Muskego High School: History: Letter

My father, Arnold D. Wicklund, was the first administrator hired by the Muskego Union High School District School Board.

A bit of history:
Our family moved to Muskego June 1956. A model home was rented as a temporary office until the high school could be built and occupied. I recall many nights during that next school year, finishing studying around 1 a.m. and Dad would come home from yet another school board meeting - and then leave for the school "office" in the morning at the same time I left to catch the 7 a.m. school bus to West Milwaukee High School.

Dad's first task was to coordinate with the newly elected school board and build the school. Then he hired all the teachers. He mediated in the discussion on academic emphasis. The board seemed to favor emphasis on college prep work while Dad proposed that there be equal emphasis on opportunities for the college-bound and non-college bound.

He felt that quality teaching would set the tone for a quality academic program. Therefore, drawing from over 20 years of experience in hiring throughout the state, he sought the best. Then the board decided to offer an evening program to begin immediately. Dad asked for four months and got the night school under way on schedule.

He also led in developing successful athletic, forensic, music and other co-curricular programs. He hired Gwynn Christianson, former U of Wisconsin football/baseball star, as football coach. Mr. Christianson promptly turned out championship teams in the tough Braveland Conference before moving on to River Falls as football coach. As I recall, Muskego also had winners in basketball, wrestling and other sports, and success in other activities.

Another challenge was political and financial. Muskego was largely rural and suburban with little industry. Costs of the new high school sent taxes soaring. Muskego was a union district serving but not supported directly by eight state grade districts, each with a school board and superintendent. Dad found that Muskego would enjoy a substantial increase in state aids if it reorganized as an integrated K-12 district. There was strong opposition to dissolving the grade districts, but the cost and tax advantages became obvious and the referendum was approved. Then Dad had to work with a new school board of individuals representing each of the former districts. And the burgeoning suburban population meant he had to meet needs for more space and facilities, more materials and equipment and more teachers.

Muskego was one of 12 or more new districts created during the 1950's in the greater Milwaukee area. In the other districts, three to five administrators supervised the birth. At Muskego, Dad was the only administrator - an extraordinary challenge!

Thanks for this opportunity. I have enjoyed the opportunity to overview this five year period in the life of the man who instilled in me a warm desire to do my best in whatever I'm doing.

Sincerely,

Marillyn Wicklund Knuteson
Hugo, MN