Chapter Three: 1871 The Board of Education begins
The first Annual Report of the Grand Rapids Board of Education for the year
ending Sept. 2, 1872 included an inventory and description of every building
then in existence from each of the three earlier separate districts, #1, #2, #6.
Population of city as per school census taken in 1871
. 18,136
Number of children between the ages of 5 and 21
5,229
Total Enrollment
3,805
Number of whole teachers employed
.
53
Primary No. 1 - North
Division
The lot is 174 feet front on Bridge street (Michigan) by 169 feet deep on Division and
Ionia streets, situated in the Fourth Ward.
The house is a two-story brick building with a basement. It is warmed by a
furnace, with the exception of one room in the basement. It has five rooms,
furnished with sittings for three hundred pupils. Janitors Smith and Hedsa have
recently sunk a well, which furnishes an abundant supply of good water. The
house and grounds are in good condition. The property is valued at $20,000.
Enrollment is 483.The janitor is Mrs. Smith at $5.00 a week.
From Linda Samuel's Book Heart and Soul. The school is between a church and a brewery.
Primary No. 2 - South
Div
is situated on corners of Division, Bartlett and Spring (Commerce) streets, in
the Fourth Ward. The lot is 165 feet on Division and Spring streets, by 286 on
Bartlett. It needs grading and fencing, being twenty or thirty feet lower at the
west end on Spring street then on Division street. Your committee, however,
recommends that the grading be deferred until the grading on Bartlett street.
From A Citizen's History of Grand Rapids by William J
Etten
1926.
The house is two stories high, the lower being of brick and the upper of wood.
It has five rooms, with sittings for 268 pupils. The property is valued at
$8,000. Enrollment is 387. Janitor is J. Thibout at $4.50 a week.
Primary No. 3 -
Fountain
is situated in a fine grove of native oak trees on Fountain street, in the
Second Ward. The lot has a front of 296 feet on Fountain street, by about 350
feet deep.
The house - a three-story brick building with a basement has just been
completed, with fences, walks and out-houses, at a cost of $20,000. Some further
outlay will be necessary to balance the windows, level the grounds &c. the house
is 60 feet by 80, and furnishes nine commodious school rooms, capable of seating
50 pupils, besides halls, cloak rooms, and store rooms, and is well supplied
with the conveniences of the modern school-house. An appropriate table in front
of the building gives the number of the school and the date of its erection. Six
rooms have already been furnished with single seats and teachers' desks, all of
an improved pattern and of a superior finish, constructed at the Novelty Works,
Sterling, Ill. Additional furniture, sufficient to furnish the whole house, has
been ordered. The house was built by Gifford & Monders, contractors, under the
supervision of W G. Robinson, architect all of whom are entitled to much credit
for the thorough, substantial character of the work.The property is valued at
$30,000. Enrollment is 326. There are 3 rooms without seats. Janitor is J. Pross
at $2.50 a week
From the Grand Rapids Press 1909 as the school was being
demolished for a new Central High School.
Primary No. 4 Wealthy - aka Lafayette aka VandenBerg
is situated in the Third Ward, on the corner of Wealthy avenue and Lafayette
street. The lot is 250 feet front on each street. Some outlay is necessary for
grading and fencing.
The house a substantial two-story brick building, with six
school-rooms, furnishings for 346 pupils was built in 1869.
The property is valued at $18,000. Enrollment is 525. Janitor is G. Washington
at $5.00 a week.
Primary No 5 Grandville - aka
Second St, aka Pleasant St, aka Maple
is situated in the west part of the First Ward, near the Grandville Road. The
lot is 130 feet by 264 feet.
The house, a two-story brick building, erected in 1870, has two
rooms furnished with seats for 108 pupils. The property is valued at $8,000.
Enrollment is 166. Janitor is Mrs. Haskill at $3.00 a week.
Primary No. 6 -
Turner
is situated in the Sixth Ward, on Turner street. The lot is 116 feet on Turner
street by 141 feet deep.
The house is a two-story wooden building, with three rooms and
seats for 128 pupils.
The property is valued at $2,000. Enrollment is 178. Janitor is Mrs. Shillady at
$2.50 a week.
Primary No. 7 -
North Ionia aka Coldbrook
is situated in the Fifth Ward, on Ionia street, between Walbridge and Coldbrook
streets. the lot has a front of 200 feet on Ionia street, and is 200 feet deep.
The grounds need grading and fencing.
The rear of the house - built in 1870 - is two stories high,
while the front, 46 by 75 feet built in 1872is three stories with basement.
The whole is brick, and furnishes eight
commodious school-rooms, with a large closet for each room. Four rooms are now
supplied with seats and teachers' desks, and furnish accommodations for 268
pupils. The style and design of the building is fine. The tablet gives the
number of the school and date of the erection. The property is valued at
$23,000. Enrollment is 205. There are four rooms without seats. The janitor is
Mrs. McNamara at $2.50.
Primary No. 8 - aka Jefferson Street aka Lexington Lexington
is situated in the Eighth Ward, on California street, between Jefferson
(Lexington) and Gold streets. the lot has a front of 264 feet on California
street by 132 feet on Jefferson and Gold streets. the grounds need grading and
fencing.
The house, a three-story brick structure, was erected in 1870,
and was so designed as to permit of an addition when more room is needed. It has
five rooms; three furnished with seats for 128 pupils. The property is valued at
$15,000. Enrollment is 155. There are two rooms without seats. No janitor is
named but the pay is $2.50 a week.
Here is a photo of this building taken as it was being torn down.
GR Herald 17 June 1923
Coldbrook School - East Leonard
is situated in the Fifth Ward, on Leonard street. The lot has a front of 200
feet on Leonard street, and is 220 feet deep. The grounds have not been graded.
The house, a two-story brick building, was erected in 1861. It
has two rooms, furnished with sittings for 128 pupils.
The property is valued at $5,000. Enrollment is 197. Janitor is F. Saunders at
$2.00 a week.
Union School -Union
included Union Primary, Union Grammar, Union High School
is situated in the Seventh Ward. The lot has a front of 288 feet on Tuner and
Broadway streets, and 250 feet on Third street. One hundred loads of sand will
finish the grading of the lot, which should be furnished next year. A new fence
if also very much needed.
GRPL
The house is a stone building, three stories high, and was built
in 1855. It has nine school-rooms, with low ceilings and small windows. Is is
furnished with sittings for 464 pupils, and is valued at 5,000. Enrollment is
619. Janitor is John Heidsa at $9.00 a week.
Central School -Central
is situated in the Second Ward. The lot is 264 feet on Lyon street by 367 on
Barclay and Ransom streets. The grounds are centrally located, fenced and set to
shade trees, and aside form the building are valued at $25,000.
The house is 85 by 106 feet in size, three stories with basement, a part of the latter being used for school purposes. The tower on the southeast (sic) corner furnishes an office for the Superintendent on the first floor, a room for the museum on the second, and a recitation room for the modern languages on the third. The structure is of a substantial character, and is furnished with all the modern improvements. The ventilation is excellent. There are twenty-one rooms used for school purposes, and seats for 604 pupils. It is thought to be one of the best constructed buildings in the State. On the southeast corner is a small tenement house used by the janitor. The house grounds and furniture are valued at $78,000. High School enrollment is 114. Grammar School Enrollment is 194. Intermediate school Enrollment is 256. Janitor is Michael Smidth at $9.00 a week.
Looking from Ransom Avenue. Lyon Street is to the left, Fountain Street to
the right.
GRPL
Looking from the Southwest - Grandville Avenue near Cherry Street.
GRPL
The title to all the above described property is good.
Richmond Lot
During the school year the Board of Education have purchased a school site on
Leonard street, in the Sixth Ward for the sum of $2,000. The lot is twenty rods
(330 ft) front by 40 rods (660 ft) deep. A portion of the lot is crossed on the west side by the
railroad. The property is now valued at $3,500. The title is good with the
exception of that of two lots.
This new purchase was adjacent to those lots previously purchased by District
#2.
May 10, 1872
Executor's Deed
Lorain Z. Richmond, Executrix,
Chase F. Richmond and Samuel L. Fuller, Executors
of estate of Wm A. Richmond
To
The Board of Education
Liber 75 Pages 92-3
Consideration: $2000
Description
Five acres in the NW cor. of Lot 1, in Sec. 24-7-12,
said land being bounded by a line 20 rods N. and S.
and 40 rods E. and W.
The future school at this site near Quarry Avenue would be called West Leonard
but should not be confused with the current West Leonard formerly called Walker
near Garfield Avenue.
The 1870 census has a listing for a Wm A Richmond, aged 62, born New York. He
owns a $40,000 value in real estate and $60,000 value in personal property. He
lives at the Sweet's Hotel (forerunner of the Pantlind/Amway Grand Plaza) in the
First Ward with his wife Loraine Z age 58 born Vermont. Their daughter Rebecca
age 29 born in Michigan lives with them.
The 1850 census shows Wm as a farmer along with Lorain, Jonathon, Rebecca and
Mary.
The 1853 map shows a Wm Richmond Farm in the vicinity of this future school.
Also see the Richmond Plat.
From the Article School History
From the Heading History of the City of GrandRapids
From the web page MyGrandRapids