HISTORY OF THE HARRISBURG SCHOOL
Discussion for a Harrisburg grade school building began in January 1850, when J Bear called a meeting to be held at the home of William Young. Officers were elected and a site on the farm of Joseph Cracoft (west of the present school location on the Vincent and then Myron Schneller farm) was selected. The land was leased to the district for two years at the sum of 6 cents and a log building 16 x 20 feet was built. The building was covered by clapboard, with floors laid down loose and with four 12 light windows. Benches and the floor were constructed out of pieces of heavy timber roughly dressed, with one face finished flat.
Many of the settlers, including the family of J. W. Harris for whom the community, school and church were named, came from Troy Township in Richland County, Ohio. Until 1857 the Harrisburg School was designated District Number 6, Town of Honey Creek.
A second school was built in 1856 at a new location on land granted by Elizabeth Fisher, a mile east of the original school. She was paid the sum of $20 along with an agreement that the district would build and keep in good repair a solid sufficient fence. In 1897 the Harrisburg School became District Number 3, Town of Troy.
The third and present school building with dimensions of 36x28x14 feet was erected in 1892 for $885 on this same site. The building had a basement with a furnace, double entryways and a bell tower. Two outhouses, playground equipment consisting of a merry go round, slide, teeter totters and a ball field were placed in the school yard.
The first teacher, Miss Orasa Drew, Prairie du Sac, was paid according to the number of pupils she taught and she boarded with the families of her pupils. A sum of $20 was paid for teaching 3 months. An article by W.H. Schulz, Sauk County Superintendent of Schools in 1893 noted that "Most of the teachers at this school (Harrisburg) had a superior education, some being graduates of academics in Massachusetts, Ohio and other states.
Many teachers have educated pupils grades one through eight in the Harrisburg area for more than one hundred years. During the earlier years the school year was divided into two sessions. Older boys were needed at home for farm work and could not attend school until the winter session. Enrollment would vary greatly throughout the school year. The highest attendance was thirty three.
The Harrisburg School closed in May of 1955. A referendum had been held in June 1954 and consolidation of one room schools was approved by the Troy Center, Witwen, Black Hawk and Harrisburg districts. A petition to the Town of Troy Board and subsequent public hearings created Black Hawk School, District Number 3 as a newly consolidated school. The new school opened in September 1955. Petitions and public hearings resulted in other one room school districts joining the consolidated school--Little Prairie, Town of Honey Creek (Sept. 16, 1954); Fair Valley (December 8, 1954) both by order of the County School Committee and Cassell (January 18, 1955) by action of the Town of Troy Board. Some pupils from Cedar Hill (which had closed in 1947) also attended the consolidated school.
Other Town of Troy one room schools were Badger Valley which closed in 1951 and Lower Wilson Creek which closed in 1961. Pupils from these schools then attended classes in Spring Green. It is to be noted the Harrisburg School is the only school out of the nine original one room schools remaining on site and in tact in the Town of Troy.
The Harrisburg School building and land reverted back to Ervin and Lorene Sprecher in 1955. The building was then used for farm purposes.
In 2001 interest in restoring the school for historic purposes became a reality when three former pupils--Morris Moseman, Wallace Fuchs and John Sorg communicated with the Sauk County Historical Society and the Ervin Sprecher family. The Harrisburg-Troy Historical Society Inc. was organized in 2007 and has helped to further the restoration process. The bell in the cupola was donated by a former teacher Carla Ochsner Kruse. Morris Moseman has engineered the building and land restoration and Greg Mulcahy has facilitated the rebuilding of the foundation and basement. Special thanks to Ervin and Lorene Sprecher for returning this historic treasure.
Discussion for a Harrisburg grade school building began in January 1850, when J Bear called a meeting to be held at the home of William Young. Officers were elected and a site on the farm of Joseph Cracoft (west of the present school location on the Vincent and then Myron Schneller farm) was selected. The land was leased to the district for two years at the sum of 6 cents and a log building 16 x 20 feet was built. The building was covered by clapboard, with floors laid down loose and with four 12 light windows. Benches and the floor were constructed out of pieces of heavy timber roughly dressed, with one face finished flat.
Many of the settlers, including the family of J. W. Harris for whom the community, school and church were named, came from Troy Township in Richland County, Ohio. Until 1857 the Harrisburg School was designated District Number 6, Town of Honey Creek.
A second school was built in 1856 at a new location on land granted by Elizabeth Fisher, a mile east of the original school. She was paid the sum of $20 along with an agreement that the district would build and keep in good repair a solid sufficient fence. In 1897 the Harrisburg School became District Number 3, Town of Troy.
The third and present school building with dimensions of 36x28x14 feet was erected in 1892 for $885 on this same site. The building had a basement with a furnace, double entryways and a bell tower. Two outhouses, playground equipment consisting of a merry go round, slide, teeter totters and a ball field were placed in the school yard.
The first teacher, Miss Orasa Drew, Prairie du Sac, was paid according to the number of pupils she taught and she boarded with the families of her pupils. A sum of $20 was paid for teaching 3 months. An article by W.H. Schulz, Sauk County Superintendent of Schools in 1893 noted that "Most of the teachers at this school (Harrisburg) had a superior education, some being graduates of academics in Massachusetts, Ohio and other states.
Many teachers have educated pupils grades one through eight in the Harrisburg area for more than one hundred years. During the earlier years the school year was divided into two sessions. Older boys were needed at home for farm work and could not attend school until the winter session. Enrollment would vary greatly throughout the school year. The highest attendance was thirty three.
The Harrisburg School closed in May of 1955. A referendum had been held in June 1954 and consolidation of one room schools was approved by the Troy Center, Witwen, Black Hawk and Harrisburg districts. A petition to the Town of Troy Board and subsequent public hearings created Black Hawk School, District Number 3 as a newly consolidated school. The new school opened in September 1955. Petitions and public hearings resulted in other one room school districts joining the consolidated school--Little Prairie, Town of Honey Creek (Sept. 16, 1954); Fair Valley (December 8, 1954) both by order of the County School Committee and Cassell (January 18, 1955) by action of the Town of Troy Board. Some pupils from Cedar Hill (which had closed in 1947) also attended the consolidated school.
Other Town of Troy one room schools were Badger Valley which closed in 1951 and Lower Wilson Creek which closed in 1961. Pupils from these schools then attended classes in Spring Green. It is to be noted the Harrisburg School is the only school out of the nine original one room schools remaining on site and in tact in the Town of Troy.
The Harrisburg School building and land reverted back to Ervin and Lorene Sprecher in 1955. The building was then used for farm purposes.
In 2001 interest in restoring the school for historic purposes became a reality when three former pupils--Morris Moseman, Wallace Fuchs and John Sorg communicated with the Sauk County Historical Society and the Ervin Sprecher family. The Harrisburg-Troy Historical Society Inc. was organized in 2007 and has helped to further the restoration process. The bell in the cupola was donated by a former teacher Carla Ochsner Kruse. Morris Moseman has engineered the building and land restoration and Greg Mulcahy has facilitated the rebuilding of the foundation and basement. Special thanks to Ervin and Lorene Sprecher for returning this historic treasure.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE ONE ROOM HARRISBURG SCHOOL
Located in Troy Township, Sauk County, Wisconsin, the Harrisburg School is one of the last remaining one room school buildings in the county. Built in 1892, the school educated eight grades with one teacher and had an enrollment as high as 35. The school was closed in 1955 and consolidated into the Black Hawk School District.
The Harrisburg-Troy Historical Society, Inc. was organized in 2010 with a mission “to educate the public on the history of the Harrisburg area and Troy Township—and to preserve and protect such history for the education of future generations.”
The school replicates early days with many original items and is a step into the past. The basement is a museum of historical Town articles and artifacts.
The building has been placed on the Wisconsin Register of Historical Places and welcomes visitors. (See calendar)
HARRISBURG-TROY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC. membership is encouraged and welcomed. Contact any director or
Carol Anderson, President
S10976 Co. Hwy C
Spring Green, WI 53588
(608 546 5194)
Located in Troy Township, Sauk County, Wisconsin, the Harrisburg School is one of the last remaining one room school buildings in the county. Built in 1892, the school educated eight grades with one teacher and had an enrollment as high as 35. The school was closed in 1955 and consolidated into the Black Hawk School District.
The Harrisburg-Troy Historical Society, Inc. was organized in 2010 with a mission “to educate the public on the history of the Harrisburg area and Troy Township—and to preserve and protect such history for the education of future generations.”
The school replicates early days with many original items and is a step into the past. The basement is a museum of historical Town articles and artifacts.
The building has been placed on the Wisconsin Register of Historical Places and welcomes visitors. (See calendar)
HARRISBURG-TROY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC. membership is encouraged and welcomed. Contact any director or
Carol Anderson, President
S10976 Co. Hwy C
Spring Green, WI 53588
(608 546 5194)