School is back in session and summer vacation is over for students and teachers. The school schedule is so ingrained in me that I always have to remind myself that there is still a lot of summer left even though school has started.
I grew up on Wildcat Corner, where a one-room brick school once stood. Wildcat School was located on the corner of what is now State Route 49 and 707, a mile north of Chatt. Below are the few photos I have of Wildcat School.
A few of the students’ names are written on the photos but those names are very difficult to read.
I would appreciate hearing from anyone that can identify more of the students in the photos or correct any who are not identified correctly. I will add additions or corrections to this blog post.
The oldest photo I have of Wildcat School, 1897-98:
Back row, tallest girl in plaid dress, left of the shutter: Christena Rosena (Byer) Gappa. [Thanks to Andy Gappa for providing this information. Since this photo was passed down in the Miller family, I wonder if one of my Miller ancestors was also one of the students.]
Wildcat School, 1911:
None of these students are identified in the 1911 photo, but the girl standing at the far left in back row sure looks like my great-aunt Clara (Miller) Reef.
Wildcat School, 1925:
Front: Frank Leistner; Becher?; Eugene Caffee; ? Becker; Lawrence Witter ?; ?; Bollenbacher.
Row 2: B Pfifer;?; ?; Ruth Miller; Fern Caffee; Ruth ?; ?; Vernon Caffee.
Row 3: Not identified.
Wildcat School, 1926:
Row 1: ?; ?; ?; Eugene Caffee; ?; Bollenbacher; ?; Paul Leistner?.
Row 2: ?; Fern Caffee; ?; ?; ?; ?; Ruth Miller; Eileen/Jolene Oakley; Ruth Leistner?.
Row 3 & 4: Not identified.
My Aunt Ruth, the oldest sibling in my dad’s family, is in both the 1925 and 1926 photos and will be 97 years old this year.
4 comments
Skip to comment form
Karen,
This response is cobbled together from earlier posts on the same photo at the top that you posted a few years ago. I have the exact same photo of the Wild Cat School and its pupils. It dates from the 1897-1898 school year. In fact, my great grandmother Christena Rosena Byer Gappa is standing in the back row on the right. She is the tallest girl there wearing a plaid dress to the left of the shutter. I would think Christena’s younger brother by 2 years Jacob Frederick Byer is in the photo, too, but I just haven’t figured out which one he is yet.
Author
Thanks, Andy! I have noted the information in the post. I bet one of my Miller ancestors is in the photo, too. But which one? I will have to compare dates and ages.
Britian65@aol.com
Thank you for your description of a Huckster on Facebook. Jim Midlam, Lesley’s father, grew up in Chat and his parents Laverne and Inez Midlam had a grocery store in Chat. Jim was their Huskster in a school bus they had. We all loved visiting Grandma Midlam in Chat and enjoying the wonderful small area of Chat. Great memories.
Bernice Midlam
Author
I remember Midlam’s store in Chatt. Thank you for the additional information about the Midlam family and the huckster connection. Thanks for writing!