Union School District No. 1 History

Union School District No. 1 - Big Rapids Current Newspaper 4 January 1882 Union School District No. 1 of the township of Big Rapids was organized September 16, 1868, at a meeting duly called for that purpose. Gen. S. Bronson presided over said meeting and Charlie Gay acted as secretary, and the meeting elected its first trustees as follows: G. F. Stearns, and C. C. Fuller for three years, G. W. Warren and Chas. Shafer for two years, and Andrew Green and N. H. Vincent for one year. The district as organized was composed of Districts 1 and 3 and of the town of Big Rapids, the former embracing all the territory on the south side of Mitchell Creek now within the city limits, and its school house being what is known as "the 1st ward school house," and the latter district embracing all the territory on the north side of Mitchell creek now within the city limits, its schoikl house being what is now known as "the third ward school house." The Union district inherited all the property of the old school districts as well as their debts. The first meeting of the first board of trustees was held at C. C. Fuller's law office, September 21, 1868, and Chas. Shafer was elected the first moderator, G. W. Warren first director, and G. F. Stearns the first assessor. At an adjourned meeting, this board fixed the salary of the superintendent at $1,000 per annum, principal of high school, $600, and lady teachers $400 - the district then contained less than 250 children of school age. At this time meeting the board decided to contract for 65 cords f wood at $1.50 per cord, and it was decided to employ John S. Warren as the first teacher of the high school, with Miss Kate Roberts and Mrs. T. Brough as teachers in the lower grades. An adjourned meeting of the district was held on the 23rd of September, 1868, at which the first tax upon the district was voted,amounting to $3,000. This meeting also adopted the following significant resolution: Resolved, That the paying of teachers should be according to qualification rather than sex. The first bill against the district was in favor of Watson & Smocker, carpenters. It amounted to $12 and was allowed and ordered paid Oct. 24, 1868. The first text books used in the district were Wilson's readers, Sander's spelling, Thompson's practical arithmetic, Davie's algebra, Monthieth's geography, Sill & Wxxx's grammar, Loomis phiology, (?) Well's Philosphy, Wilsons history, Mayhews's book keeping. THE OLD HOUSE In the summer of 1869, the district decided to build a new central school building, and toi that end selected the site on which the old building now stands. The board of trustees accordingly purchased a piece of ground there of Bronson, Stickney & Co., which fronts 64 feet on Michigan avenue and 150 feet on Pine street, for $450, and prioceeded at once to erect the proposed building. J. E. Hoag drew the plans, and the contract was let to John McNaughton to erect a building 48 by 56 feet, two stories high, of wood, for $2,800. He finished the same early in the spring of 1870, and the spring term of that year was held therEin. The school steadily increased until in 1874 the board was compelled to provide more room, which they did by renting and fitting up the room now occupied by J. P. Huling as a second hand furniture store.

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