Part IV - Education, a supplement to the Big Rapids Pioneer Newspaper. Used with permission.




CHIPPEWA HILLS SCHOOL DISTRICT CONSOLIDATED IN 1967

Before Chippewa Hills School District (CHSD) consolidated in February 1967, four smaller districts existed in the area.

The four districts - Barryton Rural Agricultural School, Mecosta-Remus Consolidated School, Weidman Community School and Millbrook Fouts School - combined to create (CHSD).

According to Linda May, an early Chippewa Hills graduate, now serving as the superindendent's secretary, the districts were originally rivals with each other.

Stated in a study performed by former Chippewa Hills student Trevor Morgan, educators and parents from Weidman, Barryton, Mecosta and Remus held a meeting on Aug. 25, 1960 to first discuss a possible merger.

Two years later, representatives from the Mecosta, Barryton, Weidman and Remus districts held their first election concerning a merging of the districts, the study added.

At the time, both Mecosta and Remus had their own school districts, until they consolidated in 1963.

However, the 1962 attempt failed among voters.

In 1964, Michigan Legislation passed Public Act No. 289, otherwise known as the School District Reorganization Act. The act's purpose - to consolidate many of the smaller districts into larger more efficient school districts.

Under this act, Barryton began moving toward merging with the Mecosta-Remus School District. A second election was held on May 2, 1964 and again voters turned the merger down.

A third election, held on Jan. 30, 1965, passed. Mecosta-Remus Consolidated School District was combined with Barryton Rural Agricultural School District.

Weidman and Fouts were added in a special election in Feb. 11, 1967.

In the spring of 1967, the new school district held school-naming contests, and the top three finalists were the John F. Kennedy School District, the Mecostabella School District and Chippewa Hills School District.

CHSD w3as favored among the three suggestions, and the Mecosta-Osceola Intermediate School District approved the name on July 21, 1967.

The new temporary CHSD Board of Education hired James Paul Jorgenson as the district's new superintendent. Jorgenson previously served as the superintendent in Barryton.

Charles Pelham and Ralph Turnbull, two remaining former superintendents, were named assistants to Jorgenson.

Also, Aug. 28, 1967 was the established as the district's first board election date, when Stuart Dague, Dave Dunlop, Kake VanderSys, Harry Gardner, Dr. E. H. Kowaleski, John Berryhill and George Weichman were elected.

Also in 1967, a $2.75 million bond was approved for the purpose of erecting, furnishing, and equipping a new high school building; constructing and equipping an athletic field; acquiring additional land for site purposes; and developing and improving sites to the district.

The new Chippewa Hills High School was dedicated and opened for the first time in 1971. A new Chippewa Hiklls Intermediate Schools replaced the old facility - the old Remus Junior High - in 2002

The Remus site became Remus Elementary. Throughout the years, the elementary schools received several renovations and improvements. For more information about CHSD, contact the administrative office at (989) 967-2000.

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