In 1930, a young kindergarten teacher at the First Ward school (later Roosevelt School) was preparing her classroom. As she decorated her walls to make it cheery and educational for her incoming students, she took down an old, deteriorated portrait of a serious looking bearded gentleman. She stored the old portrait away in a closet until seasoned educators and older residents learned of her ‘rearranging.’ A educators and residents asked that she put the portrait back up on the wall quickly, as the portrait was of C.F. Viebahn.

In Chloupek’s first year as Superintendent in 1920, Manitowoc County had 110 school districts and 142 teachers.  The total enrollment of all schools, both public and private, was 4,161 students.  Most schools had enrollments of 25 to 35 students, while 2 had over 56 children in attendance.  She was reelected for another 2 terms as County Superintendent.

The month of March celebrates the contributions women have made throughout history in science, politics, law, sports, the arts, entertainment, and many other fields. While figures such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Harriet Tubman, Amelia Earhart, Eleanor Roosevelt, Margaret Thatcher, and Rosie the Riveter are often associated with Women's History Month, there are countless extraordinary women who have earned their place at the table and have made Manitowoc County what it is today.

Education has always been an important focus in our county. It was only a year after the first permanent settlers came to Manitowoc from Chicago that our county’s early pioneers began to establish schools for their children. The first school in Manitowoc County was a room in a warehouse on the corner of 6th and Commercial Streets in Manitowoc, owned by Benjamin Jones, a prominent citizen. Soon schools began popping up across townships and by the end of 1850 schools were located in Centerville, Cato, Newton, Rockland, Meeme, Mishicot, and Liberty.

This year, the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity, based at Holy Family Convent on Silver Lake, celebrate 150 years of operation in the Manitowoc area. The community was established in 1869, and since its founding, its works of service have focused on education and health care in the surrounding community.

Their Motherhouse, Holy Family Convent on Silver Lake, was built in 1874. In 1881, a fire that started when the convent was struck by lightning left only portions of three walls intact. In a Herald Times Reporter article written in 1981, the fire is described based on eyewitness accounts. The fire reportedly “burned between the ceiling and the roof in the attic,” preventing neighbors’ notice of the fire until it broke through the roof. In the face of the destruction, the Manitowoc community rallied around the Sisters, and many people donated to help them rebuild.