White School

It took a few years for the first settlers to the area started thinking about schools. Afterall, it was not until 1846 (only seven years after George Stevens became the first person to survey the area) that Mrs. James l. Moore gave birth to the first child born in Wausau. Eventually, as more people came to Wausau to settle down and raise a family, the need for educating children became very important.

Educating the young in the 1850’s was done by a variety of teachers in a variety of buildings and houses across the Wausau area. But by 1860, the population of Wausau broke 500 and it became a necessity to build a permanent school house.

^ White School in 1882

The White School, Wausau's first public school house, was built in 1862. There may have been parochial schools organized locally elsewhere in the County, but this is the earliest, dedicated school house that we can find.

^ Students and faculty of White School in 1889, under the care of Mrs. Armstrong.

The school was located on Fifth Street, between Jefferson and Scott Streets, which is now on the backside of the Grand Theater. It was originially known as Village School, but it later came to be referred to as the White School.

This school house served children until 1889 when it was sold and a new Washington School was built on the same block.