School Memorial

Members
Ronald Bernoski, Chairman
Bob Plant, Treasurer
Warren Fellinger
Nancy Johnson Vuchetich
Tom LeTourneau
Lud Miller
Lorna Myers Zirbel
Jim Chizek
Ed Griffin
Doug Severt
Bonnie Krucky Salm
Irene Fleming
Ralph Chafer, Jr.

"I personally think the cemetery is the spot for the memorial. So many of us gather at the cemetery for Memorial Day as well as visits to loved ones graves throughout the year. When I go, there are always people visiting graves and walking around remembering old friends and loved ones. It is a place to connect with the past and remember the people who shaped our lives. Our school, teachers and friends certainly shaped our lives and is part of a very special past."

"As for the designs, my favorite is # 1 and my second choice is # 5."
Current Fifield Resident

"I like the design with the bell. Location: I think the old walk way to the school proper. It would be tricky getting a little parking there maybe. It would provide for green space as the town grows over time. I always liked that tree lined walk way. Not the cemetery, too depressing that the school is “dead”. The museum site is ok if there is room and if it wouldn’t confuse folks about the Greenfield School." Current Fifield Resident

"How many of you have actually viewed the property where our beloved old school building sat? Did you see a big hole and feel an emptiness inside? I did, and I only glanced at it and I had to look away. Maybe if you lived there it would be different, but I don't think I'll ever look at it without getting those feelings. How could we possibly put a memorial on the site and get those feelings every time we visited it? I think I prefer to remember it the way it was. If closure was possible it certainly would make it a lot easier if I had someone to blame for the demise of that building." Former Fifield Resident

"Our Fifield Hilltop School brings back many pleasant memories of our childhood, friends and great teachers.. I would vote for the school site and I like the plan that Tom Nichols submitted. I like the design #1 that Doug Severt designed with the American flag. That would be my first choice. I also liked the bell on design #7. Too bad it couldn't be incorporated with design #1." Former Fifield Resident

After considerable thought and discussion I would recommend that the Fifield School Monument be placed on the walkway up to the old school. This area could be nicely landscaped with benches, flag pole, grass, flowers and shrubs to complement the monument. It would be a nice little park where we need one. We need to have a public discussion (brain storming session) with the Town Board on how the old school property should be used. It took 30 or so years to get the eyesore down, let's not wait 30 years to do something progressive with the site. In the short term it will be used as a parking lot for the Fire Dept. Lawn Mower Races. However, in the long term, this site with water and sewer is too valuable for a parking lot. My preference would be for a business park that could contain 2 or 3 small businesses. For example, someone setting up a business in southern WI mentioned to me that it might be a good site for a mail order business where people could be employed to take orders over the phone and/or by computer for smaller companies. This would fit in well with FCAP's Fifield Economic Recovery Plan. With the paper mill closed in Park Falls, it becomes all the more important to have a vision for what this site could become, sooner rather than later, to benefit the town of Fifield. Let's hear other ideas. Attached is a photo of the school walkway, so you can visualize a small park there with a monument with a possible walkway leading from it up to the lawn mower race track and town hall area. I have also included a rough site plan to orient you to what I am talking about. Tom Nicholls, current Fifield Resident

My vote is to put the memorial at the school site, which will go a lot farther in evoking memories. I personally don't want to sit in the cemetery to reminisce about the school, and south of the town hall always had a "swamp" feeling to me, plus it's right next to the highway. I like the idea of a list of names, but how about just listing family names (Koshak, Liebelt, etc)? That seems a little classier to me. I assume this would include residents who attended and not just those who were lucky enough to graduate. Former Fifield Resident

Dear Fifield Residents, for all the former schoolmates and students of Fifield School it is always hard to see the passing of something that has left us with so many memories. It has been 44 years since the last graduation at Fifield School. Another 20 years from now and there may be very few former students that ever attended school in Fifield, Wi. We should be thinking about the dash between 1923-1962 and what it meant to so many Fifield youth in past years. A suitable and beautiful memorial will likely be decided on to carry forward the many memories of school days gone by. It seems the hardest decision is WHERE? When former students and family return to Fifield, the most likely place they all return to visit is the beautiful cemetery by the Flambeau River. My husband and I travel extensively every year around the great USA. We visit many cemeteries (military and public), studying history and gathering insight on the past and trying to gain an answer on our being on this earth. We do not feel there should be a "hush" at the cemetery - only reflection, respect and celebration of life for the past, present and future. When future generations are visiting their departed family, studying genealogy, history of the area, etc... What a better location to visit the Fifield School Memorial and hopefully attractive kiosk than the beautify Fifield Cemetery. Jean (Myers) Teeters, former Fifield resident

"I am attaching a photograph of the walkway (Note: This is the sidewalk that extended down to Linden Ave. from the school to the west of the property that used to be Tatroes. Some will even remember the circular spots in the sidewalk that at one time contained post to keep the horses out of the school yard.) that went up to the school that I took today. They took the cement walkway out. Anyway there may not be enough space to build a home or business there, but plenty of space to put the monument with a walkway along with landscaping and some benches, etc. I would think the town would go along with that, but they may not want it on the large lots were the school was as it might become a business park or be sold for lots to increase tax base. However, I can't speak for the Town." Tom Nicholls, current Fifield Resident

"How about a shelter covering the "Hilltop" stone with a note that school history-class list is inside? ... had a good idea to list the names of everybody who attended the school. Highly visible to travelers. Next to the schoolhouse (Site A), written documents could be preserved at a minimal cost and when it is open, living interpreters would be available. Centrally located with other historical artifacts." Former Fifield Resident

"No list of all the students of the Fifield School is currently available. Suggestions have been made to the Price County Historical Society to accomplish this task, but with their limited resources the prospects are very dismal." Doug Severt, former Fifield resident

"Park to be developed on demolition site (Site C) Pros: "On this site"... has lots of precedents. Cons: The site would be off the beaten path and would therefore not attract many visitors. My guess is that the Town would resist starting another park on the old school site when the community already has one. Also, I think that in time the Town will want to get the Hilltop property on the tax rolls." Former Fifield Resident

"The river site (Site E) almost certainly would never be sold. The Town keeps the park up well. The community gathers here several times a year. A shelter already exists. Information about attendance at Hilltop can be kept in the schoolhouse. Cons: What can be done to overcome periodic flooding?" Former Fifield Resident

"My personal opinion is, I think it would be nice to create a memory book of all the names of the kids that attended Fifield School from the first day to the last. I personally felt very sad to see the school destroyed. Another thing that could be done is to sell the bricks that are salvageable for 10.00 plus postage This would help raise money for the project. I agree that the old land fill (Site D)would be a nice place for a park like setting for the Fifield School Memorial." Betty J. Hays Woods

"...other spot by the museum (Site A) that I've heard people talk about. Its back from the street on the corner where the tree used to be, on an angle facing the Post Office. The museum's flag pole could be replaced by the one on the monument. If its low enough and back far enough it should not interfere with people's visibility at the intersection." current Fifield resident

"... the spot between the museum and Greenfield school (Site A) would be a great spot for the memorial and a picnic table." Current Fifield resident

"Anything built between the Old Town Hall Museum and the Greenfield school (Site A), which can't be more than 50 feet, would be completely dwarfed by the museum and school and would look out of place there. Besides all the places that have been mentioned so far, I would also suggest a site near the present town hall, if there is any property available there." Doug Severt, former resident

"The cemetery (Site D) idea is great too because Lorna wanted to make the old land fill into a memorial area anyway." current Fifield resident

"When reading your comments regarding the placement of the school monument I was surprised that you suggested the cemetery (Site D) as the perfect place for the monument. I respectfully disagree. Yes, it is on a hill overlooking the town, and our cemetery is attractive as cemeteries go, but I would question this as a site for the following reasons. Do we want folks to sit on the bench by the marquee and contemplate the schools demise, or, do we hope they are attracted to the site to celebrate our history with the school. I feel that cemeteries tend to give people who visit them a sense that there should be a "hush" in the air. This to me would exacerbate the feelings, when visiting the school monument, that we should lower our voices, speak quietly, and reverently, and morn the loss of the school. I do not see that as appropriate for the marquee site. Wasn't the idea behind saving the marquee predicated on the feelings that we wanted to celebrate what we had in our local school? That, in my opinion, cannot adequately be done in hushed tones. I believe it would include some laughter, telling of stories such as "Remember when.....?" and "Can you believe we did .........?" Yes, there will be feelings of loss since Fifield's school hasn't had students in it for several decades, however, I believe most people interested in story telling and reminiscing would do so with perhaps some gusto which is not usually what one would expect to do in a cemetery. Maybe the park (Site E) would be more appropriate, or some other site not thought of yet, and perhaps we should be careful that we don't get stuck on the idea that it should be on a hill." former Fifield resident

"We could even look at the Fire Department area (Site B).??" former Fifield resident

"I like the idea of the placement at the cemetery (Site D). Many of us go there to touch basis with our past and quite a few come every year on Memorial Day." current Fifield resident

"I think we would have less chance for vandalism at the cemetery (Site D)." current Fifield resident

To add your comments to this forum, please email me. Let me know what you think and let me know if you want your name published or not.

FIRST DESIGN: (Submitted by Doug Severt) For beginners I’ve drafted a design displayed below, that would use the marquee and all the decorative stone work that actually surrounded it on the building. If any of the original school bricks could be salvaged and used in the monument that would be nice, but it may not be possible because I understand they really crumbled during demolition. Similar colored brick could be obtained from another source. As you will see from the design, I wanted to make it a place for reflection with a bench and some kind of a pedestal built on the 1923 corner stone. I thought the top could be in the shape of an open book with a brief history of the school inscribed on it. I got the idea for the flag pole to fly right behind the marquee, because when you look at a photo from 1929, that’s where the flag pole used to be...right on the roof behind the marquee, however because of flag protocol, a flag might not be suitable. Another idea would be to replace the flag pole with a large bronze quill pen, which would represent education. My idea for placement of this monument is the cemetery. I have many reasons, but to list a few; Fifield Forest Home Cemetery is the most beautiful and restive area in the state; most former residents returning home always visit. I’ve heard that the area bordering Krucky Road was the site of a former land fill and can’t be used for graves. The area is far enough removed from the grave sites that the space would provide a buffer between the two areas. I think that would be the perfect spot for the monument...allowing it to continue looking over the Town of Fifield.

This modified design that incorporates all of the artifacts saved from the old school. This would have to be taller in order to feature everything, but it could also have on the opposite wall the names of alumni ingraved in the wall or individual bricks.