by Maralyn Fink
When I was going through some papers from my Aunt Lorraine Halfmann’s estate, I ran across a copy of a publication about East Ward/Teresa Merrill School. The booklet was published in the Bicentennial year of 1976.
We will publish this over the course of the next few weeks, and we will include some supplemental materials to bring the story up to date. At the end of the project we hope to have a couple of options for readers so that they can download this whole project.
Introduction
In 1974 a committee was formed to work on the history of East Ward School in preparation for a centennial celebration in 1976. This committee was composed of PTA members and past or present East Ward teachers.
The committee members decided that it would be nice to have an open house in honor East Ward’s 100 years. Also from the meetings stemmed the idea of writing as much of East Ward history as was possible. The following story is the result of this idea.
Members who assisted in getting information for this project are:
Gertrude Bennett, Cerelda Hicks, ThelmaWeismiller, Teresa Merrill, Laurita Allison, Ethel Huot, Janet Loucks, Jerry Beaufore, Rita Meier, Betty Webster, Evelyn Putnam, Helen Judd
Individuals who assisted the committee with retrieving information are:
John Baumgartner, Leo and Sara Pouch, Ivah Tolles
Also during the time this project was underway several other people from the community of St. Johns were contacted and assisted with bits and pieces of news. To the members of the committee, to the three resource individuals and to all the other people contacted who related information we thank you.
St. Johns Union Schools
1856-1876
The first school taught in St. Johns was a select school in charge of Kiss Karie Coryell, sister of Mrs. Swegles. She was visiting Mrs. Swegles in the summer of 1855, and that summer taught school in a shanty on Walker Street. Previously this shanty had been used as a blacksmith shop.
In 1856 the first public school was taught in the same building by Mrs. Gunsally and Mr. J. Wilcox, the latter of whom was assisted by his step-mother.
At the annual meeting of the voters of the school district in September, 1856, it was resolved to organize the district under the law authorizing the formation of union districts. An election for officers declared these to be elected: Hiram Hodge as moderator; John Ransom as director, Spenser Gibbs as assessor, and the following as trustees: A. M. Crawford, S. T. Hayward and David Sturgis.
At the same meeting it was resolved to raise $3,000 to build a school house and at a public meeting on October 12, 1857, the donation of a school site was accepted from A. H. Walker, on behalf of the Village proprietors.
This resolution seems to have met with some subsequent objection on the part of the taxpayers. Many of these taxpayers joined in a suit for an injunction against the levy of a tax for $3,000 for the construction of a school house upon the grounds, that the appropriation was an extravagant one, and that the resolution passing it was illegal.
The court sustained the application for an injunction and the district, therefore, voted to raise $500 for the building of a school house. This time there was not a dissenting voice.
The school house was erected upon the lot donated by the village proprietors and stood where now stands the Episcopal Church. It was completed in the fall of 1858 at a cost of $495. The builders were McKay and Mitchell.
The taxes voted in the district during the school year of October 1858 included $100 on each of the 156 scholars, $206 to pay the fees and costs in the injunction suit, and $500 to pay for the school house.
In 1862 the district resolved a second time to organize into a union school district. Actually, it was not until October 6, 1965 that the territory covered by the village of St. Johns was set off by the township school inspectors as District No.4.
In 1863 it was resolved to purchase the present union school site for $870 and to build a new school house for $10,000. Upon advertising for bids, it was found that Brainard, Wood and Dane would build such a school house for $8,850.
The district accepted Brainard, Wood’s bid and borrowed $9,000 from James Soverhlll of Geneva, New York for 10 years at 8 1/2 percent annually.
The building was completed in October 1865. It consisted of a main structure 54 by 31 feet flanked on each aide by a wing 14 by 31 feet. The entire edifice was constructed of brick. Its height was three stories. To the original contract price of $8,865 the district added on behalf of the contractors $1600 to cover extra expenditures incurred by them. So the total cost of the building reached $10,450.
The first teachers in the new union school (presently called central) were J. B. Nixon of Pontiac as principal, Miss Anna Miller of Ann Arbor as first assistant; Miss Emma Sickels of Owosso, as second assistant; and Miss Hunt of St. Johns.
On the first of November in 1865 the old school house on Walker Street was sold for $500.
Next week: The East side school is built.