAUGHLIN, Jennie MILLER, Clemmie MINER, Stella NICHOLS, Ralph PECK, Ray PECK, Wayne PHILLIPS, May POWERS, Minerva SABEAN, Albert SABEAN, Edwin SABEAN, Grace SKEEDE, Lulu TIBBETTS, Mamie

The pupils passing this examination belonged to the seventh, eighth, ninth and eleventh grades.  There was no tenth grade that year.  The examination was taken near the close of the school year - just before the promotion of the seventh, eight and ninth grade pupils and just before the eleventh grade graduated.  Three persons who passed this examination did not attend school after the examination.  It is worthy of note that thirteen (or just half) of those subsequently graduated from the high school.

The eighth, ninth, tenth and eleventh grades then constituted the high school.  Later the standard for admission to the high school department was raised by the state department, and nearly all of the work of the eighth grade was thereafter required to be completed in the grammar room.  This virtually lengthened the course of study one year and since March, 1895, the ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth grades have constituted the high school.

THE KINDERGARTEN

The kindergarten was made a part of the public school system in Hayward several years before it was permitted by law.  The plan has been to give to all children entering the village schools one year of kindergarten work before starting in the grade work proper.  The first kindergarten in Hayward was a private one, opened in Clapperton Hall (now used by W. S. Vance for a residence) on the 9th day of September, 1889, by Miss Alice E. Warner.  In November of the same year it was made a part of the public school system.  All of the directors and two of the assistants have been persons who have been especially trained for this work.

The following had charge of this work:

Alice Warner, from November 1889 to June 1892
Charlotte Brownmark, fall of 1892 for two and one-half months
Mrs. E. J. Scott, fall of 1892 for one and one-half months
Laura Bingham, winter and spring of 1893
Elizabeth A Bass, for two years - 1893 - 1895
Hetty Lewis, for one year - 1895 - 1896
Matie Goodman, fall of 1896 for one month
Susie A Hawkins, for eight months -1896 - 1897
L. Myrtle Warner, for two years - 1897 - 1899
Lydia Bundy, for two years 1899 - 1901
Miss Bundy has been employed to take charge of this department during the coming year (1902).

The following have at different times assisted in this department:

Stella M. Miner, Mamie Tibbetts, Maggie Ross, Louise H. Cayo, Retta Ferguson, Bessie Flagg, Mabel Biggs and Daisy Thompson

Miss Thompson has been assistant for the last two years and has been employed to act in that capacity during the coming year (1902).

GRADUATION AND CLASSIFICATION

Below the grammar grades and above the kindergarten department it has been the practice for several years to give each teacher three groups of pupils - groups ranging in size, so far as possible, from twelve to fifteen pupils each.  The classes in each grade are designated by the letters in the alphabet - beginning the highest with A.  Under this plan promotions are virtually made three times a year, consequently the classes average about three months apart.  Some of the advantages of this plan are very evident.  If a pupil is promoted it does not mean that he will "skip" a very large part of the year's work in order to enter the next class above him.  In fact if he deserves promotion the intervening work can easily be made up.  On the other hand, if a pupil is doing unsatisfactory work, he can be sent to the next lower class which, on the average is only three months behind him.  This is certainly not as discouraging to the pupil as sending him back from six months to a year as is done under the usual method, besides the teacher is more likely to put a pupil where he belongs when the interval is short.  Promotion from one grade to another is made at any time that the class completes the work of the grade.

In order to be a little more specific, we will suppose that one teacher has the A and B classes of the fifth grade and the A class of the fourth grade.  The next teacher below may have the B, C and D classes of the fourth grade.  The A class of the fifth grade may complete its work in October and then become the lowest division of the sixth grade.  The B fifth would then become the A fifth grade.  A little later the A fourth grade class completes its work and becomes the B fifth grade.  Then the B and C fourth grade would become the A and B fourth grade, respectively.

Now the higher grade teacher has a sixth grade class (possibly the C 6th) and the A and B classes of the fifth grade, and the lower grade teacher will have the A, B and C fourth grade classes.  Possibly about the middle of the year this A fifth class completes the work of the grade and becomes the D sixth grade and the A and B classes of the fourth grade complete the work of that grade and become fifth grade classes.  The position of the classes may be stated as follows:

Higher teacher - At the beginning of year - A, B 5th and A 4th.  And at close of year - B, C 6th and A 5th.
Lower teacher - At beginning of year - B, C and D 4th.  And at close of year - B and C 5th, A 4th.

All are in different grades than they were at the beginning of the year except what was the D 4th , and it has become the A 4th grade.  Perhaps it was a little slow and did not complete the work within the year.  The work of the classes has moved along without interruption - no change in teacher - no change in room - individual cases have been looked after as occasion required.

There is nothing in the plan to prevent the C class, for instance, for completing the work of the grade before either the A or the B class completes it.

The supervising principal can give special attention to each class that is to be promoted at the different times during the year, and that work does not come all at once at the end of the term or year.  No more attention need be given to the matter of promotions during the last week of the school year than any other week, and the school is always in working order.

If the supervising principal finds that a class recommended for promotion is not up to the standard more time may be given.  There being no definite time fixed for completing the work, would tend to do away with hasty promotions.

In the higher grades it occasionally happens that two classes may be consolidated without detriment to either class.

This method gives the teacher about three more daily recitations but the resulting better classification enables the teacher to handle the classes more expeditiously.

The plan also enables a teacher to "switch" a class around a higher class.  For instance, one teacher may have the A, B, and C classes of the first grade.  A teacher of the D class of that grade may be able to complete the work of that grade before either of the so called higher classes and it would be entered upon the records as a second grade class and take second grade work, but would remain in the same room and under the same teacher until the pupils were moved to other rooms on account of outgoing higher classes and the incoming of lower classes.  This system will not run itself.

WRITTEN EXAMINATIONS

In addition to frequent written recitations, written examinations are held once in about six weeks.  No definite announcements are made as to when these examinations will occur - either as to time or subject.

Work is given that will keep the brighter pupils busy for about an hour, but one and three-fourths are given to the examination.  The period before recess - both before and afternoon is usually taken.  The recitation immediately following the examination is the one that has been prepared and which would have been recited during the first recitation period had the examination not occurred.  Seldom are two examinations given on the same day, and usually they do not occur on successive days.  As a rule, examinations at the close of school terms are avoided so far as possible.  It will be seen at once that this quite a wide departure from the usual methods of conducting examinations but we believe that the plan does away with the principal objections to written examinations.  To a great extent, it does away with cramming.  When definite announcements of examinations have been made, pupils will very naturally give most, if not all, of their attention to the branch to be written upon.  This means little or no preparation for the recitations of the day.  How often are visitors told, "We have just had examinations and the school is all broken up."  This is a state of affairs for which there is no excuse.  Why should pupils be allowed to take half a day or more for what they could do in an hour?  Why should they write all day and possibly for two or three days in succession?  Why should piles of examination papers accumulate on the teacher's desk?

If the examination is to be held in the morning, let the pupils come to school with their usual preparation.  Give the period before recess to the examination. Close the examination before the end of the recess period.  Let the first recitation after recess be the one already prepared for the first period of the morning.  Shift the recitations for the rest of the forenoon, but have the regular program for the afternoon.  If the examination is to take place in the afternoon, a similar plan may be followed.  This set of papers should be promptly and thoroughly looked over and properly disposed of before the next examination is given.

What has been gained by using this plan?  In the first place the pupils have come to the examination in a better physical and mental condition and are thus able to do better work.  Some of the recitations have necessarily been omitted but the usual preparations for the others has been made and a good day's work has been done.  A visitor would hardly know that it was examination period or noted later a slight change in the daily program.

In these days when "copying pads" can be easily made, or multigraphs cheaply bought, we would urge each pupil be furnished a copy of the questions.  This saves much of each pupil's time and does not materially add to the work of the teacher.

Recitation records and examination standings are used as the basis for the promotion of pupils - each counting half.

QUALIFICATIONS OF TEACHERS

In 1897 the board passed a resolution requiring at least a second grade county certificate from all applicants for positions in the village schools.  One year later the standard was again raised - requiring at least a first grade county certificate from all new applicants.  Practically this had been the unwritten rule of the board during all the history of the schools so far as a large majority of the teachers was concerned.  The non-resident teachers, with a few exceptions, possessed these qualifications, but the different school boards had not been so exacting of the local teachers.  While the possession of a high grade certificate is by no means an evidence of teaching power yet culture and scholarship do count in the long run even in the matter of teaching school.  In this connection there is a matter which is of nearly as great importance as the grade of the certificate held and that is the employment of local teachers.  This is a question of no little importance and yet for obvious reasons very little is seen in print concerning it.  It not infrequently occurs that school board announce that they will give positions to all who may graduate from the high school.  This we believe to bean unwise policy.  If local teachers are to be employed their applications should be as carefully considered as those of non-resident - in other words, they should be considered strictly on their own merits.

After several years of careful study on this subject we have come to the conclusion that it is much better, both for the schools and the teachers themselves, that teachers do not teach in their own schools.  We are driven to this conclusion from the observation of several instances where the resident and non-resident of equal scholarship and apparent teaching ability have taught side by side - work similar, and in some cases of the same grade - other conditions as nearly the same as could well be made.  Comparison of the results of their teaching is almost uniformly in favor of the latter.  Some of those who met with indifferent success in their own schools have gone out and achieved success elsewhere.  A few of them have realized that their efforts have not been as successful as others under similar conditions, and, almost in despair, have asked - "why is this so?"  Our answer of late years has been very simple and yet it appears to cover the case - "lack of confidence."  "A prophet is not without honor save in his own country" is a saying that will always be true until human nature is changed.  The teaching done by "Mary" is rarely very effective - no matter how thorough the preparation or how well the matter be presented.  This inefficient work does not always attract public attention.  In those schools where the high school is largely made up of non-resident pupils and in which the grades are recruited from the surrounding country an occasional break in the grades is not so noticeable.  In our own schools there has been a break somewhere in the grades nearly every year since the schools were organized - due largely, and some cases wholly, to inefficient teaching.  Not many years since certain classes passed through three rooms after leaving the kindergarten and were still first graders.  The absence of one grade in the high school at the present time is due largely to inefficient teaching in some of the grades five or six years ago.  The teacher largely responsible for this condition is almost forgotten, as a teacher, yet the superficial observer gets in his or her work and definitely locates the difficulty - where it does not belong.  Pupils who are kept in a grade for two or more years often become discouraged and early withdraw from school.

Another thing that makes a break in the grades more noticeable is the early withdrawal of a large percentage of the pupils.  The condition is here probably no worse than in any other town where manufacturing interests predominate, and we have good reason for believing that the showing is much better than it is in many such towns, yet the situation demands the earnest attention of our citizens.  From the printed lists of the pupils enrolled for the years named we find the enrollment for the several grades as follows:
 
 

	Jan. 1898	Mar. 1899	Mar. 1900	May 1901	Average
Eighth grade	3	25	16	0	11
Seventh grade	8	21	8	27	16
Sixth grade	25	12	26	36	25
Fifth grade	33	14	43	22	28
Fourth grade	56	82	28	79	61
Third grade	46	23	46	51	42
Second grade	64	86	88	99	84
First grade	204	194	218	214	207

Hasty deduction must not be made from these figures.  More could be gathered from them if they had been taken at the same time of the year.  The first grade figures include the kindergarten department and practically include a little over two years' work.  We are safe, however, in making the statement that over half of those who become members of the fourth grade never enter the fifth grade.

During the past year fairly satisfactory work was done in all the grades and excellent work was done in several of them.  The opening week of the school year 1901-2 gives promise of a larger attendance in those grades above the fourth, but it will be sometime before the attendance in the high school will be anywhere near what it ought to be.  There has not been an average of one pupil per year admitted to the high school from outside of the village.  Thus this department is almost entirely dependence upon the grades for its membership, and when there is a break in the grades it means much to this department.  The admissions and withdrawals on account of families moving to and from the village are nearly equal - averaging less than two per year each way.  About 70 enter the grades and nearly the same number withdraw from the grades, each year, on account of families moving to and from the village.

The recent increased attendance in the country schools and the resulting lengthened terms will no doubt be the means of preparing many of these pupils for admission to the upper grades and the high school.

Notwithstanding this somewhat discouraging condition of the high school and the higher grades, the village has had a long succession of excellent teachers.  The different boards have exercised great care in their selections and the instances where the teachers have not been elected on their own merits have been comparatively few.  Even in the selection of local teachers discriminations have usually been made in favor of those who were thought to be the best qualified for the work.  In most of these cases where the work has not been entirely satisfactory it has not been generally due to lack of personal merit of the teachers but to the conditions surrounding them.

Not so great care has been exercised in the selection of teachers for the rural schools although many excellent teachers have held these positions.  However, a decided improvement has been made in this direction within the last one or two years.