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Fish Creek Grade School students from 1917. Photo courtesy of Gibraltar Historical Association.

Door County schools today are considered small, but there was a time when county schools were much smaller. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, students were taught in one-room schools. These schools were comprised of grades one through eight with one teacher, all in one room. Can you imagine listening to eighth grade curriculum when you were only in first grade? The one-room schools were brought together under one roof when the state passed legislation in 1947 for school consolidation.

On Sept. 18 Gibraltar Talks will present “School Days,” and a look back at how schools in Northern Door transitioned from many one-roomed schools to becoming one – Gibraltar School. Experience a day in the life of a student and learn the struggles a teacher faced teaching all grades.

Presenter Eunice Rutherford has had a large presence in the Northern Door schools, starting in 1963 when she opened the first kindergarten of Northern Door. She went on to teach first or second grades for 30 years in schools including Egg Harbor, Sister Bay and Gibraltar.

The program will be held at 7 pm at Fish Creek’s Old Town Hall located at 4176 Maple Street in Fish Creek.

Gibraltar High School was held in this one building from 1918 to 1953. Photo by Eunice Rutherford.

Gibraltar Talks programs are free and open to the public; audience participation is encouraged and refreshments will be served. Free will donations are appreciated to help with future Gibraltar Historical Association programming and other history related events and goals. For more information, call 920.868.2091 or visit historicnoblehouse.org.