City of Grand Rapids School District # 1
From Chapter Two
Primary #1
Primary #2
Primary #3
Primary #4
Primary #5
Central
I was able to compare the students to the Grand Rapids portion of the
1860 Federal Census that was enumerated in June 1860 with the list of students.
.
This census showed a family but did not specify relationships which are
inferred.
I mentioned the occupation of the probable father. If there was no male of an
appropriate
age to be the father, I listed the breadwinners. The census was checked if a
child was
enrolled in a school but didn't specify which school.
The race was recorded in the census showing students in two schools
were Black or Mullato (Spanish for mixed-race) and I have highlighted them in
Bold.
Thus the Grand Rapids Public Schools were integrated by 1860. I included the
word
"prosperous" if the census showed that the value of real estate owned to be in
excess
of $20,000. Most owned very little, perhaps $500.
I included the birthplace. As Germany did not yet exist as a united country
in 1860,
I inserted the word Germany after the former sovereignties such as Prussia,
Bavaria, Baden, Wurttemberg that would be united by force into Germany.
From the Article School History
From the Heading History of the City of
GrandRapids
From the web page MyGrandRapids