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November 1, 1999
Clear Lake School marker dedicatedMemories flow atdedication ceremonyBy TONY ZIEBOL Journal Staff Writer SIGEL TOWNSHIP -- The Clear Lake School is no longer a place of learning for farm youngsters, but the people who were connected to it refuse to let the memories die. Former students, school board members and interested spectators came from as far away as Sauk Rapids to take a stroll down memory lane Sunday at a dedication of the new Clear Lake School Historical Marker, at the place where the school once stood. Concertina music was played in the background as short speeches were made, stories were recounted and the school's original bell (still in its tower), dating back to 1912, was rung several times. The National Anthem was sung as the last flag that flew over the school in 1971, was raised. "Hallelujah, we made it," said Gary Wiltscheck, the coordinator of the project and member of the Clear Lake School Committee. "It's truly been a challenge and a reward." From 1864-1971, the Clear Lake School, District 6-179, saw more than 38 teachers and more than 450 students pass through its doors. In the 19th century, most residents of the area where farmers, many of whom were uneducated. These people wanted their children to have a better life and an education, said Jim Berg of the Clear Lake School Committee. "It's a great compliment to the people who built this school," Berg said. The school had three buildings in its long history. The first schoolhouse existed from 1864-1867, although no records have been found about it, and classes could have been taught at a farmhouse. The second schoolhouse was built on one acre of land purchased for $10 in 1968. It lasted until Sept. 18, 1881, when it burned down. Notably, the famous German-American soldier and commander in the Civil War, General Franz Sigel, the namesake of Sigel Township, visited the school in 1879. A third building was quickly built, and it lasted until the school's demise in 1971. The building was eventually sold at an auction and moved to a private property to avoid its destruction. The one-room rural school had classes for 107 years, until a Minnesota state law put into effect in 1970 forced it to close forever. The law stated that any public school district had to teach a full curriculum for kindergarten through 12th grade, which just wasn't possible at the tiny Clear Lake School. Believing the rural school was just as good as any other, the school district fought to keep the school running. However, Clear Lake was finally forced to close its doors in May of 1971. "I believe that if the school board had its way, they would still be teaching here today," Wiltscheck said. The $2,600 Clear Lake School Historical Marker, which is the first of its kind in Sigel Township, was paid for entirely by donations.
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