Rheingold School

Next open house or event

Saturday, October 26, 2024, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. A special activity will be included titled "Hunting and Preserving the Meat from the Hunt" activities, followed by Club meal, meeting, and playing dominoes.

Check our Events Calendar for other Friends-sponsored events to attend.

School Club Activities

In 1950, the Rheingold Community Club was organized. The Club meets monthly on the fourth Friday evening to play 42 dominoes. Several BBQ's are held throughout the year. The school is still actively used today as a community center, as well as for graduation, baptismal and confirmation celebrations, family reunions, and bridal showers.

Visits or Tours

To schedule a visit or tour when the school isn't conducting a scheduled open house, call the Rheingold rental contact person below or complete our Contact Us form and select Rheingold School from the dropdown. Include the date/time of your request along with details.

Rental Contact

Jennifer Jenschke
830-685-3344.

Driving Directions

#10 on the driving map (Route B) located at 334 Rheingold School Road.

Rheingold School after restoration in 2021

A brief history of Rheingold School

Built in 1900. Log cabin teacherage in 1891. Consolidated in 1949. In addition to the main building, each school had outhouses for boys and girls which were placed at opposite sides of the property. The schoolhouse was heated by large wood-burning cast iron heaters. Wood could either be thrust through the lid or through the door to the firebox. Water was often gotten from hand-dug wells or from a neighbor. Students brought their own drinking cups and kept them in their school desk.

The school underwent an extensive restoration project in 2021, as evidenced in the photo above. The photo on the left is original school ca. 1905-10 with students. The school building underwent a remodel in 1988 as shown in the photo on the right.

 

photo of original school ca. 1905-10 with students
photo of the school building after it underwent a remodel in 1988

School Club Officers

President:
Sandra Jacoby
830-456-6656

Vice-President:
Duane Herbort
972-670-8313

Secretary:
Kay Steinbring
830-456-2114

Treasurer:
Jennifer Jenschke
830-685-3344

Representatives:
Carol Birmingham
512-507-6731
Corrine Wahrmund
830-685-3387

History of Rheingold School

The Rheingold School #22 was begun in 1873, when the need for a school for the area children was realized. William Gold donated the two acres of land for the first schoolhouse, which was a log house measuring about 12'x14'. Later, a frame and stone structure was added and used as the teacherage. A new 40'x22' frame building was later built. It had a large wood stove in the center for heat.

The school building, teacherage, and later a pavilion were all built with materials and labor donated by the families in the community. Up to eight grades were taught, and at one time, as many as 74 students were taught by a single teacher. Even though the teachers felt constrained to use English for instructing in the school room, German was used for administering scoldings. The scoldings were done so effectively that some of the students, after more than 60 years, can still quote some of the statements. It is also noted that one of the teachers had a paddle with the words "Black Medicine" printed on it.

The "free" school period, which was usually six months or more in length, came during the early part of the term. The "pay" school would be added to finish the term. Very seldom would a pupil drop out at the end of the free school period. Most of the students rode horses to school, while others walked. In the wintertime, some of the children came to school with no shoes and slid on the ice barefoot.

The Rheingold School was consolidated with the Fredericksburg Independent School District in 1949.

Photo Gallery

Click on an image below for a larger version.

The first two images show the original teacherage from 1892 and the restored teacherage in 2022. The third image is of the original girl's outhouse that still stands today.

photo of original teacherage
photo of restored teacherage
photo of girl's outhouse

 

Our open air pavilion.

photo of Rheingold School's open air pavilion
photo of Rheingold School's open air pavilion
photo of Rheingold School's open air pavilion

 

Our February 2013 open house. (NOTE: descriptions for each image is displayed while hovering over the image.)

photo of visitors to Rheingold School's February 2013 open house
photo of items on display at Rheingold School's February 2013 open house
photo of shave items on display at Rheingold School's February 2013 open house

photo of aprons on display at Rheingold School's February 2013 open house

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