For the first half of the 20th century, if you were a kid in Southwest Wisconsin, you attended a one-room school. K-8, one room, one teacher. You walked miles to school throughout the seasons, and spent a tremendous amount of time with the same group of people. In Grant County, by 1912, we had 201 one-room schoolhouses, but by the end of the WWII, schools began consolidating. By 1950, most were gone. Today, some have been converted into homes, but many have been lost. Something though, that hasn’t are the stories. Today you’ll meet a dear friend of mine, Ron Weier of Platteville Wisconsin, who attended the Bloomfield school in the mid to late 50s. Bloomfield was centrally placed between Mineral Point and Dodgeville and served about 10 families. This type of school was pretty representative for our area. Part of our rural spirit, rests in capturing, understanding, and appreciating where we’ve come from. Enjoy today’s chat — it’s part of our history.

You can read more about Grant County Rural Schools at the Wisconsin State Historical Society Website. There are lots of photographs too!

Someday be sure to visit the Southwest Wisconsin Room at UW-Platteville where you can enjoy amazing resources about our local history.