SKOOL DAZE...

There were many one room school houses throughout rural areas and the Chaseburg area was no different. That stone school building in upper Chaseburg, posted in another entry, wasn't the only school. 

Tree planted by Jimmy and Della's Dad as a student at ValleyView

 I've come to learn there was a school just down the road from us (maybe a mile and a half from the End of the Rainbow Valley) In fact, it was our neighbor Jimmy's parents who purchased the Valley View school house along with its outhouse in 1960.  In fact, Jimmy's father, Gary, went to that very one room school house himself and sometimes would 'catch a ride on the back of Angeline Dummer's bike. As a student he helped plant the big pine that still stands in front of it today. The building sits on the corner of the Old Stoddard Road and 162 where Jimmy and his bride now reside in the family home. In the 9th grade Gary went to Westby for high school as his children followed suit and as do high school kids still do.  

Anyhow Jimmy's sister, Della, knows her folks remodelled once they moved in and even remembers floor holes left by the removal of the bolted down desks. It makes one wonder why they had to bolt them down!?  Anyhow, old desks and other school stuff could be found behind their home in the old ditch. 

Chaseburg Elementary School.

Busing began in 1962 as the new Chaseburg Elementary school building was built on the village outskirts after consolidating the village school with five rural schools; Cliffside, Clawson, Linrud, Lepke and Valley View into the Westby School District. The new school housed preschool through eighth grade with an enrollment of 149 students. 

Della tells of  her brother and her riding their bikes in warm weather to attend this elementary school. In ninth grade, students would then take the hour bus trip to Westby for high school.  

Natureman's boys both also attended elementary school here with his eldest having the same10 classmates throughout his entire schooling through 8th grade. Eventually this building became a middle school (5-8) with the elementary school aged children bused to Coon Valley until before its closing when it was changed to grades 3-6.  

There had always been talk of moving the school closer to the heart of the district but it was budgetary issues, specifically the cost of busing  which ultimately forced the school's bittersweet permanent closing after 34 years. 


Della adds, " We were lucky to have had wonderful teachers (and bus drivers) that always put the kids best interest first! "

In June 2006 a reunion picnic took place as area residents visited Chaseburg's School for the last time. The building was sold to the city for a $1 and put back on the market for $425,000 when it was sold in 2010 to CROPP- Corporate Regions of Organic Producers Pools- You've heard of Organic Valley, right? In 2011 the property and grounds were then annexed to the Village of Chaseburg. 

And so goes the demise of rural schools... it's just very expensive to bus.  It wasn't just the trains that couldn't continue to exist through towns like Chaseburg...

Did you miss the rural route train 

entry :Choo Choo