Reed School (Wisconsin) facts for kids
The Reed School Historic Site is a special museum in Wisconsin. It used to be a one-room schoolhouse, which means all students, no matter their age, learned together in just one classroom. Today, it's owned and managed by the Wisconsin Historical Society.
You can find the Reed School near Neillsville, Wisconsin, at the corner of U.S. Route 10 and Cardinal Avenue. It shows what school was like a long time ago.
What is the Reed School Historic Site?
The Reed School is a museum that looks exactly like it did in 1939. When you visit, you can see how students learned in the past. The main classroom is set up for school programs, giving visitors a real feel for history.
Downstairs, in the basement, there's an exhibit. This exhibit teaches you about the history of rural education in Wisconsin. It explains how schools worked in the countryside.
A Look Back at One-Room Schools
The Reed School was built in 1915. It served as a school for many years, teaching local children. However, in 1951, it closed its doors. This happened because there weren't enough students living nearby anymore.
One-room schools like Reed School were very common. It's believed that about 6,000 of these schools once operated across Wisconsin. They were important for educating children in small communities.
How Reed School Became a Museum
After it closed, the Reed School building was saved. A former student named Gordon Smith helped restore it. Thanks to his efforts, the school was brought back to its 1939 look.
In 2007, the Reed School opened as Wisconsin's 10th State Historic Site. This means it's a special place that helps people learn about Wisconsin's past. It's a great example of how education used to be in rural areas.
