History lessons

As I walked up the walkway to the historic LaFox schoolhouse built in 1871, I remembered the many stories my grandmother shared about her school days.

A poor Swedish immigrant, she was only 6 years old when she came to America in 1904. Unable to speak English, her father enrolled her in school to learn the new language and the basic skills of reading, writing and arithmetic.

Preserving the history of the white wooden schoolhouse in LaFox, a community west of Geneva, has been the project of Bob and Pat Geier. The couple purchased the building in 2003, with the idea of having a business space on the first floor and living space upstairs.

Bob Geier, owner of Intersec Design, a marketing and design firm, was looking for new office space and stumbled on the LaFox location.

"I had been working out of my home for two years, along with my sons," Geier said. "As my business began to grow, I knew I needed more space. The community of LaFox appealed to me because of its affordability and access to the train line. I thought it would be a great location."

Also appealing were the quiet, rural aspects of LaFox. The quaint little village features 17 homes built before 1900. The town centers on the train line, which threatens to change the small community's way of life.

In 2005, Metra extended commuter service from LaFox to Chicago, opening a depot just west of the village's center. With the train line extension came development, with subdivisions now planned for the farmlands around LaFox.

In an effort to maintain their way of living, LaFox residents have actively been working to find ways to co-exist.

"I've gotten involved in the LaFox Civic Association and I have attended many of the meetings about the developments, and I can see that both sides are right," Geier said. "With all of the open land, it is inevitable that new homes are going to be built, but I also understand the need to preserve this community."

When Geier purchased the old schoolhouse, he had no idea what was in store. First, he replaced the roof. Then he tackled the lower level.

Along with the typical mice, he found frogs living in standing water in the basement. He and Bill Janicek of Janicek Builders quickly took on the task of building a trench for drainage tiles that would collect the water and direct it outside.

The next project consisted of creating a workable and livable space, while still preserving the historical integrity of the building.

"When we purchased the schoolhouse, there was a kitchen in the front on the first floor and a bathroom in the back," Geier said. "It made more sense to switch those around."

As you walk in the front door of the schoolhouse, there is a half-bath on the left and the staircase to the second floor on the right. Even though the building has a bell tower with a bell, there is an old-fashioned school bell sitting on the newel post.

A cabinet in the hallway is filled with a variety of items, reminiscent of the early 1900s. Photos of one-room schoolhouse classes adorn the walls. The original floors have been refinished and even they have a story to tell.

"Notice that the planks of the floor don't match," Geier said. "The wood for the building and the floor was given to the school by the federal government in an effort to have more community structures built in townships across the country. I imagine they got whatever was available at the time."

Geier is fascinated with the history of the building and tells of former students who have shared their stories and photos.

The downstairs space is now an open floor plan for Geier's business. Creating a living space is on hold since, Geier has been unable to sell his former home.

"Since my children are grown, my wife and I planned to downsize and move in here," he said. "While we have been waiting for our house to sell, my business has grown and we are using all of the space on the first floor. I'm not sure what I will do when the house sells. I might build a similar structure or coach house on the property. I love this community."

Sometimes, old houses hold surprises within the walls.

"We removed the back wall and found the two high windows underneath, which we replaced and made them look similar to the original ones," Geier said.

The second floor originally was the school's gymnasium and music room. The previous owners had a small bedroom, which has now been made over into a large bath, and a closet that probably was a cloak room for the school.

"This was the only schoolhouse in the area so it's important to preserve its history," Geier said.

His words caught me by surprise. It was then that I realized I was sitting in the exact schoolhouse my grandmother had attended.

"History is important to us all," he added. "especially to the people of LaFox."

Preserving historic structures so people can actually experience them is a gift not just to the community of LaFox, but to all those who share in their history.