School: Gorman (McKinley)

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Lesar, Foster, Morgal, Klanchar, Merkun, Puhek, Janezich, Smith, Hazelton, Fisher, Beyer, Sherg, Potter, McCormick, Wiltsie, Fainter, Schroeder, Kosel, Needham, Meinholdt, Krultz, Holt, Bogdonovich

----Source: Family Scrapbook

On July 5, 1910, the annual meeting of School District No. 4, Gorman Station, Town of Eaton was held at the Frank Lesar home. The decision was made to build a school on an acre of land lying on the north Vi of NW of SW Vi of Section 21, Township 26, Range 3 West which had been donated by N.C. Foster. Elected at that meeting were the following: Frank Lesar, Director; John Morgal, Treasurer; Frank Klanchar, Clerk; Anton Merkun, John Puhek and Anton Janezich, Auditors.

The school tax levied for that year was $600.00. Before the school was built, classes were taught in a building in the area close to the Gorman depot, owned by a man named Christmas. They called it Christmas School. Sam Long was the first teacher with a salary of $45.00 monthly.

The school was completed in November of 1910 at a cost of $1200.00. The lumber was purchased from Green¬wood Heating and Lumber for $515.00 delivered.

They were considering naming the school Lincoln or McKinley and decided on the latter. A decision was made that the school board members would not receive a salary for that year. There were nine pupils of school age that first year.

The following teachers taught at McKinley School: 1911-13 - Heth Smith, 28 pupils, salary $43.56; Eva Hazelton taught 9 days in 1912; 1913-14 - Wm. Fisher, $49.50; 1914-15 - Lulu Beyer, $49.50; 1915-16 – Emaline Sherg, $49.50; 1916-17 - Marie Potter, $65.00; 1917-18 - George McCormick, $64.50; 1918-19 - Ruth Wiltsie, $74.25; 1919-23 - Frank Lesar, $85.05 to $120.00; 1923-26- Frances Fainter, Norman Schroeder and Gertrude Kosel, $119.75 & $100.00; 1926-29 - Walter Needham, $125.00; 1929-32 - Frances (Fainter) Meinholdt, $109.75; 1932-34 - Mike Krultz, $85.00; 1942-43 - Bertha Holt, $95.00.

On July 10, 1944, a decision was made to close the school and transport pupils to other districts. The building was later sold to Peter Bogdonovich.