REAM receives grant for repainting of Little Red Schoolhouse

Reprinted from the Sauk Herald

 

The Sauk Centre-Melrose REAM group was the recipient in September of a $300
grant from the Retired Educators Association of Minnesota.

The grant was given for the purpose of repainting the Little Red Schoolhouse located at the intersection of Highway 71 and 12th St. in Sauk Centre.

The Little Red Schoolhouse was originally built in the 1880s, about five miles
north of Padua, according to Dorothy Bieringer, a former student. It was always painted red. Five generations of Dorothy's family, the Frank Jenc family, attended the school and a number of them served as school board members.

The building was moved in 1972 to its present location on the grounds of the Interpretive Center in Sauk Centre.

The local retired educators group continues to support and care for the schoolhouse
by providing funds for its upkeep. The City of Sauk Centre also supports the effort.
They provided some of the funds to complete the painting project and also contacted the Sentence to Serve group in Stearns County who provided the labor for repainting.

The small rural schools are symbolic of the beginnings of public education in
rural Minnesota before the turn of the century. Interest continues in those beginnings
to this day.

The building is open to visitors each summer during Sinclair Lewis Days in July.
Anyone interested in tours during spring or summer months may contact Lorraine
Peschel at 352-6861.

John Mann wins government involvement award

ABC Newspapers
http://abcnewspapers.com/2011/10/21/john-mann-wins-government-involvement-award/

October 30, 2011

by Sue Austreng
Staff Writer

John Mann wanted the community wherever he lived and the schools wherever he worked to be the best they could be.

John Mann, retired Anoka-Hennepin school teacher and former Anoka City Councilmember, was awarded the 2011 John Moriarity Government Involvement Award.

The lifelong Anokan devoted some four decades to teaching the children of his hometown and spent nearly two dozen years serving its residents as city councilmember.

Last week, Mann received the Retired Educators Association of Minnesota (REAM) 2011 John Moriarity Government Involvement Award.

“This is a very significant award that recognizes the work educators do outside of the classroom. You wouldn’t believe the letters and accolades we got on John’s behalf when he was nominated for this award,” Karna Brewer said as family and friends gathered at Volunteers of America Anoka Care Center Oct. 14 for the award presentation.

“When you look at everything John’s done for the community, for the schools, for the families, for the children… I really do think he could walk across (the lake),” said REAM chairman Curt Hutchens.

Mann wore many hats during his teaching career, serving the Anoka-Hennepin School District as audio visual coordinator at what was then called Anoka Junior High School and as social studies teacher and department chairman at what was then called Northdale Junior High School.

“John’s classroom lectures were mesmerizing. He had a way of taking a lesson plan and spinning it into a story that his students enjoyed and understood,” Hutchens reported one of Mann’s fellow teachers as saying.

But Mann’s passions and enthusiasm extended beyond the classroom walls.

He served on the planning commission for the city of Anoka for 10 years, was elected to serve on the Anoka City Council for 23 years, served on the Anoka-Champlin Fire Board and was a charter member and founder of the Anti-Crime Commission for the city of Anoka, serving on that commission for 20 years.

According to Hutchens, Anoka Police Chief Phil Johanson said, “The citizens of Anoka are fortunate to have such committed citizen volunteers like John Mann, whose efforts truly make Anoka a better place to live, work, visit and do business.”

Mann has lived his entire life in Anoka, born in the city 81 years ago, graduating from Anoka High School with the class of 1948 and then teaching and serving ever since.

Just this past May, Mann’s Parkinson’s disease forced him to leave the Anoka home in which he and his wife, Yvonne, raised their three children. He currently resides at the Anoka Care Center.

Yvonne shares John’s passions for education. She taught music in Mora and also for a short time in the Anoka-Hennepin School District.

The Manns’ children also share their parents’ passion for education. Daughter Kathy Gessler was a para-educator and lives in Ely; son Brian Mann is assistant principal at Champlin-Brooklyn Park Academy for Math and Environmental Science; and son Greg Mann teaches in Sauk Rapids.

“We knew some of what he did in education and for the community, but we didn’t know all of it,” said Brian Mann. “We sure are proud of him. He deserves this award,” said Gessler. Mike Jensen, former GOP House District Chairman and candidate for the Minnesota Legislature, endorses Mann for this award, Hutchens said.

“He (was) active in the party and was a loyal, dependable and well-liked worker for candidate campaigns as well as party functions,” Jensen said.

During his Anoka City Council tenure, Mann was actively involved in the city’s systematic purchase of certain properties along the Rum River. Eventually, the Rivers Pointe Townhouses became a reality on that property, and a new city parking ramp, a new safety center (housing the police and fire departments) and a new three-phase condominium complex are all part of a nearly completed City Center Redevelopment Plan that Mann was involved with as a councilmember.

“The John Moriarity Government Involvement Award is a fitting award for someone as forward thinking and involved in local government as John has been over the years,” Hutchens said.

Brewer and Eloise Miller, both members of the Anoka Hennepin Retired Staff Association, nominated Mann for the REAM Government Involvement Award.

The announcement that Mann had won the award was made at the State REAM Convention’s Award Banquet Sept. 19.

To learn more about the Retired Educators Association of Minnesota, visit www.mnream.org.

Sue Austreng is at sue.austreng@ecm-inc.com