School Days, School Days

In the news these days are plans to renovate and possibly close our oldest schools in Muskego. There are reasons on both sides of the debate. The history of Muskego's schools begins when our community was called "Prattsburgh" in 1858 for W.H. Pratt who first platted the village. Later called Muskego Centre, the school was located on the north side of Janesville Plank Road and $300 was raised to pay for it.

Children walking to school in those days wandered past a steam flouring mill, a blacksmith shop, Schuet's hotel, the plank road toll gate and the pioneer cemetery. Now, the children see a bustling city with paved roads, automobiles, and commerce all around. They no longer use slates for their studies, they use computers.

In 1926 a new two-room brick schoolhouse was built east of the old one. As Muskego's population grew, the schools have grown. A wooden schoolhouse in the Tess Corners area of Muskego was soon outgrown and a new brick building was built. A brick school was built in the Durham area of Muskego as well. The Mill Valley school has been remodeled several times over the course of its existence. As the population swelled, Bay Lane Elementary and Lake Denoon schools were built to accomodate even more students. 

The current conversations about what is best for the education of our children are not unique to our times. Just as few these days can recall the little one room school houses of our ancestors, so too, our descendents will find it hard to remember those buildings we now view as landmarks. Once a building is torn down, it is gone forever. However, sooner or later, the old always gives way to the new.