Photo Gallery
Notes
Meet the class of Grass Lake School from the spring of 1962
Front row: Frank Gretzinger, Leland Raddant, Curtis Retzloff, Gary Retzloff, Dennis Prey
Row two (sitting): Vicky Zeman, Shirley Welch, Pat Hesse, Rose Hartmann, Shirley Degener
Row three: Carla Reinke, Joel Darling, Kathy Wolff, Connie Retzloff, Carol Dankert, Greg Vincent
Row four: Carl Reinke, Marsha Verpahl, Roger Pahlow, David MacMurry, Darlene Riske, Michelle Vincent, Mary Surprise, Barbara Ziemer
Back row: Mrs. Viola Bohr, Mike Rindt, Mary Koehler, Donna Dankert, Eugene Gretzinger, Kathy Krause, Bill Ninman, Dianne Wolff
GRASS LAKE SCHOOL HISTORY
The Grass Lake School, formerly in District 5, Towne of Belle Plaine, was located 11/2 miles east of Highway 22.
It was named for the Grass Lake Road which passed the school. There are no records as to when the first school was built, but early settlers believed it was in the late 1800’s.
The first school was a frame building which stood on the present property of the St. Martin’s Lutheran Church. When the new school was built, the old building was sold to the church congregation to use as a parish hall. Later the building was sold and the material used to build a home on Highway 22 near the county hospital.
A brick building was erected in 1916. This school was in operation until 1940. St. Martin’s Congregation was also operating a parochial school and most of the children attended this school. Because of the lack of pupils in the public school, Grass Lake was closed and the building was rented to St. Martin’s for a parochial school for five years. In 1948 it was reopened as a public school and accepted the children from the Beyer School which closed at that time. Grades from 1 to 8 were taught until integration with District 8. Then grades 1 – 6 were in the school. Later it was just grades I – 4. The school was closed in 1968.