Story #1 Hi Franklin Students, I found the web site for our school because I learned today that some of my co workers also attended Franklin School in Anoka. When I started school for Kindergarten, our class had to walk to Franklin to catch a school bus to attend kindergarten in an old house that was next to Sandberg Middle School (at that time it was the Anoka High School). Then for first grade, a bus came to my house to take me to Washington School, across the river, because there were not enough class rooms in Franklin for all the children to attend first grade. And 2nd grade was full too. For 6 months, I attend 2nd grade for 1/2 days only as the new addition was not completed. I remember how excited we all were to sit in our new desks in the new classrooms. About that same time, the school hot lunch program started when the kitchen was finished. In the 40's and 50's the students would walk home for lunch and then walk back to school for the afternoon. The school you have now is very different from the school I attended. Some of my teachers were Miss Gorham for 4th grade, Mrs Smith for 5th grade, and Miss Lyslo for 2nd grade. Mr. Cleveland was our principal. I am very impressed with this web site and plan to visit often. Thanks for a walk back in time. Sue Meyer Erickson 1951-1956

Story #2 Hello Fello Franklin School Friends, I ran across your web site by accident and could not help but send you a note. My mom, Francis Hilliard, taught in the Franklin School from around the mid 1920's until she go married in 1933.  She would often substitute through out the 30's and 40's and then after my father died she went back to full time teaching in 1948 and retired in in the early 70's. I attended the Franklin school from Kindergarten in 1942, through the 5th grade in 1947 and then was brought back in mid year for the 6th grade in 1948. My teachers were:  Kindergarten - Miss Sunt 1st grade - Miss Peterson 2nd grade - Miss James 3rd grade - Miss Burnett 4th grade - Miss Lumglad 5th grade - Miss Squires - My mom started teaching the 5th grade when I got into the 6th grade in 1948. 6th grade - Miss Squires Miss Squires was also the school Principal.  Our Janitor was Mr. Orton. We had a big inside jungle jim in the room in the SW corner of the building that we could play on when it was too cold to go outside.  We did have a hot lunch program with a full time cook.  Many of the moms would volunteer and help cook and serve once or twice a week.  The 5th and 6th graders were the school patrol and the students would put on an orange belt and take the flags down to Main Street, (which was highway 10 at that time,) and stop traffic while the students would come across in the morning and afternoons.  Had many good memories of Franklin school.  Thanks for the opportunity to share them. Tom Hilliard

Story #3 - Added 11/22/2004 My name is John Sorkness. I lived at 2215 Wingfield Ave., Anoka, Minnesota from 1969 -1975. I attended Kindengarten with Miss Murphy. That was in the kindengarten class on the left as you enter the Wingfield Ave entrance.  I have great memories. In 1st grade I had Miss Thom.  Both of these teachers, which I mentioned had great impacts on me as a little guy.  I remember Miss McClarin, Miss Free, Mr Sirono, Mr Olivanti, 6th grade teachers, and a bearded teacher (Mr Simenko), 5th grade? I remember the gym, where there was a big old stage for plays and presentations. I remember the old lunchroom where it sunk low into the basement and we could look out the windows as we ate our lunches. 35 cents was what it cost for a hot lunch. My favorite was Pizza days, because you could always get seconds if you ate up your lunch quick enough. I have fond memories of open gym on Saturdays, where us poor kids could come into the gym and play warball from 10am til noon. That gym was also used for movie shows, with the old projectors  and alot of Disney movies were shown. I remember  going on the best field trips; The state Capital, snowshoeing, fossil searching near the river,  collecting Maple syrup, tapping maple trees, and a lot of nature outings. I remember going to Frankin school back then and it was like a family to me. John Sorkness cmary296@aol.com