Milwaukee art teacher and tile artist Ben Tyjeski photographs historic tile art surrounding the fireplace in the former kindergarten classroom at Historic West Elementary in Rhinelander on March 22, 2024. The building, constructed in 1924, served as an elementary school for many years before being converted into an apartment complex in 2007. Tyjeski also photographed historic tiles at Central Elementary and met with students there as part of his Rhinelander visit. (Photo by Heather Schaefer/River News)
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Timeless Tiles
Former kindergarten classroom to be featured in book about historic elementary school art
In the fall of 1939, the children of west-side residents took naps on the floor of a new, showpiece kindergarten classroom, warmed by a fireplace surrounded by ceramic tiles depicting well-known nursery rhymes.
