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This Sheboygan building was once home to Sheboygan Business College | Throwback Thursday

Sheboygan Press

SHEBOYGAN - Training catered to the needs of businesses has always been a need in the Sheboygan community.

In 1887, the newly formed State Business College held its first class on the third floor of the Zaegel Building, which was on the southwest corner of North Eighth and New York Avenue in Sheboygan.

The college would offer classes that ranged from bookkeeping, spelling, penmanship, calculation, shorthand, typewriting and farm accounting.

Melvin C. Patten, a Sheboygan accountant, at first taught classes in a private home. As the demand for his services grew, it eventually developed into the State Business College, which was also known as the Sheboygan State Business College.

The college had a relatively nomadic existence in those early years, moving from building to building until spending much of its time at North Eighth and New York Avenue.

The college would have a series of owners, including businessman Emil Muuss, who would later become Sheboygan mayor. He bought the college in 1947.

When Muuss owned the college, he overhauled the whole thing. He upgraded the building, the curriculum and even filed new articles of incorporation.

In a glowing news release, Muuss said "the school is being redecorated, refurnished and reequipped as quickly as possible." He added that even the lighting would be up to date with the installation of fluorescent strip fixtures. New equipment was ordered and was said to be the among the most complete in the state.

There has always been a need for some kind of training needed which catered to the needs of businesses. Around 1911 this building, known as the IC Thomas Drug store, housed part of the Sheboygan State Business College.

According to information from Beth Dippel of the Sheboygan County Historical Research Center, in 1948 Muuss moved the college to the third floor of 701 North Eighth Street. He established the Office Service Bureau, Inc., which catered to the professional men who had offices on the second floor and printed items for them on ditto or mimeograph machines. The bureau would answer phones on extensions installed in the OSB office. This setup combined classroom instruction with real-time office experience for the students.

By early 1954, Muuss sold the Sheboygan Business College to Mission House College (now Lakeland University) and served as dean of what became the School for Business Administration. In 1955, Muuss took on added duties as director of admissions.

At one time, in 1909, in the upper floors, this building, seen in this 1950s photo, housed part of the Sheboygan State Business College. In later years the lower levels would house everything from a Woolworth store, a mens clothing store and a bank. In 1954 the Business College was sold to the Mission House, now known as Lakeland University.

At first, business classes continued to be offered in Sheboygan. But by 1956, all the operations were moved to the Mission House College campus.

In 1959, Muuss resigned to return to Office Service Bureau's printing, mailing and answering service businesses.

The building in this week's Throwback not only had that college at one time, but for many years it was known as the Woolworth building and later was the home for Kress-Hertel men's clothing store and later the home for Johnson Bank.

Today, with Johnson Bank gone, that portion of the building awaits a new role and purpose for the 21st century.

To see the image larger click here.