William Andreas Trenckmann, "Erlebtes and Beobachtetes," Das Wochenblatt, October 1, 1931; Colorado Citizen, October 16, 1879; Mary Generosa Callahan, The History of the Sisters of Divine Providence (Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Bruce Press, 1955), p. 90. Trenckmann states that the students' state-supplied tuition funds ran out after four months, and that the school charged $1.50 per month. The Colorado Citizen of October 16, 1879 states that in the year in question the state provided each school with $3.04 per student, less than would seem necessary to make Trenckmann's math correct.
    Trenckmann's older brother, Emil, was the teacher at the Shelby school until he suddenly died on March 6, 1880. The younger Trenckmann later established and edited the German-language newspaper, Das Wochenblatt. He published the reminiscences cited above in that newspaper beginning with the edition of September 17, 1931 and continuing sporadically until that of February 16, 1933.
    Gerstmann's full name seems to appear nowhere in the records of Colorado County. However, he did sign one marriage license "Fr. Gerstmann" (see Colorado County Marriage Records, Book F, p. 128).