History, Winnebago County, Wisconsin: Its cities, towns, resources, people

              774 HISTORY OP WINNEBAGO COUNTY.
intendent of schools. The first graduation exercises were held in 1876, Prior to that time the student simply finished the course and remained home. In April, 1896, the historic old brick school building was torn down to give place to the ele¬ gant thirteen-room structure which, now occupies the old site. This old brick school house was an historic old building, and most of the present native adult population of the city ob¬ tained their education there. It always had the reputation of ^ careful work, and though the students were school boys they seem to have come out all right in the end.
The Island school district was set off November 26. 1851, by Judge J. B. Hamilton, town superintendent on a petition signed by 0. P. Clinton,' H. A. Burts and 0. R. Jaycox, the Menasha village school board consenting, there were then eleven children of school age on the island. Soon after the establishment of this school the old brick school that stood opposite Rev. Clinton's was erected. In the division of school money the Island school got $5.25 in 1851, and for a school library it was allowed 71 cents. Captain A. J. Richardson, a tall, nervous man, but a good principal, taught the high school back in 1860, and hav¬ ing laid up some money resigned to go into the business of making spokes with Webster & Lawson. The Civil AYar soon coming on, he was elected captain and left for the war with his company. One little chap remembers that he promised him a whipping if he did not remember the letter "L" next time he entered the primary room.
One clay there came up from Boscobel a big strong ath¬ lete farmer lad full of brains and muscle, whom the scholars knew pretty well for three terms as "Mr. Brooks." None of them ever forgot him. He made them learn and mind. One young man, then a good student, now the best business man, and among the wealthiest in the county, had in playing ball lost it over Mr. Taylor's fence, a common occurrence, and the principal had finally agreed to stop the boys going over the fence, as it annoyed neighbor Taylor very much. ,Mr. Brooks had forbidden it. So this day the young man went after the ball over the forbidden fence, and when school was called, there was a bad mixup between student and principal. Air. Brooks afterward became county attorney in Grant county, and a member of Congress. The student graduated at Prince¬ ton, and returned home to become a leading manufacturer and president of a bank.    Judge James C. Kerwin was in this