School bells have been awarded three Edgewood elementary School teachers who
are retiring this week.
Miss Florence Iverson
and Mrs. Gladys Maki, second grade teachers, and Mrs. Pearl Hamilton, a first
grade teacher together served in the profession 87 years. They are looking
forward to travel and time to do all the things they have been too busy for
during their teaching years.
The bells were awarded the women by the Wisconsin Education association through
the Oak Creek Education association during a picnic at the Henry Schwartz home.
They received bracelets from the primary teachers at Edgewood during a party
in their honor at the home of Miss Delores Tichkowski. The Edgewood Sunshine
club gave them wallets with key and glass cases.
The school year was completed by the Edgewood teachers with a luncheon
Wednesday at Donny's.
After teaching for 37 years, Miss Iverson is returning to the family home she
purchased in Livingston, Wis. She has never lost a day of work due to illness.
During her 14 years in Oak Creek she taught 7 at Scanlan and 7 at Edgewood.
She spent 7 years in rural schools in Dane county when she was her own janitor
and had to walk a mile when the snow was too deep.
She also taught at Sharon and Richland Center, London graded school and New
Berlin.
She graduated from Plattveille State Teachers' college in 1931 and has attended
summer school. During the depression years she taught a WPA crafts class at
Richland Center.
Miss Iverson has enjoyed teaching here. She said she feels like she is leaving
something behind.
She said children are pushed a lot more now than when she began teaching.
Now she would like to travel a bit, perhaps to the Hawaiian Islands, she said,
since she has only seen New York, Washington, D.C., and Quebec. She is
thinking of doing some sort of volunteer work in her home town and might help
out if a substitute teacher is needed, she said.
Miss Iverson loves to garden and grow flowers, do a bit of fishing and plans to
take up a hobby or two....
(Florence Elizabeth Iverson Papers, GWP Archives and Databases. Unknown Oak
Creek Paper, circa Jun 1977)
