Clinton Schools History

Originally compiled by Joan Waite (1976)

Edited with images in 2020 by Clinton Community Historical Society

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Shortly after the election of officers of the newly formed Town of Clinton in 1842, plans were made for a school. A vote was taken upon the question of raising money for school purposes, and the sum of $100.00 was raised and placed to the credit of the School Commissioners.

The first school was erected on what is now the northwest corner of Allen St. and Milwaukee Road. The school opened in 1843 with an attendance of 20 scholars and with Eliza Baker as teacher. After a few years this was not large enough to accommodate all the scholars and another school was built on the same lot.

Some 20 years later the school site on Mill Street was purchased and a two story building was erected at a cost of $3,500.00. This white frame structure was close to the street and was surrounded by many trees. Back of it stretched open fields. Within a few years another part about the size of the former was added. A stairway up through the center divided the building into four large classrooms, which served as such for some 30 years. By this time high school subjects had begun to be added to the course of study, which gave students two years of preparatory work before entering Beloit Academy, which many of them attended. The first class taking the regular four year course, that of 1882, graduated from this building

A new brick building was erected in 1893 on the same lot where the 1863 building had stood. The new building cost $13,000.00. When it was completed everyone thought the young people were well provided for. However, as time went on, up to date equipment had to be purchased and new courses added. Kindergarten was started in 1900. In 1914 manual training and domestic science were added to the course of study to attract young people of the surrounding communities to the school.

Soon this building too proved inadequate and the Village Hall was used for school purposes during the years 1922 to 1924 while a new and much larger building was constructed near the grade school. Jay Green, a member of the building committee, successfully encouraged the inclusion of a gym in the new high school. The building was completed in 1924 at a cost of about $100,000.00. This new high school was a three-story red brick with white trim. It had wide terrazzo corridors and stairs, and fine oak woodwork. A two story addition was made to this building in 1936-37 which included a home economics department, music department, agriculture room, storage space and restrooms.

A new 15 room grade school was built on the former site of the school athletic field on East Street at a cost of 225,000.00. Ground was broken for the new building in August of 1954; the cornerstone laid the first week of May, 1955. This fine building was dedicated on Nov. 13, 1955. In addition to the 15 classrooms, it had a large kindergarten room, office, health room, kitchen for serving hot lunches to students, and a large multi-purpose room.

Prior to the building of the new grade school, several rural schools petitioned to consolidate with the village schools. The first schools to petition to join the Clinton School District were: Maple Lawn, Conley, Clinton Corners, Clinton District No. 2, Joint Districts of Clinton, Bradford and La Prairie, Jefferson Prairie, Hofto, Northrup, Maple Grove and Summerville. Two years later petitions were received from Murray, Zilley, part of Lowell, part of Hart, part of Dougan and Hickory Grove. The petitions were all granted and the Clinton Community School District was formed in 1954.

A new senior high school building was started in July, 1957, with the building occupied in the fall of 1958. This building was to house the 10th, 11th and 12th grades, and is located just south of Milwaukee Road on the east edge of the village. This building was erected at a cost of $450,000.00, having 10 classrooms, including science rooms, band room, agriculture and shop room, vocational shop, home economics department and art classroom. There was also a general office, Superintendent's office, principal's office, storage space, teachers' lounge, health room, rest rooms, and a large 90 by 95 gym.

The building on Mill Street which had been the high school was adapted to serve as a junior high school and housed the 7th, 8th, and 9th grades. In 1961 a one story addition was built to the south side of this building at a cost of $150,000.00. In this addition are six classrooms, a new principal's office, library, counseling room, health room, teacher's room, rest rooms and storage space.

The Shopiere school district became a part of the Clinton Community School District on July 1, 1961. Kindergarten was started at Shopiere in the fall of 1961, and 7th and 8th grade students were transported to the junior high school in the Village of Clinton.

The number of students attending Clinton Schools in 1961-62 was: Kindergarten thru 6th grade, 519; Junior High (7th, 8th, and 9th) 107; Senior High, 207; Shopiere (Kindergarten thru 6th) 72. Fifty-two teachers, four principals and one superintendent directed the education of the 1037 students. The Bradford Consolidated School District was joined to the Clinton Community School District by action of the Rock County School Committee June 14, 1962. A portion of the Kemmerer School District was also joined to the Clinton Community District at that same time.

Clinton voters approved spending $15.9 million for the new high school in an October 1999 referendum. It was the fourth attempt by the school district to get voters' approval for the project since the mid 1990s. The new 140,000-square-foot high school sits on 60 acres. The general contractor was J.P. Cullen & Sons.

A $700,000 budget was used to renovate the current high school and will be used in replacing electrical and heating systems.

— Still several months away from completion, community members got their first look at the layout and interior of the new Clinton Community High School during open house tours Saturday afternoon.

‘‘Everything I've heard today has been highly positive,'' said Clinton Community School District Superintendent Rebecca Nodorft. ‘‘The school's just looking sharp.''

Offices, classrooms and athletic facilities have begun taking shape, giving area residents a small glimpse of what the finished project will look like.

The tour began at the main entrance. A high-ceiling commons area designed to be used in a variety of ways sprawls out to hallways leading in every direction. On the other side of the commons area is one of the three main entrances to the gymnasium.

Athletic Director and women's basketball coach Richard Gilbertson greeted the groups in the gym, which is still awaiting delivery of its state-of-the-art basketball floor.

Twelve basketball hoops hang from the ceiling. Gilbertson said there is enough room for three full-size basketball courts running east and west. An additional main court runs north and south in an area designed to accommodate 1,400 cheering Cougar fans.

‘‘We should be able to host large tournaments in volleyball and basketball,'' Gilbertson said.

Student host Kallie Knutson told community members about the library. Frosted-glass skylights bathe the entire library with natural light. In addition to normal material, the library will also have space for Internet-capable computers.

Metal framework separated the various areas of the special education classrooms and offices, which Linda Gracyalny said will allow the district to provide individual instruction to those students who need it.

New choir and band rooms have been designed with angled walls and acoustic tiles to improve sound quality. Three practice rooms will be designed with glass panes in them so teachers can keep a constant eye on students using them.

Wood shop, metals room and science areas have been designed with special rooms and work areas specific to each department. The wood shop and metals room will feature storage cabinets built into the walls, as well.

A feature at the new high school is the greenhouse attached to the agriculture class space.

Tom Amundson, director of the agriculture program, said the greenhouse will allow the district to expand its curriculum into areas of science that are developing and growing quickly.

Nodorft said the anticipated finishing date for construction crews is Oct. 1. If everything goes according to schedule, she said she thought the district could begin moving in before January 2002.

(Beloit Daily News - Monday, June 11, 2001)