Chapter Two: The Big Three 1850-1871
The City would continue the three separate previous township
school districts as three
separate City school districts each with their own Board of Directors. This
situation would last 21 years with each district competing with each other for pupils
and money
until 1871 when the Grand Rapids Board of Education was created
to cover all the public schools in the City.
In 1850 each City district started with only one school each.:
City Board One was in charge of schools located east of the Grand River & south
of Bradford St
The former Grand Rapids
Township School District #1 Central
City Board Two was in charge of schools located west of the Grand River
A former Walker Township
School from an unknown district
Union
City Board Six -- east of the Grand River and north of Bradford Street -
Coldbrook
The former Grand Rapids
Township School District #6. see
Coldbrook
These three districts would be quite different.
District One would be the most populous, would have the most money, and would
grow the fastest. It would include future Heritage Hill, the best educated,
most-moneyed citizenry.
The citizens of District two would tend to be the less formally-educated working
class.
District Six would be the most rural, the least populated, would have the least
money,
and would grow the slowest.
1853 map of
The City of Grand Rapids
digitalized by the Grand Rapids Public Library
Annotated by me highlighting location of early City schools along with current street names. The three separate districts are indicated in blue; #1, #2, #6.
City District #1 - "School Square - Union School" is the first City location of Central Primary, Central Grammar and Central High. The numbers #1, #2, #3, #4. represent the first four primary schools on the east side.
City District #2 - The "W: represents the first City location of Union Primary/Grammar, the "U" represents the second City location where the high school would begin in 1859. The "T" represents the first location for Turner Primary, "JS" for Jefferson Street Primary renamed Lexington.
City District #6 - "CP" stands for Coldbrook Primary, possibly a fore-runner of North Ionia School. "CG" stands for Coldbrook Grammar a forerunner of East Leonard.
Since schools were connected so closely with the land, deeds are a good source of primary information. However, the original Kent County deeds were destroyed in an 1860 fire yet the grantor/grantee index (by owner's name) had been diligently made and stored off-site until c. 1960 when Kent County politicians "sold, leased, gave away" these 100-year-old copies to a private title company, Burton Abstract Company, then located downtown, who allowed the public free access to these public records until Burton got bought out by First American Title who denied public access for about 20 years because they ---------------- threw the public records away. Except someone saved some of the index cards and re-constructed the destroyed deed books, A-W and 1-16. These are now stored at Metropolitan Title on Eagle Drive who will allow free access to the public. Ask for Jim Mulder and hope he never retires.
When the Territory of Michigan began
surveying township sections in the 1830's, it provided for a 4-rod (66 foot)
wide street right-of-way along each Section Line and many of these streets still
exist today. WARNING! Streets stop, start, jog, are
combined, re-named, vacated, go around lakes, wind up hills. Section lines do
not.
(Note: 1 chain = 100 links = 4 rods = 66 feet)
It is also important to realize that State Law does NOT require the timely
registration of land sales particularly for land contracts which can show up
years later much to the chagrin of a "current owner".
City Engineers had
hand-written
copies of deeds for City-owned property which they have preserved.
Thank you City Engineers! These City deeds are shown under the individual
schools.
State Report
In 1858 Ira Mayhew Superintendent of Public Education for the State of Michigan published a report that included a letter written by Mr. Chesebro, an administrator for City District #1, East Side State Report
District #1 Report
In 1860 the Annual Catalogue of the Officers, Instructors and
Students
of Grand Rapids Public Schools (East Side) was started and would
continue through 1875. It listed their schools along with the names of the
students. It includes a little bit about the other school districts as well. The
high school grades began
to be added in 1859 to Central and Union but not to Coldbrook (East Leonard).
East Side Catalog
This Report also included information on the other City Districts:
School Statistics of the City
for the year ending September 1860.
Total enrollment East Side 1,286 No. of eligible children 1,697
West Side 325 540
Coldbrook 83 125
Total 1,693 2,362
General Summary Academic Year 1862-3 (East side)
School: Number Enrolled: Oldest pupil Youngest Pupil
High School 167 31.7 13.2
Grammar School 133 21.3 11.4
Intermediate Department 184 18 10
Primary #1 237 13 4.5
Primary #2 221 13 5
Primary 3 205 16 5
Primary #4 169 17 4
Total 1316
Calendar for 1863-4 (East Side)
First Term: August 31, 1863 -- December 18, 1863
Second Term: January 4, 1864 – March 25, 1864
Third Term: April 11, 1864 – July 1, 1864
Tuition
non-resident Pupils (East Side) per quarter of twelve weeks:
High School $4.00 Grammar School $3 Intermediate $3 Primary $2
Resident pupils pay $2 per quarter in the High School; the other departments are free.
District #1 This link provides information on these schools from 1850 through 1871.
Synopsis and link to each specific school
NW ¼ Sec 30, Dexter Fraction, Kendall's Addition
Address: East side of Ransom Avenue south of Lyon Street
1850 - union (graded) primary/grammar annexed
1859 - 9th grade added
1860 - 10th grade added, primary grades removed
1861 - 11th grade added
1862 - first graduation
1868 - new building
1872 - merged under newly created Bd of Ed
1894 - new building
1911 - NE 1/4 of Section 30, new building on Fountain Street.,
1911 - old building becomes Strong Jr High
- old building becomes Grand Rapids Junior College
Section: NE ¼ Section 25 Walker Twp, Kent Plat
Address: 0-50 East Bridge (Michigan) St NW
South side of Michigan, west of Division
1854-55 school begins in a rented building, called Primary #1
1864 - lot purchased
1866 - school built
1872 - merged under newly created Bd of Ed
1883 - renamed East Bridge Street School
1884 - renamed North Division Street School
1908 - new lot, new 4-story school, Oral School for the Deaf
also being used for Board offices, and storage
Address: 2nd: 234 Division Av N
Old school to be sold to brewery
1912 - renamed North Division Avenue School
1951 - plans for new service building on Race St. Board offices relocated to
GRJC.
building sold for commercial use
c. 1965 - original site used for extension of Division Avenue.
South Division
SE 1/4 Sec 25 Walker Twp, Ellsworth's addition
Address: North of Bartlett, West of Division
1854-5 school begins in a rented building as Primary #2.
1861 - lot purchased, school built
1872 - merged under newly created Bd of Ed
1873 - old Fountain school moved west of Spring Street
1875 - new building built on east side of Spring Street
1879 - main building damaged by fire
1883 - renamed South Division Street School
1884 - new brick building to replace two older wood buildings
1912 - street renamed, South Division Avenue School
fire
closed,
replaced by Franklin
- MESC
2005 - Guiding Light Mission
NE 1/4 of Section 30, Grand Rapids Twp
Address: 421 Fountain St NE
North of Fountain between Prospect and College
1856 - purchase of Lot of Coit and Curtis Partition
small wooden school built as Primary #3
1871 - brick school in center of lot adjacent to Fountain Street
1872 - merged under newly created Bd of Ed
1883 - renamed Fountain Street School
1911 - Central usurps site, Fountain moved to Central's gym
1918 - new site on corner of College Avenue and Lyon Street
Address: 159
College Ave NE
2005 - active
Section: NW ¼ Sec 31, Grand Rapids Twp, L. Porter's Addition
Address: 415 Lafayette Ave SE
South of Wealthy, West of Lafayette
1860 - mentioned in the 1860 East Side report as Primary #4
1867 - lot purchased by City District 1
1869 - school built
1872 - merged under newly created Bd of Ed
1883 - renamed Wealthy Avenue School
1912 - street renamed, Wealthy Street School
1922 - new building slightly to the east, renamed Lafayette Avenue School
- renamed VandenBerg
2005 - for sale
Section: NW ¼ Sec 36 Walker Twp, Grant's
Addition and Godfrey & White
Mail: 425 Pleasant St SW, South of Wealthy, West of Grandville
1870 - lot purchased by City District 1, Primary #5
1872 - merged under newly created Bd of Ed
1882 - addition to complete original plan
1883 - renamed Grandville Avenue School
1888 - 4-room addition
1891 - annex, street extended from Grandville Avenue
1892 - school rebuilt and 4 rooms added
1893 - annex on-site but not connected
1895 - renamed Second Avenue School
1912 - street renamed, Pleasant Street School
1914 - to be replaced by the new Franklin
1954 - Maplewood - 5 rms
c. 1955 - used as repair bldg
c. 1995 - used for Adelante Program
2005 - for sale
District #2 This link provides information on District 2 from 1850 through 1871
It is unclear when this district began being called #2. In 1854 it is referred to as 4th and 5th Wards G. R. School District. In 1862 it is referred to as School Dist., W. side, 4th and 5th Wards. In 1869 it is referred to as School Dist. No. 2, of 4th and 5th Ward, Grand Rapids, M'ch
SE 1/4 SW 1/4 Sec 24 Walker Twp
Address: North of First, West of Turner
1850 - annexed by City of Grand Rapids
1853 - union principle of grading is adopted
1854 - site purchased Third St and Turner Avenue
1855 - new school built at new site
1859 - 9th grade added
1860 - 10th grade added
1861 - 11th grade added
1871 - merged under newly created Bd of Ed
1874 - new school built
1885 - primary addition to the south
1911 - addition built to the north
1912 - first graduating class
1917 - auditorium addition replaces 1874 building
1922 - plans to remove 1885 portion
c. 1968 high school moved to new site at 1800 Tremont
old building converted to West Middle school
2005 - old site being converted to condominiums, new site active
Lexington
NW ¼ Section 25 Walker Township, Scribner's Addition
Mail: Address: 45 Lexington Ave NW Tax: 51 Lexington Ave NW
South of California, West of Lexington
1867 - lot purchased by City District 2
1870 - school built adjacent to California St., name used unknown
1871 - merged under newly created Bd of Ed
1872 - referred to as Primary #8
1882 - addition to the south
1883 - renamed Jefferson Street School
1885 - rooms rented in nearby buildings
1893 - called Training School
1907 - more windows installed
1912 - street renamed, Lexington Avenue School
1914 - lots extending grounds to Veto Street purchased,
new school constructed adjacent to Veto
2005 - building exists
Turner
NW 1/4 of Sec 24 Walker Twp
First location address: Tryon's Addition, 1044 Turner
Between 11th and Leonard, East of Turner
1866 - first lot purchased by City District 2
1871 - school built on the east side of Turner
1872 - merged under newly created Bd of Ed, Called Primary #6
1881 - addition
1882 - plans to replace it with West Leonard school (for one year only)
1883 - renamed Turner Street School
1886 - new brick school on new site SW Turner and 11th.
Second location address: Jenison's Subdivision of Smith and Van Allen
South of 11th, West of Turner
1888 - old school on old site sold - to a church
1908 - fire, school re-built
1912 - street renamed, Turner Avenue School
closed
c. 1960 - demolished for parking lot
West
Leonard
N W 1/4 Sec 24 Walker Township, Leonard at Quarry
Address: Tryon's Second Addition
South of Leonard, West of Quarry
1870 - first lot purchased by City District 2
1872 - merged under the newly created Board of Education
1882 - school built as replacement for Primary #6
1883 - renamed West Leonard school
1921 - replacement planned but renamed Harrison Park
1929- used during the Depression to show movies to kids
This site was an A&W root beer stand when I was a child.
District 6 This link provides information on District 6 from 1850 through 1871
1850 - school at Leonard and Taylor annexed
Site: NW 1/4 Sec 19 Grand Rapids Twp,
Address: 350-358 Leonard St NE
South of Leonard, West of North
1860 - City purchases new site
1861 - 2-room school built
1872 - merged under newly created Bd of Ed, called Coldbrook Grammar
1884 - additional lots purchased
1897 - new school built
1912 - addition
1957 - new school on new lot to the south-east. 15 rms
Site: NE ¼ Sec 19,
Address: Mail: 410 Barnett St NE, Tax; 410 Leonard St NE
2005 - active
Did this replace the school at Taylor and Leonard?
NE ¼ Section 24, Walker Twp, Kent Plat
Address: 1020 - 1030 Taylor
Between Ionia and Taylor, Coldbrook and Walbridge
1870 - lot purchased by City District 6, 2-story frame
1871 - 3-story brick addition to the front
1872 - merged under newly created Bd of Ed, called Primary # 7
1883 - renamed Ionia Street School
1885 - renamed North Ionia Street School
1889 - 4-room addition
1908 - additional land purchased to the south
new school built named Coldbrook
1910 - old school demolished
1939 - used for the mentally retarded
c. 1970 - renamed Walbridge Academy for non-compliant students
1977 - closed demolished for industrial site
2005 - Auto Die
From the Article School History
From the Heading History of the City of GrandRapids
From the web page MyGrandRapids