Cheboygan County
Contributed by Jim Hall
| Cheboygan County Contributed by Jim Hall | |
WAVERLY SCHOOL SYSTEM Waverly organized it�s first public school in 1883, the same year Waverly became a
township. The first school made of unhewed logs was located in section twenty-five
(T35N-RIE NE1/4, NE �) and its first teacher was Evangeline Stewart (1883-1884). A
term of school lasted six months. On April 17, 1884 a meeting was cancelled due to
lack of members. Then no April 12, 1886 a meeting was held to appoint a Librarian for
a term of one year. The meeting closed early because one inspector was a way. One
year later on April 19, 1887 the first meeting to to be pleasted. The inspectors
present were: Wesley Bush, Walter Ward, Hasssea Van Loon. Hassen Van Loon was
appointed Librarian. The total number of books in the library were 26 and many more
were damaged. He was paid $1 for repairing damaged books. ON April 11, 1888 Hassea
was paid $4 for Librarian for the year 1887 and the end of the year she had 46 books
in very good condition. Meetings were held once a year to appoint a librarian. This
school was the only one in Waverly until April of 1893 when Waverly No. 1
(SE �, SE �) was built in section twenty-six. This land was purchased from E. A Sayers at the
N. W. corner of the intersection of Twin School Road and Black River Rd. (FOS) What
happened to the first school is unknown although there is a mention of an old school
being sold to Benjamin Sayers for $10.00 in township records. The new school was a 20
by 30 foot board building. Sandord A. Lester was its first instructor and was one of
the County examiners for Cheboygan County. When Mr. Lester left two years later, Mrs.
Evangline Stewart Roberts took his place. At the annual town meeting two years later a
special tax was levied for the purpose of building a new school, and the board
accepted the bid of C. J. Hutchinson to erect the school for $320.00. This building
is the smallest of the two buildings known to most folks as the Twin Schools. District No. 2 (NE �, NW �, Sect. 24) school was first a log building on
the same site where the second building now stands west of the Clarence Stockwell
residence. In the spring of 1940 this school closed its doors. Both No. 3 and No. 4 schools burned in forest fires were replaced by new
buildings about 1911. No. 3 (SW �, SE � Sec. 28) was built near Shanty Rapids on the
northeast corner where Twin School Rd. turns to run next to Kleber Pond or across from
park on Kleber Pond., and the new school erected on the same site. No. 4 school
(SW �, SE �, Sec. 29) was first located where Don St. Germain now lives and was relocated
west of there on the hill near the Brady�s when rebuilt. In 1909 a great many woodsmen, mostly from Kentucky, were employed at a
large camp on the Western part of the township (west side of Section 10 T35N-RIW).
They were far from any school, so a school was hastily made from logs near the water
hole on the old railroad grade going west to LaGrand in a small settlement known as
Kentuckyville. Gladys Cole was employed to teach there. When the timber was removed,
about a year later, the camp was disbanded and the school was discontinued. A new District No. 1 school house was erected by 1912 and the old building
was sold to the township for a town hall. The new school was built just north of the
old one and they became known as the Twin Schools. In the spring of 1940 the Waverly School No. 2 closed it�s doors, there
were no children left at that locality to teach. Since then a few children, whose
parents moved into the locality of School No 2, and these are transported to the No. 1
School. There were no high schools in Waverly, but the children ordinary go to Onaway and take
advantage of the facilities for learning offered by that small city. In addition to
Onaway High School there in the Presque Isle County Normal was also located at the
same place and available to all who graduate acceptably from High School. Waverly had a total of eight schools through the years. The school district provided someone to build the fire and keep the school
building in repair for all the lady teachers but all of the men teachers were expected
to tend these chores themselves for an extra $5.00 per month. Waverly #1 School 1956-1957 Teacher was Beth Johnson K-3rd grade had 19 students1957-1958 Teacher Beth Johnson K-3rd grade and had 18 students1959-1958 Teacher Beth Johnson K-4th grade 16 studentsSeptember 5, 1960 � Lois Ennes teacherMay 29, 1961 K-4th grades had 20 students1961-1962 Teacher was Barbara Erratt for K-4 grades 20 students Compiled and Contributed by Nute Chapman, Sally Beatty, & Jim Hall History of Waverly TownshipSource: Onaway News, Thursday, August 17, 1972, page 6Contributed by James Hall & Nute ChapmanFrom the beginning, except for the meeting held jointly with the Burt Township Board,
Waverly Township meetings and elections took place in the District 1 school house.
This first building stood in that wooden area between what is now the Julian Leithart
residence and the Roland Johnstons on the south side of the Hutchinson Road. Just how
old this building was when the township was established, or what happened to it after
the new
building was erected we have not been able to determine for certain. We�ve found no
record of it being built and no one is sure if it was moved or simply rotted down.
We did find record of the old school house being sold for $10.00 to Benjamin Sayers.Discussion of a site for a new school house went on for some years and after
consultation with the county clerk in Cheboygan, a site was chosen in section 26 and a
piece of land purchased from E. A. Sayers. It was decided in April of 1893 that the
new school would be a board building 20� x 30� with 10� corner (ceiling). At the
annual town meeting two years later a special tax was levied for the purpose of
building the new school, and the board accepted the bid of C. J. Hutchinson to erect
the house for $320.00. The bid was accepted July 20, 1895 and the building completed
by September 28, 1895. The building material was tongue and grooved white pine siding
and was put on in such way to keep it from rotting. This building still stands with
the original siding on it�the smaller of two buildings known to most folks around as
the Twin Schools at the corner of Twin Schools Road and Black River Road.The next year (1896) O. S. Merrill turned in a bill to the board for a rebate on his
taxes since the new school was too great a distance from his lands (he lived where Al
Morgan�s place is). During the first discussions of a site, they had considered
building on the quarter line in section 23 and 24 one half mile north of Benjamin
Averys (now the Virgil Gays) which would have put the school house right between the
Charles Deckers and Hewitt Galls. This would have been more to the liking of Mr.
Merrill who did not get the rebate he asked for, since his lands were still within the
school district 1 boundaries set up.By the year 1912 Waverly township people had built and supported 4 schools and
furnished a 5th. District No. 2 school was first a log building on the same site where
the second building now stands east of the Clarence Stockwell residence. This was
converted to a pleasant home by Alex Campbells several years ago and is now owned by
one of the Morgans. Both No. 3 and No. 4 schools burned in forest fires and were
replaced by new buildings about 1911. No. 3 was built near Shanty Rapids and the new
school erected on the same site. No. 4 school was first located where the Don St.
Germains now live and was relocated west of there on the hill near the Bradys when
rebuilt. No. 5 school was situated near the water hole on the old railroad grade going
west to La Grand, and the school board was not responsible for the building of this
school but did furnish it with seats and books. This school was established in a small
settlement known as Kentuckyville, lasted only a couple of years and Miss Gladys Cole
was the teacher.The new District No. 1 school house had been erected by 1912 also and the old building
was sold to the township for a town hall. The new school was built just north of the
old one and they became known as the Twin schools.At first the Township board took care of town business and school business, electing
school commissioners to be responsible for the running and maintenance of the schools,
later there was a school board and later still this was called the board of education.All the schools had wood stoves in the early days and the chore of cutting wood was
let out to various persons�as in 1889 Charley Hutchinson cut 8 cord of wood for 82
cents per cord; 6 cord of hard wood and 2 of soft wood and put it in the wood shed.
Other chores were assigned and paid for�1890, Westley Bush cleaned school house and
yard, blacked stove, and piled up the wood in wood shed; in 1891 the cleaning and
banking (with dirt around bottom of building) and plastering of all holes where the
plaster was off, and mowing all weeds and brush from school yard was accomplished by
Jessie Hutchinson for $1.47.School census went from 18 in 1888 to 34 in 1897, with youngsters from age 6 through
19. After that the township grew rapidly and increased enough to cause the school
board to build additional schools.The first teacher�s contract we find was signed by Miss Angie Stewart September 12,
1887. She taught No. 1 school that year for thirty-two dollars a month. Other teachers
through the years were William Van Loon, John Chester, Edith M. Milliken, Miss Linda
Stewart, Miss Maggie Graham, Lizzie Aiken, William Wilson, S. A. Lester, Angie
Roberts, Grace Allison, Miss Orpha Doolittle, Miss Madge Sandison, and Margaret Penoyer. All these were teachers at No. 1 school before 1900 at which time Margaret
Penoyer was contracted to teach No. 2 school. In 1901 Miss Sadie Swindlehurst had No.
1 and Miss Penoyer stayed at No. 2; in �02 Ivah Smith had 1, and Orpha Doolittle No 2;
following Miss Doolittle were Grace Southerland and Ethel Lee.The school district provided someone to build the school fire and keep the school
buildings in repair for all the lady teachers but all the men teachers were expected
to tend these chores themselves for an extra $5.00 per month.Much of the history of the township is building into the schools, as the building werepused for town meetings, school meetings, elections both local and national, and they
were the places for programs and parties. Even though there was a town hall, elections
were still held in the school house and the kids had a vacation that day.