Wheatland History

Wheatland's bell, to be hung in the bell tower of the new school gazebo. This bell was made in 1881 and was part of Spaulding School before five schools created one district.  It is now part of Wheatland's long history here in Naperville.

A Brief History of Wheatland School

The people of Wheatland Township have always had the utmost regard for education. Although the township remained rather sparsely settled prior to 1840, by 1846 school was held for the first time, and by Christmas of 1846, three cooperative schools were in session. 

The first public school in Wheatland Township was organized on June 30, 1848, when Willis and Mariette Wright deeded ground for a school to the Will County Commission. This district was known as District 7, which later became Johnson School, District 41.

The Commission leased ground in 1849 for $32.50 from Frederick Haag which was used to construct Spaulding School, District 38.  The total cost of furnishing the school building is reported at $15.44.   One of the first teachers, Savinia Snyder, received $30.00 for teaching the Winter term of 1851.

Edward T. Durant and his wife, Sally, deeded ground to the Commission on June 24, 1849. White School, District 40 was built on this land. All original records were lost in a fire that destroyed the home of Mr. J. Palmer Patterson.  Later the same year, the Will County Commission leased a site for another school from Mr. and Mrs. Lillie.  In 1882 this school building was moved and became the Lombard School, District 42.

In June of 1853, William Preswerk deeded land for Lantz School, District 39. This building was later relocated to the intersection of Book Road and 119th Street. By 1872, there were ten schools in the township with a total enrollment of 368 children.  

On April 24, 1948, the voters approved the consolidation of Districts 38, 39, 40, 41, and 42 and formed Community Consolidated District 40-C.   During the next two years, the board of directors planned and constructed the original Wheatland School.    When Wheatland School opened in the fall of 1950, the era of the one room school house, that had served so well for over one hundred years, came to an end in Wheatland Township. 

The original Wheatland School building opened with three classrooms and 62 students.   It was dedicated on December 1, 1950.  The Naperville Sun called Wheatland "a new, ultra-modern consolidated school." The Aurora Beacon News hailed it as "the epitome of consolidation." Mrs. Janet Brown was the school’s first principal and also taught first and second grades.  Miss Elizabeth Hoyt taught third, fourth, and fifth grades, and Mrs. Lois Will taught sixth, seventh, and eighth grades.  The first graduation class of eighth graders consisted of five students Doris Lee, Bert Panthke, Phyliss Schillinger, Gerry Smith, and Doris Wilkening.  

In 1967 it looked as though another consolidation was imminent and Wheatland would, after all, lose its district.  It didn't. Jerry McClain, who was then superintendent, principal and teacher at Wheatland, gave the credit to the farmers of Wheatland.  "They’re the greatest people in the world," he said.  The farmers agreed to raise their taxes about $2.00 an acre to build an addition to Wheatland, in order to keep the district the way it was.   They even pitched in and helped build the addition in order to keep the costs down to about $14.00 a square foot.  These farm families - the Clows, Pattersons, Boughtons, Hackers, Kemmerers and many others - wanted to keep their school in Wheatland.   And they did. 

On November 12, 1967, the "new" Wheatland School was open to the public. Enrollment had grown to 137 students, and the addition of four classrooms, a stage, a gym, and four bathrooms was seen as a true accomplishment for the entire Wheatland community.   As the Naperville Sun reported it looked as though the future of District 40-C was assured. The Sun stated that the only problem Wheatland may have is "one of growth."  Little did they know. 

In 1970, four more classrooms were added to the north wing.  In 1972, District 204 was consolidated from three elementary school districts: Wheatland School in Plainfield, Indian Plains School in Eola, and Granger School in Aurora.   At the time of consolidation, the entire population of the district was 4,204. Very little business and commercial development had been built up in the district at this time, and the plans to construct Fox Valley Center had not yet been announced.  The south wing, with an additional five classrooms, office area, and bathrooms was added in 1972. 

Wheatland School celebrated its 35th birthday on November 21, 1985.   Special guest speakers recalled their fond memories of Wheatland School Jerry McClain, deputy superintendent for District 204 and former principal; Patricia Gensler, a Wheatland faculty member for eighteen years; and Pauline Warkenthien, a former District 204 school board member and Wheatland’s first parent-Teacher Club president.  The celebration included a slide presentation of the history of Wheatland and a cake in the shape of Wheatland School.