General Introduction of the formation of public schools in the City of Grand
Rapids, Kent County, Michigan
The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 established the survey system to be used for the
newly acquired land from Britain that would eventually become the states of
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin. The township system was
established which reserved Section 16 for the financing of the public schools.
The authority for the schools was given to the township. The early public
schools in what was to become the City of Grand Rapids were township schools.
Eventually the City would annex land and schools from four townships; Grand
Rapids, Walker, Paris and Wyoming. Grand Rapids Township was organized in 1834,
Walker in 1837, Paris 1838, Wyoming in 1848. Although the township line
separating Walker Township from Grand Rapids Township is Division Avenue, the
Grand River was the practical boundary. See my article on
Land Description
In 1848, Grand Rapids Township was divided into a number of school districts.
For identification of all the districts see: Grand
Rapids Twp. District #1 was south of the ¼ section line comparable with Bradford Street and
West of the ¼ section line comparable with North/Madison Avenues. District #6 was north
of the Bradford Street line and West of the North
Avenue line. These two districts overlapped the Village of Grand Rapids. Walker Twp
only had one school in the Village of Grand Rapids near Bridge Street and Scribner Avenue.
When the City incorporated in 1850 and gained control of the schools lying
within its borders, it continued to identify the schools by the old township
names: District #1 for the Stone School House on Ransom Ave, District #6 for the
school near Leonard street that overlooked Coldbrook Creek , and the City
identified that area west of the Grand River annexed from Walker Twp as District
#2.
But schools were described differently then. There were primary schools for
grades 1-4 and grammar schools for grades 5-8. High schools were still a rarity.
Kindergartens were established much later.
A union school simply meant a graded school as opposed to a one-room schoolhouse
containing all grades. Since the school in District 2 was the first graded
school in the area, its formal name was derived from its type, Union. The
District 1 school which was centrally located derived its name from its
location, Central. But this school was later graded thus also becoming a union
school. But the official name should not be confused with the type.
Central
union school should not be confused with Union
union school. They were two different schools in two different locations with
two different histories. Both were a combination of primary and grammar. Central
graduated its first high school class in 1862, Union in 1912. Coldbrook only had
grades 1-8.
The City schools were then administered by separate district "Boards of
Trustees" who were responsible for each City School District, 1, 2 or 6. . These
districts were merged in 1871 to form the Grand Rapids Board of Education. An
Annual Report was done in 1872 that inventoried each school building then in
existence.
From article
School History
From Heading History and the City of GrandRapids
From web site: MyCityofGrandRapids.info Home
City
Schools