Story and photo by Ken Kolker

Norine Ocobock’s memories of teaching 30 wild kids in Byron Center’s one-room McKenney schoolhouse are vivid.

She remembers what was supposed to be her first day teaching there, the day before Valentine’s Day in 1935, when she walked into the school’s "dirty" entry-way, turned around and went back home.

She recalls being greeted the next day by Valentine cards from children she didn’t know. And she remembers coaching the school’s hardball team to victory after victory.

Now, the schoolhouse, with its shifting Pennsylvania Dutch red and crème-colored brickwork, is empty except on Monday nights when it’s used by Byron Center Boy Scout Troop 250.

Ocobock’s 30 students are middle-aged. And the ball field behind the school now is a cornfield.

But thanks to the efforts of the Boy Scouts, the school won’t fall.

The Michigan Historical Commission has listed McKenney School, on the corner of Homerich Avenue and 84^th Street S W, West of Byron Center, as a historical site.

The commission, in a letter sent to the Boy Scout troop, has judged the site to be "historically and/or architecturally significant" and listed it as a protected site.

The troup two years ago looked into the history of the schoolhouse it had bought to hold meetings. After finding it was built by Pennsylvania Dutch bricklayers in 1891, the scouts began a drive to have the building recognized as a historic site.

The troup raised $ 550 to buy a marker that will be placed in front of the school to display its historic value.

"I get a good feeling everytime I drive by that school", said Ocobock, 82, of 2054 24^th Avenue in Jamestown Township. "I really enjoyed teaching there."

Ocobock taught kindergarten through eighth-grade students at the school for three years. She said teaching there was one of the biggest challenges in her more than 50-year career in education.

"We had trouble back then with discipline," she said. "We had a hard winter, lots of sleet, and there was good skating all over, even on the highways."

"They came over to see if I could teach because the students and the teacher were always busy skating. There was not much schooling."

When she walked into the schoolhouse to start her $ 1,000 a year job, she sensed trouble.

"There was toilet paper and corn husks strewn all over the schoolhouse. And there was teacher’s blood on the desk. They must have had a fracas, or else a skating accident."

When she returned the next day greeted by Valentine cards, "I told them we had to have rules and regulations. But I told them " I didn’t want to boss you around. So what about us making the rules together."

"I never had another bit of trouble."

Ocobock said teaching kindergartners through eighth-graders in the same class and teaching every subject but music and sewing took a lot of planning, but it also had it advantages.

"You had the older children help teach the younger," she said. "You depended on help from the older students. Now, they (children) get so dependent on a teacher’s help, they don’t know how to help themselves."

She said schools lost much of their community backing when they were consolidated. In the days of the one-room schoolhouse, there were no millage problems.

Byron Center schools were consolidated in 1946. McKenney School was used by the district for another 16 years.

The present school is the fourth McKenney School built in the area, according to "A Century of Progress, Byron Township, 1857 to 1957, " a history of the township.

There is no record of when the first school, located kitty- corner to the present site, was built. But records show it was demolished in 1846 and replaced with a log schoolhouse that stood until 1865.

The third school, built on the present site, was replaced in 1891 by the brick school.

All four were built with money from area residents.

"I think people had more of a common interest in school," Ocobock said of the one-room schoolhouse days." "At McKenney School, the whole district worked together."

But, she added, consolidation has its advantages.

"The children now have a lot of privileges, things you can’t give in a one-room schoolhouse. We had music, yes, but not like children have now. We had the ball team but no varied athletics for children. They need that."

McKenney Public School

District No 1

Byron Twp, Kent Co, Michigan

ELGIE M IDE, Teacher

Pupils

First Grade

Winifred Norris, Floyd Norris

Harry Kenyon, Jake DeZuaan

Dora Bussema, Carl Bussema

Gerrit Bussema

Second Grade

Ralph Kenyon

Third Grade

Henrietta Kenyon, Andrew Metz

Herman Pater, Elizabeth Bussema

Fourth Grade

Pearl McKenney

Fifth Grade

Sarah Moorman, Katie Pepper

Mary Kenyon, Phoebe Kenyon

Gertrude Pater

Sixth Grade

Lucy Minisee, Bertha Weaver

Hazel Moorman, Thilby Pepper

Seventh Grade

Rebecca Grantham, Hazel Thompson

Warren Weaver, Arthur Weaver

Otto France

Eighth Grade

Bessie Minisee, Hallie Thompson

Paul Barney

School Board

Dyer Ide, President

David Irwin, Secretary

John Homrich, Treasurer

At annual meeting of the qualified voters of School District No 1 of the Township of Byron held at the Schoolhouse in said district on the 27 day of Sept 1858, pursuant to publick (sic) notice.

S L Hamilton Chairman

The following officers were chosen

A H Green-Moderator

Obadiah Roszel-Director

David Irwin-Assessor

It was motioned seconded and caried (sic) that their (sic) be 25 cts on each scholar raised by taxes for the ensuing year.

It is motioned seconded and caried (sic) that their (sic) be $ 10 Dollars raised to pay past indebtness and to pay other expenses.

It is motioned seconded and caried (sic) that their (sic) be 4 months winter and 4 or 5 months school for the summer as the Director may think proper.

One old stove sold by the chairman to Corkins Barny for 62 ½ cts.

Payed to lease 50 cts.

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At the anual (sic) school meeting held at the schoolhouse in District No 1 of the Township of Byron for the school year ending Sept 26^th, 1859.

Directors account was allowed.. The following officers were elected vis:

Obadiah Roszel, Moderator for 3 years

Elijah McKenney, Director for 2 years

Edwin Ide, Assessor for 1 year

It was voted to raise 10 dollars to pay past indebtedness and for repairs on schoolhouse.

I do hereby certify my acceptance of the office of Moderator in School District No 1 of the township of Byron for three years.

Dated this 27^th day of Sept A D 1859.

Obadiah Roszel

I do hereby certify my acceptance of the office of Director in School District No 1 of the township of Byron for two years from date.

Dated this 27^th day of September A D 1859.

Elijah Mc Kenney

I do hereby certify my acceptance of the office of Assessor in School District No 1 of the township of Byron for one year.

Dated this 27^th day of September A D 1859

Edwin Ide

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Report of District Board of School District No 1 for the School year ending Sep 25^th 1859

Hired John Weston for 4 months 21 per month $ 84.00

Paid John W Stone in order on the town treasurer. 60.00

Do Do moneys raised by rate bill 26.00

Hired Sarah J Lovejoy for 17 weeks at 2 dollars per week

Paid Sarah J Lovejoy in orders on the town treasurer 34.00

The hole (sic) amount of mill tax and primary money that has been apportioned

to this District for the last year has been 109.80

Of which there now remains in the hands of the Treasurer $ 15.80 for all purposes.

Paid William Davison Order 4.43

Paid Obadiah Roszel Order 3.60

Paid H B Hall Order 2.00

The above report was accepted at the annual School Meeting.

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At the annual School meeting held at the Schoolhouse in District No 1 of the township of Byron for the School year ending Sept 24^th 1860.

Elected Silas L Hamilton to fill the office of Assessor in the place of Edwin Ide whose term of office had expired.

It was voted to raise twelve dollars on the taxed property of said District, to pay past indebtedness and to repair and furnish schoolhouse.

Report of District board approved of and accepted.

Directors account allowed. Meeting adjourned

Elijah McKenney, Director

Obadiah Roszel, Moderator

I do hereby certify my acceptance of the office of Assessor in School District No 1of the Township of Byron . Dated this 1 st day of October 1861

Silas L Hamilton

I do hereby certify my acceptance of the office of Director in School District No 1 of the Township of Byron for the term of three years. Dated this 6 Day September 1861.

Calvin Gibbs

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Report of District of School District No 1 for the school year ending Sep 24^th 1860

(Receipts)

According to last years report, here is a balance in the Treasury 15.80

Mill tax 33.26

Primary money 31.28

Raised by Rate Bill 22.50

102.84

Raised on the taxable property of the District 10.00

Total 112.84

(Disbursements)

Payed Obadiah Roszel Acc’t as follows:

To 2 days hunting teachers 1.50

To 2 days drawing book 1.00

To 1 day getting the number of scholars 1.00

To 1 lock .37 ½

To making out and warrant rate bill .25

4.12 1/2

Obadiah Roszels Acct for the year 1860

To making one black board 2.50

To 1 table .50

To 1 pail .20

Paid $ 3.20

Hired G W Dilenbeck for 4 months at 20 dollars per month.

He taught 3 months and 15 days. Payed him as follows 72.50

By order on Treasurer 50.00

Raised by rate bill 22.50

Hired Adelphus Smith for 3 months at 10 dollars per month.

Taught 37 days. Payed 16.00

By order of Treasurer

Payed G W Dilenbeck for Web, Primary Lessons 1.00

Repairs 1.68

There yet remains in the Treasury of Primary money 14.34

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At the annual meeting held at the Schoolhouse in District No 1 of the Township of Byron for the school year ending September 2^nd A D 1861

Calvin Gibbs was elected Director for 3 years. It was voted to raise (8) eight dollars on the taxable property of the District for the following past indebtedness and for repairs.

Vis 1.23 to supply depreciated currency in the hands of the Assessor. 1.65 for exemptions and the Directors account 4.52 as allowed by the meeting and it was voted that the Director shall notify each person sending to School to get their proportion of fewel (sic).

Also voted that the Director now elected shall record all the papers and reports now on hand unrecorded. Meeting adjourned.

Obadiah Roszel, Moderator

Elijah Mc Kenney, Director

I do hereby certify my acceptance of the office of Moderator in the School District No 1 of the Township of Byron for the term of three years. Dated this first day of Sep 1861

Edwin Ide

I do hereby certify my acceptance of the office of Assessor in School District No 1 of the Township of Byron. Dated this 1 Day of Sep 1861.

James Mc Kenney

Hired D Millard Stiles 3 ¾ months at 20 dollars per month amounting to $ 75.00

Payed him by order of Treasurer 55.37

Raised by Rate Bill 17.98

Assessor lost in depreciated currency 1.23

Leaving a balance of 16.75

The 1.23 is to be raised on the taxable property of the

District with 1.65 which is the amount to be raised for

Exemptions 2.88

The following persons were exempted from Rate Bill. Vis:

The Widow Gager for .64

The Widow Mayo .64

Jonathan Irwin .37

1.65

Yet due -Mr Stiles 1.23

2.88

Hired Julia R Loomis for 17 weeks at 2 dollars per week 34.00

Payed her by order on Treasurer 15.00

There will yet be due her at the expiration of her term 19.00

Yet on hand in the Treasury 21.59

As follows of Primary 18.52

For repairs and furnishing and to pay past indebtedness 3.07

Obadiah Roszel, Moderator

Elijah McKenney, Director

Silas L Hamilton, Assessor

Report of receipts and disbursements of the District Board of School District No 1 for the School year ending September 2^nd A D 1861

Receipts

Twelve dollars raised to pay past indebtedness and to repair

And furnish schoolhouse 12.00

According to last years report there is on hand 1.68

13.68

Repairs and furnishing house 70.61

And of primary moneys in the Treasury 3.07

There is on hand at the commencement of the school year 14.34

The Mill tax is 38.85

The Primary 35.85

Raised by Rate Bill 17.98

106.87

To be raised for exemptions 1.65

108.52

Disbursements

Payed E McKenney account as allowed by school meeting Sep 21, 1859 as follows, Vis:

For services as Director 2.50

One broom .30

2 lbs chalk .13

3 panes glass .12

3.05

Payed Elijah McKenney account allowed by District Board Jan 22, 1861 and payed by order on Treasurer as follows

To 14 panes of glass .56

To 2 lbs putty .13

To 1 broom .25

To 1 dipper .12

To 1 gross crayons .50

To 5 lbs nails .25

For repairs on house 1.00

For lumber for house 1.75

4.56

Payed Obadiah Roszel for building entry 1.50

Payed S A McKenney by order on Treasurer for rent for the years 1859, 1860 1861 1.50

10.61

January 22^nd, 1861