"Life of L.P. Frohardt, Educator is Discussed September 1981 Waldo Frohardt, Speaker Approximately forty persons attended the first fall meeting of the Old Six Mile Historical Society recently in the meeting room of Tri-Mor Bowl. Waldo Frohardt presented the program which was based on his father's autobiography, covering L. P. Frohardt's early life until his junior year in college. The biographee was brought to Granite City by the Niedringhauses before the city was organized to serve as the superintendent of schools. Mr. Frohardt held this position until he retired in 1933. L. P. Frohardt started to school at the age of eight in central Missouri. Since he lived in an extremely wooded area, his father took him to school, blazing a trail on the trees with his axe so the young student would be able to find his way to and from school. Most of the time he attended only four or five months out of the normal seven month year because his help was needed on the family farm. He was seventeen when he was graduated from the eighth grade. His father would not allow him to enter high school, for he was afraid the other students would corrupt him. He would have had to board in town for his high school education. Where there was a will, there was a way, and the student Frohardt wrote to a college headed by a gentleman whom his father respected. He was allowed to take academy (high school) classes along with his college classes to make up for his missing education. Mr. Frohardt, in his autobiography, mentioned that he was one of fourteen children and had not been brought up in luxury, but he was astonished when he first saw his college dormitory room. The beds were very crude, box-like arrangements and the mattresses were thick straw ticks. The biographee said he had to beat a place down in the tick to keep from falling out of the bed. Summer vacation meant following the harvest in order to make money for the next year's tuition. Davenport, Iowa, was as far north as Mr. Frohardt sought work, and he had many interesting experiences going to and from this area. After the evening's speaker finished, Mrs. Anna Fossieck arose and told the group that she had lived in Granite City for eighty years and that she was a good-sized child when she came here. In a strong, clear voice, she told Waldo Frohardt that she was a junior in high school when he was born and that she could remember his father being very delighted to have another son. Mrs. Fossieck said her family had been in the "school business" for generations. FIRST SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS Louis P. Frohardt was born June 5, 1857 in Moniteau County, Missouri. He was the son of John D. and Wilhelmina (Kuenning) Frohardt of Hanover, Germany. Through his own diligent efforts he graduated from Central Wesleyan College, Warrenton, Missouri. After several teaching jobs, he became Head Teacher of Academical Development in Central Wesleyan College for eight years. He resigned this position when asked to become Superintendent of Schools in granite City and to guide the city in building a school system in 1894. He helped their growth from a one room school (Kinderhook) to a complete system from kindergarten to high school. The growth and excellent direction given the schools is contributed to Mr. Frohardt. He served the schools until 1930. He was supported in all he did by his wife, Carrie Becker Frohardt of Verden, Illnois. His other activities in the community included: Charter Member of the City Council of Granite City; Secretary of the Granite City Build and Loan Association. He was superintendent of the Methodist Church Sunday School for seventeen years. He was also a licensed Preacher. He felt his kind friends helped him to succeed with God's blessings. He quoted the Bible in saying, "Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it." |