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This page is dedicated
to the history of Hancock Public Schools. Within this page you will
fine and history list of things such as superintendants, class numbers,
and past principals. You will also find alot of other interesting data
about Hancock Public Schools.
Over the past 120 years, our district has had 16
superintendents who have given their time, hard work and dedication in
the building and maintaining our school. The title given to the
position in the early years was principal, but then changed to
superintendent. However, this was interchangeably used with principal
until 1895 when an additional administrative title and position was
introduced in the district. The superintendents serving the district
are as follows:
Hancock
Central high School has been served by principals since 1895 when an
additional staff member was appointed to serve this capacity. Although
the minutes of the district's governing board are incomplete due to the
fire in 1922, it appears as though the position had been continuous
from its inception to the present day with 20 principals serving the
high school during this period. The listing of the principals and their
years of service are as follows:
Hancock
has granted diplomas to students completing the prescribed course
requirements beginning in 1879. The number of graduates for each year
is listed below and total 7,503 for the period 1879-1995 inclusive. It
should be noted that some students may have completed their
requirements under special programs and conditions and may not be
included in the totals above. Community Schools graduates are included
in the listing and total since the inception of this program in 1970.
Superintendents
- 1869-1870 H. W. Gabin
- 1870-1872 Edward Seymour
- 1872-1874 Charles H. Dodge
- 1874-1885 S. E. Whitney
- 1885-1894 W. J. Cox
- 1894-1901 H. Z. Brock
- 1901-1913 Eugene LaRowe
- 1913-1919 H. D. Lee
- 1919-1923 Henry A. Gilruth
- 1923-1934 L. A. Mniece
- 1934-1936 H. S. Dennison
- 1936-1937 James Hardimon
- 1937-1948 O. M. Vedder
- 1949-1964 Harold C. Lent
- 1964-1990 Gordon G. Barkell
- 1990-1992 Charles Twork
- 1992-Present John D. Vaara
Principals of Hancock Central High School
- 1895-1898 Charles J. Barr
- 1898-1900 Ralph W. Taylor
- 1900-1901 Eugene A. LaRowe
- 1901-1904 A. C. Shoug
- 1904-1909 M. J. Walsh
- 1909-1911 Charles R. Cobb
- 1911-1914 Hugh E. Johnson
- 1914-1919 W. H. Cain
- 1919-1920 A. V. Lockhart
- 1920-1923 Leonard A. Mniece
- 1923-1926 Asa H. Wood
- 1926-1929 Bernard L. Davis
- 1929-1931 Robert A. Gilmour
- 1931-1937 Ollen M. Vedder
- 1937-1943 Harold C. Lent
- 1943-1960 Sylvia J. Eskola
- 1960-1967 Harold J. Wirkku
- 1967-1987 Oliver J. Rosseau
- 1987-1992 John D. Vaara
- 1992-1997 Judy Raica
- 1997-Present John Sanregret
Hancock Graduates 1879-1995
1879-2
80-3
81-0
82-0
83-4
84-3
85-8
86-8
87-8
88-2
89-7
1890-13
91-1
92-7
93-4
94-15
95-12
96-13
97-16
98-13
99-15
1900-11
01-13
02-13
03-9
04-13
05-20
06-19
07-19
08-29
09-24
1910-16
11-16
12-34
13-42
14-31
15-27
16-23
17-45
18-44
19-34
1920-39
21-50
22-58
23-51
24-73
25-68
26-73
27-114
28-64
29-79
1930-81
31-62
33-98
34-101
35-110
36-128
37-129
38-91
39-93
1940-101
41-88
42-103
43-79
44-54
45-71
46-77
47-63
48-71
49-66
1950-76
51-75
52-84
53-93
54-82
55-104
56-92
57-87
58-85
59-85
1960-116
61-104
62-112
63-85
64-94
65-113
66-96
67-79
68-108
69-113
1970-119
71-101
72-103
73-106
74-108
75-90
76-121
78-94
79-98
1980-84
81-95
82-83
83-91
84-72
85-77
86-67
87-78
88-75
89-79
1990-75
91-64
92-74
93-70
94-83
95-78
96-73
97-76
98-59
99-75
2000-81
01-80
02-87
High School Total: 7,768 Community Schools Total: 266
Combined Total: 8,034
The highest number occurred in 1936 and 1937 (128 and 129).
In the late 1800's the Salo district was in the news. Andrew Johnson, a logger, cleared the way for pioneers to establish themselves as farmers there. Jacob Puska bought a parcel of land, a tract of 160 acres, hoping to establish a residency. He had arrived in the United States in 1888 and found work in the copper mines, after ten years and wife and five children, he decided to quit the copper mines and buy land and become a farmer. The Puska's first house was a makeshift home until they were able to build a decent place. It was made out of logs, having four floors and it was a Godsend to a family that was growing in size. The final count was fourteen children, ten boys and four girls. The Puska family prospered and Jacob had big plans. He was a perfectionist. His many sons would help to make all his dreams come true. The many residents of the Salo area had all large families. They all owned parcels of land and made a decent living. One such family was named Moilanen. One of the sons grew up to be a giant of a man. His height was 8'4 tall. The Ringling Brothers Circus hired him and he was displayed as one of their attractions. Jacob Puska and Big Louie Moilanen were neighbors and close friends in Salo. He died at an early age of 28 years. A public school became a reality because it was known that education was a needed commodity. The first school was a log cabin, a home of one of the residents. Later a structure was built that became known as the Salo school. The first teacher was a Miss Wemberg from Calumet. She stayed with the Puska family while in Salo. When I started school at the age of five, I spoke only Finnish. Through my eight grades of schooling, I had many teachers, Miss Pesonen, Mrs. Uksela, Waino Karvonen and Walter Sved. Mr. Sved was a good teacher, who demanded our attention, and if not, his yardstick found the backs of students' hands. We were taught not to tamper with the teacher's form of punishment and discipline. The agony was not worth it. My folks moved from Salo to Hancock on December 21, 1927. I began my high school years in Hancock in the fall of 1928.
80-3
81-0
82-0
83-4
84-3
85-8
86-8
87-8
88-2
89-7
1890-13
91-1
92-7
93-4
94-15
95-12
96-13
97-16
98-13
99-15
1900-11
01-13
02-13
03-9
04-13
05-20
06-19
07-19
08-29
09-24
1910-16
11-16
12-34
13-42
14-31
15-27
16-23
17-45
18-44
19-34
1920-39
21-50
22-58
23-51
24-73
25-68
26-73
27-114
28-64
29-79
1930-81
31-62
33-98
34-101
35-110
36-128
37-129
38-91
39-93
1940-101
41-88
42-103
43-79
44-54
45-71
46-77
47-63
48-71
49-66
1950-76
51-75
52-84
53-93
54-82
55-104
56-92
57-87
58-85
59-85
1960-116
61-104
62-112
63-85
64-94
65-113
66-96
67-79
68-108
69-113
1970-119
71-101
72-103
73-106
74-108
75-90
76-121
78-94
79-98
1980-84
81-95
82-83
83-91
84-72
85-77
86-67
87-78
88-75
89-79
1990-75
91-64
92-74
93-70
94-83
95-78
96-73
97-76
98-59
99-75
2000-81
01-80
02-87
High School Total: 7,768 Community Schools Total: 266
Combined Total: 8,034
The highest number occurred in 1936 and 1937 (128 and 129).
Reminiscences
(Salo School)
In the late 1800's the Salo district was in the news. Andrew Johnson, a logger, cleared the way for pioneers to establish themselves as farmers there. Jacob Puska bought a parcel of land, a tract of 160 acres, hoping to establish a residency. He had arrived in the United States in 1888 and found work in the copper mines, after ten years and wife and five children, he decided to quit the copper mines and buy land and become a farmer. The Puska's first house was a makeshift home until they were able to build a decent place. It was made out of logs, having four floors and it was a Godsend to a family that was growing in size. The final count was fourteen children, ten boys and four girls. The Puska family prospered and Jacob had big plans. He was a perfectionist. His many sons would help to make all his dreams come true. The many residents of the Salo area had all large families. They all owned parcels of land and made a decent living. One such family was named Moilanen. One of the sons grew up to be a giant of a man. His height was 8'4 tall. The Ringling Brothers Circus hired him and he was displayed as one of their attractions. Jacob Puska and Big Louie Moilanen were neighbors and close friends in Salo. He died at an early age of 28 years. A public school became a reality because it was known that education was a needed commodity. The first school was a log cabin, a home of one of the residents. Later a structure was built that became known as the Salo school. The first teacher was a Miss Wemberg from Calumet. She stayed with the Puska family while in Salo. When I started school at the age of five, I spoke only Finnish. Through my eight grades of schooling, I had many teachers, Miss Pesonen, Mrs. Uksela, Waino Karvonen and Walter Sved. Mr. Sved was a good teacher, who demanded our attention, and if not, his yardstick found the backs of students' hands. We were taught not to tamper with the teacher's form of punishment and discipline. The agony was not worth it. My folks moved from Salo to Hancock on December 21, 1927. I began my high school years in Hancock in the fall of 1928.