Brown Deer Histor ica l Society, Inc .

January, 2014 Volume XXXXII , Issue 1

N E W S L E T T E R

Upcoming Meeting

Date:

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Time:

6:30 pm Board of Directors

7:00 pm Guest Presentation

Where: Lois & Tom Dolan Community Room 4355 West Bradley Road Brown Deer, WI

Open To the Public and Society Membership

Submit any newsletter articles or historical acquisitions to:

Kathleen E. Schilz

6543 W. Floral Lane Brown Deer, WI 53223

browndeerhistoricalsociety@gmail.com

414-355-4182

Brown Deer Historical Society

Board of Directors

Officers

Joseph Klucarich President Rose Klucarich Vice President Robert Moranski Treasurer Kathleen Schilz Secretary /Editor

Directors-at-Large

Barbara Bechtel Bernice Knurr

Tim Schilz Mary Buckley

LeRoy Knurr Barry Godshaw

IN MEM ORI AM

The Historical Society lost one of its founding members in October, 2013. Dorothy Kittleson passed away, leaving a legacy of dedication and devotion to the Village of Brown Deer community and the Brown Deer Historical Society. While Dorothy was known to “shoot from the hip”, she was intelligent, educated and driven to preserve history in Brown Deer. With our gratitude, Dorothy’s daughter Kristi and her husband Mark will be our guest speakers at the January 23rd meeting, and have graciously provided this editor with a wonderful article detailing Dorothy’s own history, efforts and successes in her long life. Please read the insert and enjoy.

Page 2

PR E S ID ENT ’S COR NER

Volume XXXXII, Issue 1

After our business meeting of the Board of Director’s on Thursday, January 23rd, we will give recognition to Dorothy Kittleson for her years of service, her dedication, and her achievements while serving as president and a member of the Brown Deer Historical Society. One of her favorite focuses was the conception, implementation, and oversight of “The Living Schoolhouse”, where she served as the Head Teacher for 35 years. We are asking for members to attend this recognition in due respect to Dorothy Kittleson. It will be a time of healing, and remembrance.

The new “Living Schoolhouse” program was in-session in October with the current Head Teacher Jean Jankovich. Fourth Grade classes from Brown Deer Elementary school participated in the program, and there has been interest shown by area schools to participate.

Still missing are Brown Historical Society Newsletters for October 1996 and 2004, January 2007 and July 2011. Contact me if you find any of them.

In this new year, remember to complete the enclosed 2014 registration card, and return it using the return envelope for your 2014 membership, and contact me if you wish to discuss becoming a Historical Society Board member.

Joe K.

Brown Deer Historical Society 2014 Board of Directors

Officers

*Joseph Klucarich President

*Rose Klucarich Vice President

Robert Moranksi Treasurer

Kathleen Schilz Secretary

Directors -at-Large

Barbara Bechtel Mary Buckley

Bernice Knurr LeRoy Knurr

Tim Schilz Barry Godshaw

Open Open

*Elected at the Annual Meeting, October 24, 2013 for a 3-year term to expire December 31, 2016. Two Board positions remain to be filled.

January Meeting Agenda 1. Attendance

2. Persons desiring to be heard

3. Minutes of July 25, 2013

4. Minutes of October 24, 2013

5. Treasurer’s report

6. Old Business-Reports

A. Open Houses in 2014

B. Picture hanging/walls in Schoolhouse

C. History of Brown Deer Schools research

D. Living Schoolhouse Program report for 2013

7. New Business

A. Living Schoolhouse Program in 2014

8. Tribute to Dorothy Kittleson

9. Adjourn to guest presentation

Please contact Joe Klucarich or call 354-6453 to discuss being a Historical Society Board member .

ME E T IN G SC H EDU L E FOR 2014 The Brown Deer Historical Society Board meets quarterly on the fourth Thursday at 6:30 pm. Any presentations planned typically follow at 7:00 pm. Members are welcome and invited to attend these meetings and presentations. Presentation and speaker suggestions are always appreciated. Mark your calendars with these dates:

January 23, 2014 Kristi and Mark Kittleson April 24, 2014 The History of the Brown Deer Schools July 24, 2014 The Dolan’s of Brown Deer October 23, 2014 General Membership Annual meeting and Elections

The Open House dates will be discussed at the January meeting and typically are planned during events occurring in the Village Park over the summer months. Watch for the Open House dates in the April Newsletter.

On a blustery day in January, 86 years ago in Ironwood, Michigan, a girl was born. Her father, Sulo, an iron ore miner, and her mother, Hilda, decided shortly after her birth that mining was too dangerous, and would move to a picturesque farm in Marengo, a small town in northern Wisconsin. Another daughter, Gloria, soon joined her and her older brother, Harold. They worked hard on the farm but also reaped the rewards of the land and animals. This was during the depression. Dorothy soon realized that she loved school.

Even though in those days, girls weren’t always encouraged to continue their studies, at a very young age, Dorothy expressed interest to her parents about becoming a teacher. She graduated at the top of her class from Ashland High School. That summer, during a trip to town, they drove by Northland College. She asked her father if she could go in and inquire about how to register. Her father and mother agreed it would be a good idea and so she went in and applied on the spot. She was accepted and also given the opportunity to assist a professor to help offset the costs of tuition and books. Four years later, she graduated Summa Cum Laude, with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Dorothy went on to teach high school level grades, mostly 10th; 1 year at Black River Falls, 2 years at Whitewater, 2 years at Two Rivers and finally decided she would like to get to the city of Milwaukee, where she could teach students that were college bound. She applied for a teaching position at Shorewood High School and went on to teach English and also headed the Theatre Department there for the next 6 years.

While teaching, she met Earl Kittleson, a dashing young man, also teaching high school level art but at a different school. They fell madly in love and had many common interests. They were married at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in 1958, a church they were both active in. Several years later their daughter Kristi came into their lives and they decided that living in the suburbs would be a great place to raise a family. They moved to Brown Deer in 1964. Three years later, Mark, their son, would complete their family. Earl continued to teach art at Menomonee Falls High School and Dorothy stayed home to take care of the children and the family’s

home. But the children grew and were soon off to school leaving Dorothy to search for more to do in her community.

Dorothy, with her educational and teaching background and high energy, decided to get involved in community activities. She joined the Brown Deer Junior Woman’s Club where she made many friends and became immersed in community activities. She and another member realized there was no local library, so they started one! In 1969, with donations of books and the two volunteering their time to catalog, sort and coordinator programs in the basement of Brown Deer Church of Christ, they co-founded the first Brown Deer Public Library. While busy with the library, Dorothy was approached in 1971, by Ray Diderrich and his sister, Estelle Sustar, about saving their elementary school. Ray told Dorothy, “If you can start the library you can save our school!”

The school was to be torn down during construction in the area; however the old schoolhouse had quite a past. The Little White Schoolhouse was built in 1884 in Old Brown Deer. The original structure was 30’ x 25’. A 20-foot addition was built in 1900. The Little White Schoolhouse was used as a school from 1884 to 1922. It was the second school in Brown Deer. The first one was a log building built before 1860. Both schools were named Brown Deer School. The Little White Schoolhouse was one-room and had grades First through Eight taught...by one teacher.

-3-

HOW H I S TORY WAS SAV ED IN BROWN DE ER

The pupils were from the surrounding farms and had to help with the planting in the spring and harvesting in the fall, so school was in session for about seven months – from the middle of October through the middle of May. After 1922, the St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran congregation used the Schoolhouse as a church. Then it became a factory, the Witt Sheet Metal Co., during which the front the building was altered at that time, and the coatroom became an office. A fire also occurred which did extensive damage to parts of the wall, the ceiling, the woodwork and the floor (which is still apparent in the current building). Later, the schoolhouse was used for storage.

Dorothy couldn’t forget Ray’s words about saving the 1884 schoolhouse and went to meet with a local business owner of the coffee shop. The space left from the demolition of the schoolhouse had been considered for a parking lot for the coffee shop. After their meeting, the owner agreed to not to tear it down if it could be moved in a timely manner. As it happened, the timing couldn’t have been more perfect.

The new Brown Deer Village Hall had just opened and there was plenty of space and land surrounding the building that she envisioned could be a perfect home for the Little White Schoolhouse. Dorothy went directly to Village President, Earl McGovern and Village Manager, Gerald Schwerm. They were excited about the project and told her if she could raise the money for the move and restoration, they were sure the Village would approve giving the land for the school’s relocation. Those were tall tasks, and to raise the money properly, Dorothy knew that an official organization would have to be formed.

The Milwaukee County Historical Society was known and is still a great resource to advise in forming a Historical society. Thus, the inception of The Brown Deer Historical Society came about. Dorothy Kittleson, Ray and Dorothy Diderrich and Estelle Sustar worked hard to get every available resource. A membership was established and a quarterly newsletter was distributed. The organization received donations both in-kind and monetary, bids from movers of historic buildings and restoration companies, and many volunteers worked on fundraisers for their capital campaign drive. After the professionals were chosen, Ray and Estelle were essential in working with the restoration professionals to put the Little White Schoolhouse back into its original form. On June 5, 1972, Joseph Gill (the coffee shop owner and owner of the land where the schoolhouse sat) donated it to the Village of Brown Deer. The Little White Schoolhouse was moved on July 29, 1972, with the funds that were raised through organizations, industries, businesses and individuals. The community continued to support the project with donations and in 1973, the exterior restoration was completed and in 1976, the interior restorations were finished.

During the entire process, Village residents and alumni from the 1884 Schoolhouse shared hours of stories, and recollections

with Dorothy and other volunteers about the school and its contents. In a short time, antique stores, private collections and other resources were combed for items authentic to an 1800’s schoolhouse. Double desks, ink wells, Abe Lincoln and George Washington pictures, an 1884 recitation bench, a pot bellied stove and many more items were located and purchased or donated. Ray Diderrich built an exact replica of the teacher’s desk that stood in the front of the classroom so many years ago when he attended the school as a student (It is there in the current building still). Not a detail was missed!

-4-

Soon the Little White Schoolhouse was ready to open its doors to the public in its new location completely restored inside and out. But being a schoolhouse and with Dorothy’s teaching background, Dorothy thought about the schoolhouse’s sustainability both financially and as an entity. She also thought about the gift of land the Village had given and thought the schoolhouse could give the Village a gift in return. This was the gift of The Living Schoolhouse Classes. These would be classes authentic to the time period, which would bring history to life! Although the schoolhouse held grades 1-8, these classes would focus on 4th grade, a grade Dorothy was familiar with because her son was in the fourth grade at that time.

In May 1976, the Little White Schoolhouse came “alive” once again with the sounds of children’s voices and the school’s first teacher, Miss Martha Dockery, (aka - Dorothy Kittleson in dress replicated from an 1800’s outfit), teaching the 3 R’s – reading, writing and arithmetic. Upon arriving at the school, Miss Dockery ushered the children into the school by ringing the brass school bell. Girls donned pinafores and boys put on suspenders. The pledge of allegiance was recited to a flag with 38 stars. Pupils sat at double desks and used McGuffey Readers, Webster Spellers and slates. When it was time to recite their lessons, the children went in groups to the front of the room to sit on the recitation benches and then were called upon to recite from the platform or to work on arithmetic problems on the slate blackboard. Mrs. Pautz’s fourth grade class from Dean School was the very first class to

participate in The Living Schoolhouse Classes. Mark Kittleson, Dorothy’s son, was in that first class that attended. Mrs. Pautz would continue bringing her classes for many, many years after that first session and would encourage other teachers at her school to participate. Soon the program became so popular that schools from all over were reserving dates for their 4th graders. The program was a gift for students from Brown Deer schools but students from outside of Brown Deer were charged a small fee.

In total, The Living Schoolhouse program ran for 35 years, May 1976 thru October 2010 and touched the lives of over 20,500 students. Dorothy Kittleson, Gladys Grehn, Dorothy Diderrich

and Estelle Sustar are volunteers who taught and/or assisted with the “living schoolhouse” since its inception. In years that had multiple classes, a number of other volunteers also taught and assisted with classes. Dorothy was the only teacher that taught all 35 years, and in many of the later years, Bernice Knurr was always by her side as the teaching assistant.

Both parochial and public schools participated in The Living Schoolhouse program. They included Dean, Algonquin, Richards, Whitefish Bay, Donges Bay, Mequon, Muskego Elementary, Hillel Academy, North Trinity Evangelical Lutheran, Mount Lebanon Lutheran, St. Cecilia, St. Marks, St Catherine’s, Good Hope, Henry Clay, Cumberland, New Berlin Center Elementary, Glendale, Grand Avenue, St. John’s School for the Dear, St. Francis, St. John Vianney, Holy Apostle, St. Monica’s, St. Philip Neri School, University School, St. Bernadette’s, St. Eugene’s, Brown Deer Middle, Bayside, St. Aloysius, Fox Point, St. John’s Lutheran, Lake Bluff, Shorewood, Willow Glen, St. Robert’s, Christ memorial, Thoreau, St. Peter Immanuel, Clara Barton, St. Nicholas, St. James’, Calvary, Manitoba, Stormonth, Freistadt, Happy Hill, Good Hope Catholic, Christ King, Garfield Avenue, St. Margaret Mary, Goodrich, Loving Shepard Lutheran, Gilbert Stuart, Northwest Catholic and several Cedarburg and Brown Deer home-schools.

-5-

In 1979, Brown Deer’s Little White Schoolhouse became an official Milwaukee County landmark because of its historical and architectural significance. In 1993, the Schoolhouse was placed on the State Register of Historic Places and also in 1993, on the National Register of Historic Places.

Hard work and dedication to the schoolhouse led Dorothy Kittleson to be honored with many awards including:

Volunteer in Education Award – American Association of University Women – 1990

Certificate of Commendation (Restoration and school program) – State Historical Society – 1990

Resolutions of Commendation (Schoolhouse Program)– Brown Deer Village Board - 1990

Outstanding Citizen of the Year Award – Brown Deer Chamber of Commerce – 1994

Citizen of the Year Award – Village of Brown Deer – 1994

Certificate of Commendation (20 years of the “Living Schoolhouse” program – Board of Education - 1995

JC Penny Golden Rule Award – nominee – 1996

Assembly Citation for the Brown Deer Historical Society – accepted by Dorothy Kittleson - 1996

Village Board Resolution for founding the Brown Deer Historical Society – 1997

Village Board Resolution for publication “Brown Deer – Then and Now” – 1998

Distinguished Alumni Award – Northland College – 1999

Dorothy’s many publications for the Brown Deer Historical Society included:

Brown Deer’s Heritage Almanac 1972 (1972)

1884 Little White Schoolhouse Brochure (1976)

Historic Brown Deer Brochure (1996)

Brown Deer Then and Now – Commemorating Wisconsin’s Sesquicentennial – 1848-1998 (1998)

Dorothy Kittleson gave her all to The Little White Schoolhouse. From the day she first heard about it from Ray Diderrich, through the fundraising and actual moving of the building which was hoisted by a crane onto a semi truck and inched along Brown Deer Road all the way to its new location, through searching through hundreds of antique stores with her family in tow looking for the perfect artifacts that would find their home in the schoolhouse, through teaching classes for 35 years and giving tours of the museum during 4th of July celebrations and so many other activities, they all revolved around the Little White Schoolhouse, which was truly Dorothy’s passion and love, now her legacy.

After she retired from teaching, she often recounted stories about the schoolhouse, whether it be of restoration, fundraising or just one of the special celebrations that had been part of the schoolhouse’s past. Her eyes would light up and she would discuss in detail, the joys and triumphs of meeting and teaching students the Living Schoolhouse program. One of her favorites was how two brothers, towering over her in height, came with their children and let her know that they had attended one of her classes at the schoolhouse years before and now their children had also attended that Living Schoolhouse program.

Dorothy Kittleson passed away on October 13, 2013 at the age of 85. After a brief interruption of classes, a new program was developed to accommodate needed change and classes began again by Head Schoolteacher, Jean Jankovich, in October 2013. It warms the heart knowing that the Living Schoolhouse program was revived and classes resumed only the week before her passing. We’re sure Dorothy would have been pleased to know that the schoolhouse she worked so hard to save over 42 years ago will carry on and continue to touch students lives for many years to come in addition to be a part of history preserved for many generations to enjoy and cherish.

Sincerely submitted by Kristi Kittleson, Dorothy’s daughter.

-6-

Volume XXXXII, Issue 1

PH OTO GAL L ERY–THE L I V IN G SC H OOLHOU SE OC TOBER 2013 SE SS ION S

Page 7

W H A T H A P P E N E D I N 1 8 8 4 ? H I S T O R Y .

Page 8

The Brown Deer Historical Society is incorporated as a non-profit 501(c)3 organization. All donations are tax-deductible.

We rely on our membership and the benevolence of donors to support our effort.

Thank you in advance for your membership renewal. Please encourage others to join and experience the joy of history.

Jan 4 ....... In Ontario, Canada: Last sighting of an Eastern Cougar is documented

Jan 8 ....... Chrome tanning process for leather patented by Augustus Schultz

Feb 1 ........ 1st volume of the Oxford English Dictionary, words beginning Aa - Ant is published

Feb 18 ...... USSR Police seize all printed copies of Tolstoy’s “What I Believe In”

Feb 19 ...... Tornadoes in Mississippi, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, and ................ Indiana kill 800 people.

Mar 12 ..... Mississippi establishes the first US State college for women

Mar 13 ..... US adopts Standard Time

Mar 17 ..... John J. Montgomery makes the first glider flight in Otay, CA

Mar 27 ..... First long distance telephone call, Boston to New York

May 1 ....... Construction begins on Chicago’s first skyscraper, at 10 stories high

May 1 ....... Moses Walker becomes the first black player in Major League baseball

May 1 ....... The US 8-hour work day is determined by the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions

May 13 ..... The Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) forms

May 14 ..... The Anti-Monopoly Party forms in the US

May 17 ..... Alaska becomes a US territory

May 19 ..... Ringling Brothers Circus premieres

Jun 5 ....... William Sherman refuses the Republican presidential nomination saying “I will not accept if

................ nominated and will not serve if elected”.

Jun 16 ..... The first roller coaster begins operation on Coney Island

July 3 ....... Dow Jones published it’s first stock average

July 4 ....... The first US bullfight is held in Dodge City, Kansas

July 4 ....... The Statue of Liberty is presented to the US in Paris, France

July 5 ....... The US accepts the 2nd Chinese Exclusion Act

Aug 5 ....... The cornerstone for the Statue of Liberty laid on Bedloe’s Island (New York City)

Aug 10 ..... A 5.5 magnitude earthquake hits the east coast from Virginia to Maine, and felt in Cleveland, OH

Aug 28 ..... The first known photograph of a tornado is made near Howard, South Dakota

Sep 5 ........ Staten Island Academy is founded

Sep 20 ...... The Equal Rights Party nominates female candidates for President and Vice President of the US

Oct 6 ........ The Naval War College forms in Newport, Rhode Island

Oct 13 ...... Greenwich established as the universal time meridian of longitude

Oct 14 ...... George Eastman patents paper-strip photographic film

Oct 25 ...... In the first World Series, the Providence Grays sweep the New York Metropolitans in 3 games.

Nov 4........ Grover Cleveland (Dem) beats James Blaine (Rep) for his first term as President

Nov 15 ...... Colonization of Africa is organized at an international conference in Berlin, Germany

Nov 17 ...... Police arrest John L. Sullivan in the 2nd round of bare-knuckle boxing, for being “cruel”

Nov 25 ...... John Meyenberg of St. Louis, MO patents evaporated milk

Dec 6 ....... The aluminum capstone is set atop the Washington Monument in Washington DC

Dec 9 ....... Levant Richardson patents ball-bearing roller skates

undated in 1884:

Mark Twain writes “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”

The water hyacinth is introduced in the US and quickly becomes an invasive species.

The “Gilded Age” continues from 1869 through 1896

The Depression of 1882-1885 is upon the United States of America

Volume XXXXII, Issue 1