Transcriber: : stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org
Surnames: Hare, Bartels, Peterson, Armstrong, Andrews, Dodge, Miller, Varney
----Source: Tribune/Record/Gleaner (Loyal, Wis.) 29 Jul 1971
Merrill (Bunny) Hare, Greenwood (Clark Co., Wis.) elementary school custodian, is shown with the original bell taken from the first Greenwood public school built in 1881, and shown also below. The bell was discovered hanging in the old coal shed which was adjacent to the original high school, and was torn down when the heating system was converted to oil. "Bunn" knew the day would come when a perfect place would be found for it, so the bell was stored away, but not forgotten. When the new Greenwood elementary school was completed, he suggested to the administration that the bell be displayed on the school grounds. Mr. Bartels, Superintendent of Schools, felt too, that this would make a memorable display. Kramer Bros. offered to erect the concrete base hanger and to construct it of the same brick they had used for the school. The bell hangs from a solid oak beam which has been treated with stain, and bears the inscription, "Greenwood Elementary School, 1971" carved into the wood. The finished project on the south lawn makes an outstanding and memorable display of a Greenwood historical heirloom.
Mr. Hare spent many hours on his own with steel wool and copper polish taking off the many layers of corrosion build up and getting down to the original brass. The names "Vanduzen and Tift, Cincinnati" can now be read on the bell.
From the early history of Greenwood the following information was gathered.
The first Greenwood grade school was erected in 1881 on the present high school site at a total cost of $7,000. One teacher was employed and the school board was Elias Peterson, director, W.F. Armstrong, secretary, and Steve Andrews, treasurer. The expense, incident ot the support of the school during the year, was $650.00. As the population grew, more teachers were added, improvements made and finally it became necessary to enlarge the building. In 1894, the high school department was organized under the principalship of B.O. Dodge, which offered courses in English and German, followed by Agriculture. The first class of graduates consisted of Eva Miller and Mable Varney in 1898. Fire destroyed part of the building and the remaining section as moved to the present West Central Avenue, and later became the office of the Greenwood Gleaner newspaper.
