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The History of Woods School begins with the Irish Woods — The Irish Woods School, now identified as Woods School Joint District #4 of the towns of Geneva and Linn, had its origin in 1858. In 1853, the Wisconsin Central Railroad Company received a charter to build a railroad from the state line at Genoa Junction north through the villages of Geneva, Elkhorn, and Whitewater. Irish immigrants who were hired as construction workers brought their families to the area. Although the railroad was never completed, many of the families stayed, thus the name Irish Woods.
Many of the descendants of the early settlers still live in the Geneva Area. One former student of Woods School is Miss Marie Cronin, who in 1945 compiled Woods School history for the Wisconsin State centennial. According to her research, Woods was established in 1858 as part of the Geneva Village School. The corner land (at present Snake Road and Highway 50) for the original school property was donated by Lige Marble with the stipulation that the land must always be used for school purposes and that any change of use would result in the land reverting to the heirs of the donor. Part of that original site is still the school grounds.
FIRST SCHOOLHOUSE — 1886
The first schoolhouse was a wood structure. In 1886, the original school was sold to Martin Nohelty, who gave in exchange for it about one fourth acre of his farmland which joined the Woods property. Nohelty moved the old building onto his farm and used it for a cow barn. The first brick structure, built in 1886, is now the kindergarten room. The second part was added in 1900. This is currently the art room.
Woods School ended its affiliation with Geneva Village in 1929 when it became an independent district. At this time, Joint District #4 of the township of Geneva and Linn was formed. The boundaries of the new district were defined as: “all lands lying between the lakes of Lake Como and Lake Geneva. The west boundary was Hughe’s corner, and the east boundary was the east end of the Deignan property.”
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENTS
In 1950, a new entrance and two restrooms were added and a new well was drilled. Even through water was reached at 125 feet, it was suggested to proceed with the drilling until reaching another water table - which wasn’t until 380 feet. In 1965, the board voted to spend $120,000 for construction of two more classrooms and the gym. At that time, the Bell family also donated a parcel of land for an extension of the playground.
CONSOLIDATION DEFEATED
Also during 1965, a notice was received from the Walworth County School Committee dissolving the district and attaching it to Joint District #1. Concerned parents planned a well organized strategy to fight this order and to bring it to referendum. The referendum defeated the order. The addition was completed in 1966. In 1966, there was another attempt to detach Linn’s part from the district and attach it to Joint District #1. This was defeated by one vote in the Walworth County School Committee. The county superintendent and representatives from the state were urging residents to consolidate.
Another attempt by the Walworth County School Committee to form a K-12 district was defeated in 1968. In 1969, the board resolved to borrow $60,000 to construct two classrooms, toilet facilities, furnace room and office. In 1973, $100,000 was borrowed to add four more classrooms and a teacher’s lounge. All of the construction loans were retired in 1983.
THE 21st CENTURY
In 2000, $2,200,000 was borrowed to add a new wing to Woods School and renovate the existing structure. A new pitched roof was added to the school building. New offices were added to the front of the original school. Work was completed by the fall of 2001.
An additional four acres of land was acquired in 2001. This land was developed with a new baseball diamond, soccer field and playground area. Work was completed by the fall of 2003. A new holding tank system was installed during the summer of 2005.
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