The Robinson brothers, who came to this vicinity in June, 1835, were largely responsible for the organization of the Lowell school district in 1837, and they assisted in the erection of the first log schoolhouse in 1838. Rodney Robinson and Philander Tracey were the officers of the the first school district. The log schoolhouse was erected on the west bank of the Flat River near the present site of the transformers near the light plant. The dimensions were 18x26, height 7 feet to the beams and 4 feet from there to the eaves. It was heated by a large stove and a clay fireplace. It was the only schoolhouse between Ionia and Grand Rapids.

The first teacher to ring the pony bell was Miss Caroline Baird (or Beard) who came from Ithaca, New York. She lived in the garret of the schoolhouse and prepared her own meals. She used a ladder to get to her rooms and she drew it up after her at night. The school was open in May 1, 1838 with an enrollment of nine white children and five Indian children. Miss Baird was later married in this schoolhouse to Mr. Caleb Paige, with a great community celebration. Mrs. Rodney Robinson, grandmother of our townsmen, Mr. R.D. Stocking, took an active part in the festivities.

This schoolhouse was also used for worship. It was abandoned in 1845, and for about six years there were no districts schools. Some of the children attended at Fox’s Corners and others received private instruction.

According to the minutes of the school board, dated Mary 15^th, 1848, there was a school district, and a building and pupils. These minutes beginning in 1848 make no references to the abandonment of the first log school in 1845, and neither is there a reference as to where the school was kept in session until in 1851, when the district paid Abel Avery $7.00 for the schoolhouse site located near the N.E. corner of lot No. 3, section No. 2, town 6, N. of range 9 West. This is the present location of the Methodist Episcopal church.

In 1852, Mr. C. S. Hooker was given a contract to erect the building for $300.00 The minutes of the Board during this period are very interesting. School was held six months during the year; three months during the Winter, beginning in November and three months during the warmer months. The salaries of the teachers ranged from two to three dollars a week. Children were compelled to bring a cord of wood before they could enter school. The records show that from 32 to 40 pupils attended school during this period.

The minutes of the school board were very neatly kept. Some of the people who played a prominent part of the history of the school at this time were C.S. Hooker, George K. White, W.H. Montague, Stephen Denny, Timothy White, Henry Church and Jacob Snell. Clarinda Robinson as one of the teachers. An interesting sentence taken from the minutes of 1853 signed by C.S. Hooker, Director, reads, "Resolved, that there be allowed to William Gerney $1.00 for inspecting teachers."

The number of pupils increased from 78 in 1854 to 102 in 1855, but no reference was made as to how the children were taken care of in a one-room school, 36 feet by 26 feet. Other accounts, however, say that the engine house was drafted into service for a primary room. In 1856 there were 150 pupils and the Directors were authorized to procure a schoolroom on the west side of Flat river, and the school year was increased to a 10-month term. In 1859, $1,500 was appropriated for a new school house, and plans were made to dispose of the old one.

All of ’60 and ’62 there were special meetings and finally in ’62 final action was taken, and the district voted to build near the East bank of Flat River. The ground was purchased of Abel Avery. A building committee, consisting of Dr. A. Peck, I. N. White and Hiram West, was appointed with power to act. The contract was let of M. N. Hine and B. G. Wilson. The lumber was purchased at Greenville and rafted down the river. The building was completed in December at the entire cost of $1,889.42.

Mr. B. F. Sliter and Miss Eliza Cummings taught the first term in the new house. Mr. Sliter closed his term with an exhibition in the evening, but when the evening came the floods came also; the bridge over the river went down; the water reached up to the school house and the west side pupils were obliged to take to boats. But they were faithful and took their parts and the exhibition was a great success.

Mr. Moses Everett succeeded Mr. Sliter, then Mr. M. M. Perry, a teacher from the southern part of the state was engaged. During this time the year was divided into three terms and the Lowell School District was merged into a Union Graded School. Later Mr. Perry was for many years a member of the School Board.

According to the annual report of that year there were 150 children of school age, 54 volumes in the District Library and the school house and lot were valued at $2,300.

The bell was not hung until the Spring of 1863. It was purchased in New York City at a cost of $68.88. It was not rung for some time after it was hung owing to the serious illness of a former teacher and its first tones sounded her funeral knell. Its second tolling was for the death of Abraham Lincoln. It rang out joyfully at the fall of Richmond and again when the soldiers came home from the Civil War.

For over half a century this school house, with additions from time to time ably served the people of Lowell. Among the outstanding superintendents of the period were S. P. Hicks, J. A. May, W. L. Shuart, C. S. Larzelere, W. A. Ludwig, J. B. Nicholson, J. F. Thomas and C. W. Appleton. Mr. hicks also serve a long term on the board of education. Two other faithful board members who served for long terms were R. W. Graham and W. S. Winegar.

In 1913 it became quite obvious that a new High School building was a necessity. A quiet well-defined campaign of "talking up" the proposition to voters was begun. The matter was put to a vote three times before it was finally carried January 29, 1915, by a majority of 98 votes out of 392 cast.

In June of this year the walls of the old White School fell to give place to the larger, better equipped and more modern building which the needs of the times demanded for the broader culture and better training of the increasing number of students at its doors. Early in 1916 the new plant was ready for occupancy and school was opened. Superintendent A. F. Frazee worked untiringly in connection with the board of education for the accomplishment of this project.

For a number of years the faithful old bell was silent. In 1930 it was hung over our present High School building, and to the gratification of many, again peals forth its summons to pupils and teachers alike.

The first commencement exercises of the Lowell High School were held in June, 1878, under Mr. May. Two students were graduated, Frank Hine and Jessie Hooker. There has been a class graduated each year since with the exception of 1893.

Lowell has three ward schools. The South Ward School is located in Segwun. "In Ye Olden Tyme" W. M. Chapman taught school in the Old Advent Church which stills stands one door north of Steven’s garage. The present building was erected about 1876 and is situated on a hill-top south and east of the Grand Trunk station. Mr. Chapman also served many years in the West Ward and several years as superintendent of the High School.

The history of our schools would be incomplete if special mention were not made of Miss Katherine Perry, who has been teaching in Lowell 41 years, 38 of these in the West Ward School. As a tribute to her the West Ward school erected in 1876, was dedicated to her October 16, 1926. There was an outpouring of the entire community as the author of:
"Control Yourself Do Right Work Quietly" was accorded a demonstration of marked esteem.
The East Ward, the most recently built of the ward schools, was erected in 1899 and is on East Main Street.

Lowell is proud of its progressive public spirited community; its complete list of faithful, loyal, self-sacrificing Boards of Education; and its long line of conscientious, efficient teachers and superintendent whose names are too numerous to mention.

"When Time who steals our years away
Shall steal our pleasures too,
The memory of the past will stay,
And half our joys renew."