Rheingold School

A brief history of Rheingold School

Built in 1900. Log cabin teacherage in 1891. Consolidated in 1949. In addition to the main building, each school had outhouses for boys and girls which were placed at opposite sides of the property. The schoolhouse was heated by large wood-burning cast iron heaters. Wood could either be thrust through the lid or through the door to the firebox. Water was often gotten from hand-dug wells or from a neighbor. Students brought their own drinking cups and kept them in their school desk.

The school underwent an extensive restoration project in 2021, as evidenced in the photo above. The photo on the left is the school before restoration. The photo on the right is the restored teacherage.

School Club Officers

History of Rheingold School

The Rheingold School #22 was begun in 1873, when the need for a school for the area children was realized. William Gold donated the two acres of land for the first schoolhouse, which was a log house measuring about 12'x14'. Later, a frame and stone structure was added and used as the teacherage. A new 40'x22' frame building was later built. It had a large wood stove in the center for heat.

The school building, teacherage, and later a pavilion were all built with materials and labor donated by the families in the community. Up to eight grades were taught, and at one time, as many as 74 students were taught by a single teacher. Even though the teachers felt constrained to use English for instructing in the school room, German was used for administering scoldings. The scoldings were done so effectively that some of the students, after more than 60 years, can still quote some of the statements. It is also noted that one of the teachers had a paddle with the words "Black Medicine" printed on it.

The "free" school period, which was usually six months or more in length, came during the early part of the term. The "pay" school would be added to finish the term. Very seldom would a pupil drop out at the end of the free school period. Most of the students rode horses to school, while others walked. In the wintertime, some of the children came to school with no shoes and slid on the ice barefoot.

The Rheingold School was consolidated with the Fredericksburg Independent School District in 1949.

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