First through eighth grade pupils are depicted, with two teachers, standing in front of the one-room Maunu School. This building was located on the present site of the intersection of the present Canosia Road and Forstie Road.
This is a photograph of pupils and teacher in Esko one-room School with desks in foreground, blackboards, and clock in background. The Esko one-room school was used from 1897 to 1920, and was located at Thomson Road and Highway 61, and was also known as Mallinen's School. The building itself was moved in 1959 and can be toured at the Esko Historical Society site as the school building. Although the teacher and many of the pupils are not identified, some of their names can be read on the black board, including, #10 - Juntunen, Ida; #11 - Juntunen, Eddy; #12 - Juntunen, Joseph; #13 Juntunen, Yalmer; Kangas, Selma; Mattinen, Mary; #16 - Mattinen, Yalmer; #17 - Peterson, John; #18 - Peterson, Yalmer; #19 - Peterson, Adolph; #20 - Polo, Olga; #21 - Polo, Charles; #22 - P., Hilda; Isaac; #23 - Perry, Charles; #24 - Perry, Bessie; #25 - Point, Eddy; Sunnarborg, Julia; ?; Charles; Annie; Matthews, Geo.; #1 - Esko, Henry; #2 - Esko, Fred; #3 - Hiukka, Alice; #4 - Hiukka.
Esther (Sarkela) Huuima wrote that this photo was from a sawmill in Thomson. She identifies her father and her brother, Hugo Sarkela, in the photo, as indicated by the two ink check marks. The check mark in the back center of the photo marks the father, and the checkmark in the front center indicates Hugo Sarkela. Note the four fire fighting water barrels on top of the roof, as well as the teams of horses and wagons. The man in the back with a black suit is probably the boss of the operation.
This is a photograph of an early school bus and four bus drivers - Jack Ikola, Charles Johnson, Andrew Kinnunen, and Edwin Olson, next to the Washington School teachers' residence, known as a teacherage. Note the required formal uniforms of the bus drivers. The Washington School was located behind the photographer.
This 1950 oil painting is a self-portrait of Esko resident and artist Edgar F. Olson himself. Born July 25, 1896, in Esko, he did a number of artworks, mostly oil paintings, for the community and its members, before his death on August 18, 1974.
Honor Students were named by Principal L. B. Olson. Coach Leslie Knuti attended the Annual Coaches' Conference in Minneapolis. Girls from the GAA attended the annual Arrowhead Girls Conference at Chisholm, with twenty four other schools from the area. The high school band played for Carlton at the regional basketball tournament, by request, at Hibbing. Superintendent A. L. Winterquist wrote extensively about the value of English courses. A page was written about fashions for spring for both men and women. Junior High and Washington School news items were given, as well as 4-H and GAA doings.
The annual junior-senior banquet was held at Glass Block Tea Rooms, followed by a party at Lincoln School. Thomson 4-H Club won honors in the 4-H Music and Play Contest. Lincoln School held a concert by Don Piedro's Spanish Sparklets which had been postponed two weeks prior by inclement weather. One afternoon it appeared that there might be a dust storm. Notice was given that the Bethel English Lutheran Church would hold services on Sunday at Lincoln School. Miss Edna Tan of the Washington School faculty was hospitalized at Raiter Hospital. Duluth State Teachers' College A Capella Choir presented a concert. Arbor Day was observed with an assembly, program, and tree plantings. At an all high school mixer the hall of fame students were elected. Washington School news was given, including a note that Harvey Karjala brought slate and stone from Thomson, in conjunction with a geography class. A page was devoted to table etiquette. The high school track team was preparing for the District Track Meet to be held at Cloquet. Esko groups, including the Thomson High School Band and Glee Club, entered the Tri-County Music Festival at Moose Lake.
Basketball Season closed, with four seniors playing their last game. The Thomson High School band performed a concert. They had played for every home basketball game. Student Kirk Otto wrote about the trip to a state safety conference in Minneapolis with Superintendent A. L. Winterquist and Sheriff Luukkonen. Mr. B. M. Winkleman of the Duluth Business University gave a talk to the student body, sponsored by the commercial students. Services conducted in English were advertised at the Finnish Apostolic Lutheran Church. Superintendent A. L. Winterquist wrote an article promoting the library. Over a page was devoted to pastry, with several recipes given. A page was devoted to a summary of the twenty sixth district basketball tournament, where Thomson-Carlton were subdistrict champs. Among news items was an item noting that basketball members were dinner guests at the Lincoln Teacherage.
Doktor Dinglehoofer's giant circus was scheduled to be at an Esko Carnival at the Lincoln School, sponsored by the Future Farmers of America. The annual 4-H Achievement Day was to be held at Lincoln School in Esko. English church services were going to beheld at the Finnish Apostolic Lutheran Church on Friday, with a special welcome extended to Lincoln and Washington students. A carnival queen would be elected in the FFA Circus Queen contest. The senior play was presented at the Scanlon School. The agricultural classes, both male and female, toured the Northeastern Experiment Station. Superintendent A. L. Winterquist wrote an article about the importance of history classes. One page was devoted to the origin of costume accessories. Items of news from the 4-H Cubs were given, including the announcement of the 4-H Music and one-act play contest.
Thomson 4-H Club students placed high on Carlton County Achievement Day. The Tri-County Music Festival was held at Moose Lake and judged to be an outstanding musical event. The Teenie Weenie Band and the Washington School Chorus gave a concert at Washington School. Thomson placed second in the district track meet. Baccalaureate and commencement speakers were named. The Thomson Township High School took part in a parade at Cloquet for the Carlton County School Police, with a picnic afterwards at Jay Cooke Park. Superintendent A. L. Winterquist wrote about the high school graduate. He also wrote a brief note about how inspirational the Tri-County Music Festival was.
Helen Tan was selected to represent Carlton County as the Potato Queen. Fans of the Elk's charity football classic were proud of the performance of the high school band before the game and between halves The Thomson 4-H Club won second prize on a state fair booth about health, and seven members won trips to the state fair. Constitution Day was observed at an assembly at which Cloquet attorney Evelyn McKenna spoke. A column was devoted to activities of sixteen alumni. The high school band competed at the State Fair and placed eighth. Superintendent A. L. Winterquist wrote about the 1937-1938 school year. An article by student Clarence Carlson about the FFA was given. William Wainio and Ray Maki wrote an article about their trip to the North East Experiment Station. Washington School, junior high school, 4-H news, and GAA news was given, including the first outing of the GAA to Hay Creek for a cheese and bacon roast. In FFA news, Thomsomites were on the potato show committee, who decided to hold the grain and potato show at the Cloquet Civic Center. A traveling musician, Orsen Sime, entertained at Lincoln School, with novelty musical instruments. The busy band season included the band playing during the past summer at a variety of places to raise money for their trip to compete at the State Fair. To save money they slept in tents set up on the camp grounds, warmed by straw bales. The PTA ladies made all their food.
The blind orchestra from the Duluth Lighthouse for the Blind was judged to be the best act of the third annual GAA variety show. The school band, under direction of L. B. Olson, played at the Sixth Annual Northeastern Minnesota Junior Livestock Show. The band paraded from the Duluth City Hall at Fifth Avenue West, to London Road, and to the Curling Club. The junior class enjoyed an outing to a log cabin at Jay Cooke Park. New library helpers, called pages, started work. The band entertained at the Arrowhead Cooperative Creamery meeting. Superintendent A. L. Winterquist wrote about safety in an article titled, "The Matter of Life and Death." Junior high school news was given, including a note about many students being absent because of the busy potato picking season. The Thomson Townships Farmers' Club met. The junior and senior bands were organized, with officers being elected. Community news items were given about the comings and goings of Township residents. The junior football team was defeated by the senior team. Candidates for the boys basketball team had a physical examination, prior to the start of basketball practice.
An attorney from Cloquet was the guest speaker at the Armistice Day program. Thomson student Beatrice Lehto played several accordion solos on the radio broadcast of the Finnish Program sponsored by Occident Flour. Mildred Bergstedt was selected by the state 4-H club leader to give a talk about 4-H Clubs on radio station WEBC. The PTA Chorus presented Mrs. Hale of the Denfeld High School to give a lecture at the Lincoln about her year in Finland. Student Harry Osvald returned to Lincoln to complete his senior year of high school after spending six months in the CCC at Gooseberry Falls, where he served as editor of the twenty-page CCC monthly paper, "The Gitchi Gummi Undertow." Superintendent A. L Winterquist wrote an editorial about the high school pupil. There was an "In Memoriam" to Andrew E. Jarvi. In eighth grade school news, Alice Klemo couldn't attend school because of illness in her family that necessitated her entire family being quarantined for six weeks. The Esko Bears made a trip to Elde's Corner to trounce the All Stars from Elde's Corner in football. The English Lutheran Sunday School, on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the church, presented an anniversary program at the Lincoln School. Among the various community news items was a story about Mr. H. J. Mattinen, local postmaster, telling about a new mail service from Duluth and Cloquet, bringing the total number of deliveries a day of mail to Esko to six. Mr. and Mrs. L. B. Olson held a dinner party at their home for the Latin classes. News was given for 4-H as well as the Future Farmers, who attended the first annual Future Farmers banquet of the district number 7 at Eveleth. The vocational agricultural students made a field trip to the Carlton County Potato and Grain Show at Cloquet, and exhibited there. At the monthly meeting of the Thomson Township Farmers' Club officers were elected, and plans for the annual Club banquet were made. Among musical selections were a number of selections by the Nopeming Finnish Choir directed by Isaac Esko. Twenty six Thomson Township young men attended the organization of part-time educational classes at the Lincoln School. The members of the Thomson Tommies basketball team were discussed, and the 1937-1938 basketball schedule was listed.
Students of vocational agriculture were selected by their agricultural instructor to represent Thomson Township at the High School Agriculture Students' Livestock Judging Contest and third annual Tri-State Invitational meet to be held at the Northeast Experiment Station. The band presented a big minstrel show at Lincoln School. The Thomson Township High School Band competed in the Battle of Bands at the Duluth Amphitheater, sponsored by the Duluth Chamber of Commerce. Superintendent A. L. Winterquist answered the question of why a student should go to high school. An "In Memoriam" item honored and memorialized Raymond Daniel Tan. In Washington school news items an article noted that Washington grade children were brushing their teeth with toothpaste sent by Kolynos Company to the students. Community news items were given, one of which noted that one of the oldest settlers here, Mr. Emanuel Himango, died at his home. Basketball practice started for the Thomson Tommies, with inter-mural football games were played. The Red Cross organization was the theme of the monthly PTA meeting.
Emil Sota is the driver of the steam powered tractor, Albert Olson is his engineer, and also present in the photo are Henry Juntunen from Cloquet, Jalmer Juntunen, Ed Juntunen of Meadowbrook Dairy, Joseph Juntunen, and Selma (Juntunen) Dickinson who probably worked in the office there.
This photograph shows a young Superintendent A.L. Winterquist (Alfred L. Winterquist) and his secretary, L. Thompson, in his first office at the then newly built Lincoln School in Esko. The schools were consolidated shortly after his arrival in Esko in 1919.
Depicted here is teacher Helia Branwall standing in front of the Washington School in Thomson Township. She taught several generations of Esko residents, and was one of the longest serving teachers in the school system.
This photograph shows teachers of the Thomson Township (Esko) School District standing on a porch, perhaps of the Washington School teacherage, where they lived. The places of abode built for the teachers were called "teacherages."
Depicted here is haying on the Edgar F. Olson (previously Nels O. Olson) farm, as the team of horses is hauling the loose hay to the barn. Way in the back of the photo is a hay rake.
The annual "The Bugle" was stenciled, mimeographed, and put together by our Washington principal, teachers, and pupils. Thirty four students were going to attend Lincoln Junior High School in the fall, leaving Washington School. The sixth grade went on a science field trip during which a student hurt his head bending over to catch a crayfish and the teacher, Mr. Waterhouse, tore his trousers going through a barbed wire fence. Information was given about eight faculty members, and short editorials were written by Principal E.H. Waterhouse and Superintendent A. L. Winterquist, as well as students. A page about the personalities of the sixth grade students was given. The Washington Basketball team members were listed. Summer plans for travel were given for quite a few students. Information was given about various activities at Washington, including the mixed chorus, orchestra, stringed ensemble, and rhythm band. The basketball team did well. The grades carried out an art program of weaving, painting, drawing, bottle dipping, clay modeling, soap carving, and pencil drawing, with some projects to be exhibited at the Annual Thomson Township Fair.
Students corresponded with foreign students. The band played for the Boy Scout Jamboree held at Jay Cooke Park. Health examinations were given to everybody. Superintendent A. L. Winterquist wrote an editorial about teaching democracy. Junior High school and Washington School news items were given, along with the observation that a few of the boys and girls stayed home from school to help pick potatoes. The industrial arts department had a page devoted to class projects, with auto mechanics being offered to twelfth grade boys. A touch football league was organized by the physical education classes. A page was devoted to FFA news, including their field trips to Mr. Sota's experimental potato plot and Seikkula's farm.
New junior high English teacher, Miss Clarice Moen, was introduced. The Girls' Glee Club and Superintendent A. L. Winterquist attempted to get a phonograph to be used at the skating rink. An article urging students to buy the bi-annual Lincoln Log yearbook was included. The Spotlight issues from September to January were entered in the contest of the National Scholastic Press. The band held a skating party. A pep rally was held to raise school spirit for the Carlton basketball game. Superintendent A. L. Winterquist wrote a sobering editorial urging students to think critically, with the world problems and war looming. Sophomore students wrote to international students and received some replies. A junior high assembly focused on thrift. In basketball, Thomson beat Floodwood as well as Grand Marais, but Carlton and Moose Lake beat Thomson. In FFA news, an FFA library was established. The FFA sponsored a Finnish movie, with proceeds to be divided between the FFA Chapter and the Finnish Benefit Fund at the Lincoln School. FFA boys worked on speeches for the public speaking contest. The Esko FFA chapter published the district news letter.
Committees were selected for the Thomson Township PTA Benefit party. Five girls represented the Thomson Band at the Clinic Demonstration Band held in conjunction with the Band Sectional meeting at the Shrine Auditorium. The Northeast division of the Minnesota Education Association meet for their thirty-second biennial convention in Duluth. Health examinations for both students and staff focused on tuberculosis detection. An article promoted the Boy Scouts. A double quintet was formed from the Girls' Glee Club to sing at the junior class play. A school bus patrol was organized, with bus routes being assigned. Student Helmi Kivisto thanked fellow sophomore students for letters and a Bible received while she was at Ah-Gwah Ching Sanatorium being treated for tuberculosis. Superintendent A. L. Winterquist wrote about transportation insurance. The Owls' Club elected officers. A page was devoted to FFA news, which included news about the national FFA convention and an invitation to FFA graduates to attend meetings. The GAA girls hiked to Cloquet. Despite cold weather, the girls practiced baseball outside. The Thomson Tommies football team reported to practices. A group of boys from Esko went to Jay Cooke Park to play football with Brownell boys, who came a week later to play at Esko.
Free physical examinations for all staff and students showed that one-third of students had one or more of the following defects: bad teeth, defective tonsils, enlarged thyroid glands, and poor eyesight. Thomson Township schools organized bus patrols to add to safety, by the patrols assisting the bus drivers maintain discipline, flagging buses across railroad tracks, and directing pupils as they crossed roads. An Armistice Day program was scheduled. In addition to an article promoting the Boy Scouts, the township's first Boy Scout Troop was organized. Evening courses were offered in typewriting at Lincoln School. The Girls' Glee Club, directed by Isaac Esko, sang over radio station WEBC. Superintendent A. L. Winterquist wrote an editorial about the school bus patrol. Committees were named to plan the Farmers' Club banquet. The junior high class members jointed the Red Cross. The Thomson Tommies reported for basketball practice. The Esko Bears beat the Nopeming Cubs in football. The basketball schedule for 1939-1940 was given.
Many grade school pupils were hard at work on an operetta. The annual staff for the Lincoln Log yearbook was named. A mass meeting of all people interested in contributing for the fund to aid Finland was held at Washington School, with money given to the Red Cross. An article about the Russian Bear growling at peace loving Finland was included. X-Ray reports on students were ready for parents and students to view. Students were urged to fight tuberculosis by buying Christmas Seals. Superintendent A. L. Winterquist wrote about the health of the students and staff. In FFA news, Esko was sixth in the chapter conducting contest held in Virginia. The Annual Farmers' Club Goodwill Banquet was held. Part-time classes at night met to study shop work and agricultural topics. In basketball the Thomson Tommies beat Grand Mariais and Alborn. A professional Chinese basketball team, called the Hong Wah Kues, beat the FFA basketball team. The local FFA basketball team had a busy season lined up.