Kiddies Contribute To Make Hot Lunch Plan Success

     The rich odor and white steam floating up from hot chocolate in the air carried a most direct appeal to one who had ridden for an hour or more over rough country roads on a brisk autumn afternoon. The last child of 86 which attend the White School in Verona Township was just being served by a tail young man, Elmer Gordon, his teacher.
     The child took a cup and spoon from a small table in front of the tiny kitchenette and handed it to Mr. Gordon who filled it with coco and gave him a paper napkin and straw with which to drink his milk. Every child is required to bring his own bottle of milk to school daily. Then the child marched back to his desk, spread his napkin on top of it and took the food from his tin dinner pail which he had brought to school. When, all of his classmate were ready he began to eat.
     "The aim of the hot lunch is first of all to 'keep good health. As the children are not allowed to eat before every one is ready and not allowed to go before everyone is through it not only insured a slowly eaten meal and thus better health but also encourage better table manners," said Mr. Gordon.
     The children do all the work from making the tables and shelves to the cooking of the hot lunch, and cleaning up afterwards. Besides the hot lunch to insure better health conditions in his school Mr. Gordon has a tooth brush and fingernail policeman. Each morning the toothbrush policeman goes to a chart which is on the wall and calls the roll. If the kiddie whose name called has brushed his teeth twice before he answers "Present" and receives a gold star. If he does not answer he does not receive a star and is punished for not having brushed his teach by having to wash the woodwork in the kitchenette or some like task.
     As soon as this policeman has finished performing his duty each child places his hands on top of his desk and the finger nail policeman inspects his fingernails. If they are not clean the child must go clean them.

Capital Times - November 10, 1923

Progress in Health Work to Win Banners for Grade and Rural Schools Today

     With the close of the school year, the public health work of the county nurses will be brought to a climax today at the field in Vilas park with the awarding of a health banner to each of the two rural schools, and each of the two graded schools in the county which have shown the most distinctive progress in health, and which have submitted the most perfect health records for the year.….

     In western Dane the Helland school of Vermont township is the winner ol the banner this year. Last year the White school, of Verona, of which Elmer Gordon is the teacher, won the banner, while the year before the Hellaud school had the banner. Thus, an exciting rivalry exlsists between these two schools which has kept the banner flying back and forth between them. 
     Each teacher, according to the county health nurses, has been left to work out her own methods of interesting the children in health and wellness.....

Wisconsin State Journal - June 6, 1924

Western Dane County Wins First, Second In Badger Schools Show

     Western Dane County brought home a bit of pride and considerable bacon from the premiums awarded on educational exhibits at the State Fair. Western Dane stood fourth among 26 competing counties. White School, Verona, under the supervision of Elmer Gordon, won first place in the state on rural school exhibits. Ashton school took second place in the state Asland is taught by Sister Celesta.....

 Wisconsin State Journal - September 2, 1924

Children Mar Five Schools

    A brother and sister, about 11 years old, were turned over to juvenile authorities today for the damage they admitted wreaking on the Pleasant Valley school, town of Oregon, prior to and during Halloween. The pair was questioned fay Undersheriff Elmer Ottum.
     The youngsters admitted smashing windows, ripping out parts of a piano, scattering books and pouring paint and chalk on them, tipping over desks, and smashing plates. The school is not being used this year.
     Sheriff John R. Arnold reported today that two other schools had been visited by Halloween vandals. They are the Gordon school, Town of Verona, where eight windows were smashed and two privies tipped over, and the White school, near Verona, where several small windows were smashed. Earlier damage to Pleasant Springs school and Maple Grove school was reported.
     Ten youths. 14 to 15 years old, vho were taken into custody by Madison police for smashing a window with tomatoes and lowering a street light, also admitted daubing paint on walls at East high school They were turned over to probation authorities.

Wisconsin State Journal - November 2, 1943

Teachers Reunite at One-Room School

      One of the last traditional "one-roomer" school houses, White school, located on Highway PD between Verona and Mt. Horeb, closes at the end-of this school year. 
     Saturday afternoon the present and former teachers of White school gathered on the school lawn for a reunion picnic. 
     Teachers present, from foreground to back, were Eric Nemoc, present teacher; Beatrice Keller, teacher from 1962 to 1963; Rose Einerson, 1959-62; Phyllis Pautz, 1957-59; Gladys Huber, 1954-56; Doyle Alexander, 1949-54; Laura Norslien, 1941-44; Alice Paulson, 1939-41; Ethel Gust, 1925-27; Elmer Gordon, 1922-25: Martha Dolohanty, 1918-19; Pearl Carpenter Thompson, 1916-18; Thea Offerdahl, 1914-15; Jeannie Ferguson, 1902; and Mabel Pierstorff Hammersby (not shown), 1909-10.

Wisconsin State Journal - May 23, 1965