Wellesley Township Heritage & Historical Society
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Picture

S. S. #16 - Wellesley

The first village school was built of logs in 1848 in Brenneman’s Bush.  It was destroyed by fire in 1849 and replaced by another log school on land owned by Dr. M. R. Berst. 

In 1859 a stone school replaced the second log school. When it became too small, it was replaced by a large, two-storey brick school in 1898. The 1859 stone school became the Memorial Hall and is now used as a daycare centre. 

In 1930 the school received accreditation as a "Continuation School" to accommodate high school students as well as the lower grades. The school was closed in 1967 when the new Wellesley Public School was built on Queen's Bush Road. The "old school" now houses the Wellesley Branch of the Waterloo Regional Library and the WTHHS 
Historical Room. The school was designated an historic building in 1989.

The Historical Room collection includes many school-related documents including an almost complete set of attendance registers from 1890-1970 as well as some class photos.


We have the S. S. #16 School Visitors Book available in our Digital Collection. It includes reports of visits by school trustees, some written in German as well as minutes of Wellesley School Board Annual meetings.

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S. S. #16 - Wellesley Public School, postcard, n.d. (Accession #2011-08-04)

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S. S. #16 - Wellesley Public School, The Boys and Principal Kerr, 1909 (Accession #2011-15-002)
Row 1: Edgar Hamel, Ernie Hamel, Solomon Wagler, Noah Wagler, Otto Leoptke, Edison Albrecht, Arthur Stahle, Alfred Battenberg, Victor Ottman, Theodore Schmidt, Aaron Zehr, Edward Habermehl
Row 2: Easton Wilhelm, Valentine Berdux, George Dietz, Jacob Gingerich, Peter Roth, Daniel Wagler, Peter Lichty, Clayton Miller, Reinhold Hammer, Samuel Lichty, Jonas Kennel, Elwood Heipel, Edward Litwiller, Herbert Battenberg, Aaron Jantzi
Row 3: Amos Lichty, William Dietz, Anderson Dewar, Walter Battenberg, George Egerdi, Wilfred Berscht, Milton Lees, Valentine Habermehl, Arthur Leoptke, Norman Grahm, Earl Wilhelm, Ezra Leis, Russell Grahm

Row 4 : Julius Eckstein, Menno Roth, Conrad Berg, Christ Streicher, David Heipel, Herbert Berscht, Louis Ottman, Walter Berdux, Lincoln Ratz, Jacob Roth, George Bellinger, Edgar Heipel, Charles Yendt, Irvin Fleischauer, Charles Lipps, Albert Ottman, Alex Dewar, Oscar Battenberg


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S. S. #16 - Wellesley Public School, The Girls and Principal Kerr, 1909 (Accession #2011-15-003)

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S. S. #16 - Wellesley Public School, Junior Football Team with Principal Kerr, 1909 (Accession #2011-15-004)

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S. S. #16 - Wellesley Public School, Room 4, 1917 (Accession #08-02-03)
Row 1: L. Neeb, A. Battenburg, A. Albrecht, R. Reiner, C. Gerber, V. Ottman, A. Stahle
Row 2: J. Leis, M. Saunders, K. Graham, E. Schmehl,  ___ Habermehl, D. Glaister, C. Leis, E. Albrecht
​Row 3: Miss MacGregor (teacher), H. Forler, D. Schmidt, R. Miller, J. Leighton, B. Gazley, D. Dingwall


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S. S. #16 - Wellesley Public School, 1924 (Accession #2011-15-005)

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S. S. #16 - Wellesley Public School, 1924 (Accession #2015-13-003)
Row 1 – William Belzer, Russell Gremm, Lorne Hyde, Lloyd Leis, Alf Margetts, Jack Omand, Earl Berscht, Jack Boyd, Fraser Omand, Lorne Leis, Emmerson Bast, Albert Fleischauer, Joseph Gerber, Gordon Becker, Fred Habermeihl, Otto Zettel, Rueban Lichty, Lorne Weber, Malcolm Boyd, Curtis Bender, Walter Neeb, Harry (Dick) Roth

Row 2 – Albert Zettel, Alvin Hartman, Arthur Margetts, Elton Bender, Elva Wilfong, Mary Kaufman, Verna Hamel, Ruth Miller, Doris Roth, _________, Esther Habermeihl, Margaret Faber, Betty Reiner, Doris Pronski, Nelda Miller, Dorothy Boyd, William Schmidt, Lloyd Kaufman, Walter Roth, Elgin Kennel, Bernard Tiedy
​
Row 3 – Harold Heimpel, William Becker, Austin Lichty, Gerald Weber, Allen Bast, Leonard Pronksi, Hilda Neeb, Oliva Zettel, Charlotte Forler, Rudy Weber, Leola Pronski, Marie Schmidt, Margaret Kaufman, Thelma Miller, Katie Leis, Mabel Gremm, Clara Wagler, Verda Bender, Verda Tiedy, _______, Arthur Reiner, Hubert Zettel, Walter Gerth, Sanford Hamel, Fred Fleischauer

Row 4 – Sadie Hyde, Alma Leis, Nellie Margetts, Florence Stahle,  ______, Sarah Weins, Anna Weins, _______, Beatrice Schultz, Paula Stahle, Anna Jantzi

Row 5 – Ford Hyde, Gladys Miller, Matilda Wagler, Helena Bast, DorisWitzel, Irmgard Fleischauer, Emma Lichty, Margaret Miller, Hazel Dingwall, Doris Fleischauer, Caroline Wagner, Minerva Balzer, Marion Heis, Hilare Kelterborn, Vaughn Berdux, Alvin Gremm, Ross Hyde, Walter Ottman, Joe Wagner, Royal Kelterborn

Row 6 – teachers: William Hartman, Miss Tindale, Miss Tweedmeyer, Miss Esther Steinberg

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S. S. #16 - Wellesley Public School, 1930 (Accession #2011-17-001)

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S. S. #16 - Wellesley Continuation School, 1941 (Accession #2011-17-002)

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S. S. #16 - Wellesley Public School, Grade 7 class, 1947-1948 (Accession #2011-21-001)
Row 3: Mr. Martin (principal), Harold Ottman, Bob McClaughling, Art Brenneman, ____ Quehl, Doug Kennel Row 2: Mildred Gerber ??
Row 1: Ralph Jantzi, Murray Leis, Ron Futher, R. Kelterborn, Laverne Hammer, _____

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S. S. #16 - Wellesley Public School, 1947-1948 (Accession #2011-21-002)
Row 1: Jerome Futher, John Penner, Bill Dietz, George Hammer, Eddie Albrecht, Wib Wagner, Vernon Flood
Row 2 Irvin Gerber, Rudy Leis, Nancy Jantiz, Norma Leis, Ruth Gerber, ____ Hippel, Bill Hammer, Royal Ottman
Row 3: Shirley Leis, Marjorie Leis, ____, ____ Findlay, Pearl Roth, ____ Hoffman, Elsie Gerber

Row 4: Helen Baechler, Doug Ottman, Miss Dixon (teacher), Marie Lichti, ___ Hoffman, Marlene O’Hara[?]


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S. S. #16 - Wellesley Public School, Grade 2 class, March 31, 1958 (Accession #79-15-92B)
Row 1: _____, _____, Gerald Bernaski, Robert Jantzi, Arthur Reiner, Doug Kelterborn, Bradley Boshart
Row 2: _____, Shirley Leis, Linda Omand, Linda Jantzi, _____, Hildtrude Schnieder, Sharon Steckley, Peter Zettel, Ronald Jantzi
Row 3: Mary Ann Steckley, Irene Jantzi, Glen Roth, Suzanne DeRose, _____, David Neeb, Joey Kaufman, Patsy Leis, ___Lebold
Row 4: ____ Jantzi, Donna Kaufman, Elaine Steckly, Jimmy Heintz, David Jantzi, Rodney Koch, Doris Leis, Raymond Spiewack, Larry Boshart

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S. S. #16, Wellesley Public School, 1958 (Accession #09-01-01)
Row 1: ____, Gary Leis, Charles Bergey, David Thomas, Tommy Zettel
Row 2: Ron Leis, Ron Neeb, ____, Oran Erb, Larry Falk, David Finn, Larry Lantz
Row 3: ____, Carol Lutz, Brenda Steckley, ____, ____, ____, Bonnie Coxon, Vern Bast

Row 4:
Sharon Spahr, Ross Gerber, Brenda Jantzi, Bruce Jantzi, ____, ____, Miss Burke, Arlene Erb


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S. S. #16 - Wellesley Public School, Grade 2 class, 1959 (Accession #09-01-02)
Row 1: Ron Leis, Bruce Jantzi, Ross Gerber, David Thomas, Ron Neeb, ____, Brian Kelly
Row 2: Tommy Zettel, Arlene Erb, Fern Bast, ____, Brenda Jantzi, Anne Kuntze,  _____, _____, _____, ______
Row 3:  ______, _____, _____, _____, Sharon Spahr, Janet Bergey, Joyce Jantzi, Brenda Lebold, Theresa Zettel

​R
ow 4: Mrs. Hay, Larry Lantz, Drew Erb, Brenda Steckely, Janice Walters, Larry Falk, David Finn, Iris Koch


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S. S. #16 - Wellesley Public School, Grades 4, 5, 6, 1961 (Accession #09-01-03)
Row 1: Gary Leis, David Thomas, Glen Roth, David Neeb, ____, Richard Lebold, Ron Neeb
Row 2: Peter Zettel, Charles Bergey, Doug Kelterborn, Art Reiner, Robert Jantzi, Rick Falk, ____, Larry Boshart
Row 3: _____, ____, Brenda Jantzi, _____, Judy Steckley, Suzanne Derose, _____, _______, Maryanne Steckely, ______
Row 4: Mr. Bill Hammer, Donna Kropf, Shirley Wagler, Linda Omand, Bonnie Coxen, Doris Leis, Elaine Ottman, Linda Jantzi, Carol Lutz


Picture
S. S. #16 - Wellesley Public School, Grade 4, 5, 6, 1962 (Accession #09-01-04)
Front Row: Richard Cook, Mike Schlichter, Tommy Zettel
Row 1: ____, Ross Gerber, Royal Kelterborn, Bruce Finn, Wilson Cook, Ron Neeb, Bruce Jantzi
Row 2: ____, Rosemary Wagner, Joyce Jantzi, ____, _____, _____, _____, _____, Brenda Lebold, ____, Theresa Zettel, ______
Row 3: Larry Lantz, David Finn, David Thomas, Brenda Steckley, Janice Walters, Carol Lutz, Donna Kropf, Shirley Wagler, Larry Falk, Oran Erb

Row 4: Mr. Siegner, Sharon Spahr, _____, Janet Bergey, Fern Bast, ____, ____, Anne Kuntze, ____, _____