Old Schools of Berrien County
| When Berrien started to become organized in the 1830's, classes
were taught originally in private homes and log cabins. But a call went out,
and citizens, being of an industrious nature, commenced building schools. Some
were first made of logs, then improved on by wooden structures. And some were
lucky enough to have those same wooden structures, either through fire or
necessity to be replaced by brick buildings. The one room school is pure
Americana in both its quaintness and function. And there was something to be
said for the personableness of a one room schoolhouse compared to the mega-size
schools of today. At the end of World War II men returned from the front and
the baby boom was soon in full swing. The population started to expand and the
one room schools were inadequate to handle the needs of most communities. Along
with this, roadways had improved and school busses came into being. Now
students could be transported further distances than the local school house.
Many of the schools below were consolidated into larger facilities, while
others faded into history. In 1934 Berrien County Schools bragged a total of 165 schools in operation: 134 Rural schools, 13 parochial schools and the remainder divided by 4 city school systems. |
| Bainbridge Township | Comments | Organizers/Teachers |
| Bainbridge Center #4 Corner of Territorial & Bainbridge Center Roads |
Two Room Red Brick school built
circa 1888 and school was closed in 1966 Bainbridge district was split
into the Coloma and Watervliet districts.School still standing as of 2009 |
Teachers: Arthur Kent Walter Kendall Emil Stetler Alfred Butzbach Walter Briney Leslie Melville Lowell McMillan Miss Murial Clark Helen Clark Scherer Phyllis Schaus Wilma Schaus Mrs. Francis Holmes Dean Foster |
| Boyer Bainbridge/Coloma twp line |
Original school built circa
1859 moved back to make room for new school in 1884. Some of the older students
were Edith Pearl & brothers Warren & Jim Adams along with Ruby Guy, now
of St. Joseph in 1959|- the last year of school. 1884 structure replace in 1959 which became an administration building. |
|
| Burg/Berg 1/2 mile west of County Line Road on Daneffel Road |
Miss Mira Olds taught there in 1906 | |
| Byers 1/2 mile east of M-140 at the corner of Territorial and Nichols Roads |
Byers school district organized
in March 29, 1851 at the John Byers home. School was held only 4 months of the
year u ntil 1871 when it was open 6 months of the year. Newer brick school was built in 1902 in 1957 the building was no longer used and sold to Horace Wise. |
Organizers:John Byers, Adam
Miller, George Wise Charles Kit, M. B. Harrington Some teachers: 1884 - Katherine Sommers 1885 - Maggie Anderson 1890 Ironey Jaqueny 1891 Zuth Scott Some Families that attend: Hiler, Peters, Wise and Olds. |
| Center/Centre |
Newspapers 1869 Brick one built in 1885 |
|
| Cribbs District #2 Between N. Branch Road and Hill Hill Road, 3 miles south of M-140 |
Structure burned December 5,
1917; replaced w - 2 room brick building still standing built in 1918 |
|
| Millburg Later to Benton Township |
Before 1868 - Wooden structure
replaced - brick about 1920. |
1928 teacher, Miss Olive Roberts |
| Penn Yan Bainbridge Road between Napier and Empire Roads |
Mr. Henry Beall taught there from at least 1940-1951. His wife Isabelle taught there from at least 19481951. | |
| Sprinks Corner NW corner of Napier and South Park |
Originally a little red school
house existed in 1846 where also various denominations of churches also held
their services in. Spinks Corners came into play as a school district in about 1866. In 1880's a newer school was built and then added on to in 1908 |
George Wright and sister Caroline were early teachers in this school. |
| BarodaTownship | Comments | Organizers/Teachers |
| Baroda | Nov. 13, 1946 Boiler explosion
at school
Also See - River/Riverside
Schools |
1905 teacher Clara Prince |
| Hills | In operation in 1934continuing to 1949 | |
| Landon | In operation in 1949 | 1949-50 Eugenia Markert |
| Ruggles | Founded abt 1899 Still in operation in 1949 | 1949-50 Max Bailey & Mrs. Bernice Zehnor |
| Benton Township | Comments | Organizers/Teachers |
| Bard 7 blocks east of Fair on E. Main Street |
Before that a portable wooden
structure was being used. Charles Ledyard was commisioned to build the newer school in 1927 to replace the old one. In 1949, school enrollment was abt 650 students per newspaper art. |
|
| Boynton Britain Avenue |
Newspaper & family
attended |
|
| Fair Plain Colfax Ave. and Napier Ave. |
In existance in 1896 In the mid 1960's Fair Plain had grown into 4 small schools which consolidated into the School District of the City of Benton Harbor |
Mr. C. D. Jennings was principal for several years circa 1899 |
| Hull Territorial Road & Crystal Ave |
- | |
| Johnson Corner of Benton Center and Territorial Roads |
Two-room school In existence in 1868 |
|
| Lafayette North Shore Drive, north of Benton Harbor |
Principal 1949 Glenn A.
Durflinger |
|
| Martindale East of Benton Harbor on N. Euclid Ave. |
Principal John Keana -
1949 |
|
| Pearl | IN existance in 1934 per Newspaper article | |
| Sorter Pipestone Road near Napier Ave. |
Originally built about 1848 to
1849 Newer one built about 1927 to 1928 Was eventually assigned to the Benton School District |
Lawrence Peachey, Supt, 1949 |
| Stanley End of Kerlikowske Road |
St. Joseph Herald 1868 Merged with other schools in the 1960's |
|
| Stump Off Nickerson Ave. on Pipestone Road |
School formed before 1855 |
History of Van Buren and
Berrien Counties, MI Teachers - Miss Jerue - 1905 Mrs. Ruth Purdy - 1950's |
| Berrien Township | Comments | Organizers/Teachers |
| Evans NE corner of Marquette Woods Road and Washington Ave. |
consolidated with Eau Claire
about 1914. |
1905 Miss Naomi Klachel 1903 teachers Miss Anna Scott and Miss Bernice Jeffries |
| Franklin North end of Pucker Street |
- |
1959 - Miss Patricia McClain |
| Liberty NE corner of Smith Road and M-140 |
Newspaper mention |
|
| Maple Grove |
One room schools house replaced
with two-room cement block building circa 1950. Web & newspaper source |
teacher in 1898 was Miss Elsie Michael |
| National #5 9950 Pucker Street |
School discontinued in 1964.
Students sent to Berrien Springs school |
|
| Oak Grove |
Newspaper Est. 1868 |
|
| Painter |
Existed in 1869 -
|
One of the teachers was a Miss Preston in 1906 |
| St. Joseph Valley Near corner of Daniel Boone Trail and Pokagon Road |
- |
|
| Bertrand Township | Comments | Organizers/Teachers |
| Bakertown | Mrs. Ted Seikman was reelected treasurer of Bakertown school board in 1949 | |
| Bertrand | Newspaper mention | |
| Bronson | Newspaper mention | |
| Buchanan Township | Comments | Organizers/Teachers |
| Broceus Clear Lake area |
Began around 1855 |
Miss Anna Thorburn taught there circa 1910 |
| Buchanan |
various sources |
|
| Colvin Corner of Garr and Glendora Roads |
Originally known as Ingleright School. Organized July
15, 1848. |
|
| Coveney/Coveny NE corner of Coveney and E. Glendora Roads |
Web Source Organized March 1, 1845. |
|
| Gardner Corner of Wagner and Gardner Roads |
Circas 1860 |
|
| Miller Corner of Miller Road and N. Main Street |
Originally known as Sherwood
School. |
|
| Sherwood Corner of Miller Road and N. Main Street |
See Miller School. |
|
| Wagner #5 Near Wagner Road and Clear Lake Road |
Web Source - Organized March 2, 1845. |
|
| Chikaming Township | Comments | Organizers/Teachers |
| Browntown Browntown Road |
Built circa 1867 closed mid
1950's when Chikaming school opened |
|
| Chikaming Three Oaks Road |
In existance before 1869.
Edmund Glavin owned original property school was placed on. Was also used for church services. Was then moved to location and would take on new name of Harbert School. Greenbush building was moved across the tracks from Harbert school and was turned into a Harbert Community Church about 1928. |
|
| Greenbush Birchwood-Beach Road |
As was Harbert so was the school
name. Named after a Chicago Attorney, Mr. William Harbert who owned about 200
acres in the area. When the new Harbert school was built, |
George N.Otwell circa
1896 also taught school at Three Oaks Mrs. Dunham taught there in 1906 |
| Harbert By Harbert railroad tracks |
Friends attended school before
consolidation of River Valley School system. |
School consilidations of Lakeside, Harbert, Sawyer combined in abt 1957 to 1958 and Chikaming School was built. |
| Lakeside |
Newspaper |
|
| Riverside 3 miles north of Three Oaks |
Closed when Chikaming School
opened. mid 1950's |
|
| Sawyer Sawyer next to Lutheran school |
||
| Coloma City | Comments | Organizers/Teachers |
| Coloma | Newspaper mention in 1868 | |
| Gray Coloma/Riverside Road |
Built before 1880 | |
| Ingraham #4 Hagar Shore and Coloma Roads |
Built before 1879 | |
| Eau Claire Village | Comments | Organizers/Teachers |
| Collins | ||
| North Maple Grove | ||
| Galien Township | Comments | Organizers/Teachers |
| Center 2509 Buffalo Road |
Began by 1885 and closed in 1936. | |
| Hagar Township | Comments | Organizers/Teachers |
| Curtis Kerlikowski Road |
Original school burned - replaced - Circa 1860's | |
| Hargar #6 |
Teacher - Mary Daly Theisen; Tri
City Record, October 31, 2001 |
|
| Bundy/Bunday Near intersection of Bundy and Riverside Roads |
Oldest school in Hagar James
Bunday built the building abt 1832 and was later used as a school house - log
cabin originally in 1843 - burned in 1849 and replaced with a framed structure.
- 3rd structure replaced the others in about 1884 |
First teacher was Matilda Irwin who taught there circa 1844 |
| Eaman |
Built in 1854, log web source |
Histories sought |
| Gray Riverside Road |
log school; In existance in
1908 |
1908 Miss Una Hower teacher |
| Pier Pier Road |
circa 1868 - before 1880 - Eli Rice agreed to a 75 year land option in Hagar and Watervliet twp in 1880. | |
| Wisner | Built before 1859 | |
| Lake Township | Comments | Organizers/Teachers |
| Baroda | ||
| Hathaway | ||
| California | ||
| Lincoln Township | Comments | Organizers/Teachers |
| Nash | School started in 1866 - Mentioned in St. Joseph Herald, October 17, 1868 | History of Van Buren and Berrien Counties, MI |
| South Lincoln Lincoln Ave. south of John Beers Road |
||
| Spears SE portion of county |
Initiated by the Methodist Episcopal in 1847 later became known as Spears School | History of Van Buren and Berrien Counties, MI |
| Stevensville |
Consolidated with Lakeshore;
merged into Lakeshore school system about 1963 |
|
| Stewart Lake Shore Drive and Glendora |
Est. abt 1881 - closed about 1957 when New Stewart school was built. | |
| New Buffalo Township | Comments | Organizers/Teachers |
| Spring New Buffalo |
||
| First School | Established 1836 | |
| Niles Township | Comments | Organizers/Teachers |
| Bardhardt? | ||
| Bell | ||
| Bertrand | ||
| Brick | ||
| Carey Mission One mile west of Niles |
1823 | Founded by Rev. Isaac McCoy, Baptist clergyman |
| DeMott SE corner of Rangeline and Matthew Roads |
||
| Electric Light Pucker Street, Niles |
Named for Niles power plant which was nearby. Didn't get electricity until 1931. Mabel Andrews taught here and other schools in region. | |
| Fairland Stafford Road |
||
| Ferry Street Corner of 7th and Ferry Street, Niles |
A red brick schoolhouse built in 1867 for African-American children. It closed after 3 years and reopened in 1873 as an integrated school. | Miss Carrie Bond taught here in 1897. Other teachers: Carrie E. Toan, Anna B. Duffy, Claudine A. Rahn, and Katherine McLellan. |
| Hatfield #8 NW corner of Hatfield Road and M-140 |
||
| Lacey Phoenix Street, Niles |
||
| Range Line Rangeline Road and Mattews Road |
Originally called DeMott School. | |
| St. Joseph Valley Corner of US-31 North and Matthews Road |
Early 20th century Mrs. Mary Pauline (Graham) Winn was the teacher. | |
| Thompson | ||
| Union | Building completed in 1856. | First principal was E. W. Spaulding. |
| Oronoko Township | Comments | Organizers/Teachers |
| Bedinger South west of Berrien Springs |
||
| Burke Corner of Snow and Garr Roads |
||
| Grange Between Snow and Grange Roads |
||
| Hinchman Corner of Hinchman and Scottsdale Roads |
||
| Pipestone Township | Comments | Organizers/Teachers |
| Burke Union Road |
||
| Columbia Columbia Road off M-140 |
||
| Eau Claire Five corners |
||
| First | ||
| Pipestone Corner of Preston and Old Pipestone Road. |
||
| Red School House | 1855 | History of VanBuren and Berrien Counties, MI |
| Shanghai Corner of Shangai and Pipestone Roads |
Original school was constructed before c1841. Replaced by a shanty in 1847. Closed in 1960's. | |
| Original | George Lundy was the first teacher in this township. | |
| Royalston Township | Comments | Organizers/Teachers |
| Bacon Miners and Bacon School Roads |
Bacon school built in 1893 and
originally located on the Bacon farm. closed in November, 1958 |
One of the teachers was S. B. Miners who taught circa 1880 thru 1887. |
| Buckhorn Between Rockey Weed and Linco Roads |
See Tryon School; built 1869,
converted into a church |
|
| Dickinson Corner of Marquette Woods Road and US-31 |
See Tryon School |
|
| Hollywood N. Hollywood Road |
Source: March 1946
Newspaper |
|
| Royal | Built circa 1918 closed in November 1958 | |
| Tryon Corner of John Beers and Scottdale Roads. |
built in 1840; later used as
Township Hall. |
|
| Sodus | Comments | Organizers/Teachers |
| Stumps | ||
| Tabor | Established by 1858 | |
| Rector | Established by 1860 | |
| River | ||
| Mt. Pleasant Hillendale Road |
||
| Sodus Township | Comments | Organizers/Teachers |
| Arden/Royalton Twp. | ||
| Chadwick Elementary 4100 Watson Road |
||
| Cowles | ||
| Mt. Pleasant | History of VanBuren and Berrian Counties | |
| River 4439 River Road |
||
| Tabor | History of VanBuren and Berrian Counties | |
| St. Joseph City | Comments | Organizers/Teachers |
| Brown Located off Lake Shore Drive south of St. Joseph |
Consolidated with St. Joseph School District | |
| Gard Hilltop Road and Cleveland Ave. |
||
| Log 1 mile west of Dickerville on Riverside Road |
In the 1830's there was more than one log building erected that school was taught in until other buildings were constructed to replace them. | |
| North Lincoln | Was in operation by 1934 and closed in November 1958/ | |
| North Shore | Mentioned in 1946 newspaper | |
| Trinity Lutheran | Mentioned in 1946 newspaper | |
| Washington | ||
| St. Joseph Township | Comments | Organizers/Teachers |
| Old White Corner of Ship and Main Streets |
Constructed around 1834-1937 | |
| Witheral/Witherell Corner of Hollywood and Niles Road |
Served as a church for the
Methodist Congregation. School commenced circa 1871 with Nicholas Miller building it and was named after the Witheral family, but not built on their land. School moved in 1904 to its persent location of 1958. closed in November, 1958 |
Teacher: 1896 Joe Collier |
| Stevensville | Comments | Organizers/Teachers |
| Hill Top | Teacher in 1905 was Miss Grace Shearer; 1908 was Miss Margaret Jeffries | |
| Stewart | Teachers in 1940's were: Miss Elsie Prillwitz, Miss Alma Tinkham, Mrs. Lavinia Kamrad(?) | |
| Three Oaks Township | Comments | Organizers/Teachers |
| Avery | Closed 1938 | |
| Basswood Corner of US-12 and Basswood Road |
Established c1865 and closed in 1938 | |
| Cherry/Spring Creek | Built of cherry wood in 1844. Located across the road from Spring Creek school. | |
| Three Oaks Elm and Ash Streets |
circa 1852 to 1854 Newer school built and then added to in 1877 and 1896High School building built in 1906 -Its high school burned January 3, 1919. Newer school built in 1921 and additions made in subsequent years. | Might have been in the home of W. H. HinkleyFirst teacher was Miss GoodrichLottie Heard of Niles 1854-1855 |
| Spring Creek Intersection of Donner and Three Oaks Roads |
In existance on or before 1842 closed in 1938 and students sent to Three Oaks school | Mrs. Elizabeth Chamberland first teacher on recordMrs. Cornelia Crosby taught at the school in 1866 |
| Weesaw Township | Comments | Organizers/Teachers |
| Elm Valley #8 Elm Valley Road 5 miles NE of Three Oaks |
Founded in 1880. Student were sent to consolidated schools of Galien and New Troy at the time of its closing. School was in use until about 1944 and building sold in September of 1949. This was the 3rd building since 1880's that was erected for the school. The Stoner family sold original 1 acre of land school sat on. | 1880's teacher - Herman
Austin 1929 - teacher Miss Agnes Spaulding |
| Hills Corner Corner of Glendora and Gardner Roads |
||
| New Troy | Built about 1871 | |
| Watervliet | Comments | Organizers/Teachers |
| Clymer NW of Coloma and Harford |
First school built in 1880 replaced by red brick school in 1917 on land donated by Arthur Clymer. | First teacher was Albert Jackson |
| Select | Opened about 1849-1851. Charles Bostwick started the school and later it was turned into a tavern by Moses Sargent named The Osgood House. | |
| Shingel Diggings/Shingle Diggin's | Opened in 1837 and closed in 1838 | Mary Youngs |