Bay City Times
February 28, 1937
Centennial Edition

Modern System Had
Start in Log Cabin

First School Instituted Here in April 1842
With Six Students Attending

     Progressing through a century, Bay City educational facilities today rank with the best in the nation.  From a rude log cabin on the banks of the Saginaw river with a handful of pupils to an ultra-modern high school with more than 1,000 students marks the advancement of a century in education here. 
     Today Bay City boasts a school system that has kept pace with the ever increasing tempo of progress through the nation.  The present modern and completely equipped school system had its institution in a little wooden school building that was established in April 1842 on the banks of the Saginaw river at the foot of Columbus avenue.  A Miss Clark was the first teacher in the little school located in what was then known as the Bonnell house.  The school term that year opened June 1 and continued until September 1, the time now annually devoted to vacation periods.  Included in the classes were men and women who later in life played an important role in the city's early times.  These pupils were Daniel Marsac, Margaret Campbell, Perry and Philenda Olmstead, Richard Tromble, and P.L., H. B. and Esther Rogers, children of Mrs. Elizabeth Rogers, Bay City's first physician.
     Probate Judge Sydney S. Campbell was the first director of the school district, Thomas Rogers, its first moderator, and Cromwell Barney, its first assessor.

                       New Teacher Hired

     On the following January a new teacher was brought in to Bay City to supervise the school, Captain David Smith being hired by the school board since there were several  of the 24 pupils in the school over 21 years of age.  These men were Daniel Marsac, James McCormick, John Churchfield, and ____eal Marsac. 
     The Bonnell house served as the school house for Lower Saginaw's residents until January 7, 1845 when Harry Campbell constructed the school building at the foot of Washington avenue at the cost of ________.   The building was 21 by 26 feet and was large enough to house all of the children of school age, there was a wide variance in the age zone in those days, from the entire surrounding district.
     Captain Smith remained in charge of the school here until 1847, when his place was taken by Miss A. E. Robinson who held forth as the village school mar'm until 1848.  For her services as teacher in the backwoods settlement, Miss Robinson received the generous stipend of $1.50 a week and board and room.  The board and room meant that she was to live one week at a stretch with each of the families that had children in the school.   The "boarding round" method of taking care of teachers was the thing in those days and until a few years ago was used extensively in the rural districts where the school board was unable to pay regular salaries to teachers.
     The school building at the foot of Washington avenue continued to be used until 1854 when a new building capable of housing 300 students was built on Adams street.   The building was located between _____ and Fourth street, the site where a parking lot for The Times employees is now situated.  After the building had been abandoned as a school house it was later used by the Salvation Army for a citadel.   Several years ago the building was torn down when the office building of The Times' was enlarged.

New School Built

     The Adams street school was built because of the large number of children in Hampton township who were without educational facilities. In 1865 the school was enlarged to accommodate an additional 200 children.  The following year the second school house was constructed at McKinley avenue and Adams street, the building begin built to accommodate 120 pupils.
     Miss Cornelia Chillson, who taught school in Bay City for many years, attended the various early school which were established here and her reminiscences of early school days have been recorded by early and contemporary historians.
     Concerning Miss Chillson, historians record that "she attended Judge Miller's school on Fremont avenue and was a pupil in the school which was only a "shanty" on Captain Wilson's farm.  She continued her education in "readin', riteing and 'rithmetic" in a place of learning located near Pitt's mill on First street and Washington avenue.   The school was a one-room affair with a door located at one end; there was a long beach against three sides of the room and the pupils sat on those facing the walls with their backs to the center of the room.   When the grand new school which later became the Salvation Army barracks, was built on Adams street she had the pleasure of entering it to gain more knowledge.   What a wonderful place it was to those who had studied and recited in the "shack".   The building had two rooms down stairs and one large room overhead which had two big square box stoves at the two front corners of the room.  Pupils came to the school from a greater distance now and carried their meals.  Often they would blow the dust off the top of the stoves and warm up their bread and butter on the smooth, hot surface.   What splendid times they had skating on the clearing where ponds had formed around the school building and all else was forest.   Miss Chillson, once a pupil, became a primary teacher in this building before 1865.  At that time Carlos Bacon was principal.   She also taught in Williamstown, which is now Auburn.   The late Circuit Judge James Gaffney was a pupil of Miss Chillson when she taught at the Auburn school.

School District Formed

     Bay City's Union School district was organized March 29, 1867, and the first official act of the trustees of the board was the ordering of the construction of the Farragut school which served as Bay City's first high school.   George Campbell was awarded the contract for building the school at a cost of $67,350.   The building, somewhat changed in appearance still stands today and is used as one of the city's primary schools.
     The school building was built and the first class held in April 1869.  It was about 20 years later that students of Bay City schools entered the new high school buildings on the East Side.  On March 27, 1882, the students of Bay City high school marched in a body to the new Eastern high school located on Madison avenue near Columbus avenue and on March 27, 1922, the students of Eastern marched to the new and modernly spacious new high school building on Columbus avenue. 
     D. C. Scoville was appointed superintendent of schools in Bay City in 1869 and under his planning the system was modernized to fit the educational plans of that day.  He was succeeded by I. W. Morley who remained in the capacity of superintendent for many years.   Morley was followed by J. W. Smith who served to 1894 and he in turn was followed by J. A. Stewart who held the post from 1894 to 1911.   E. E. Ferguson was appointed to the post in 1911 and served to 1914 to be succeeded by F. A. Gause, who held the superintendency until 1922.   G. L. Jenne was appointed in 1922 and served until 1935 when his place was filled following his resignation, by Benjamin Klager, the incumbent superintendent.

THE HISTORY OF THE BAY CITY SCHOOLS

1842 - First school established in April on the bank of the Saginaw river at the foot of Columbus avenue.  Six pupils attended, taught by a Miss Clark. It was 14 x 20 feet and was built in 1839 as a residence for William Bonnell.

1845 - In January a new school building was constructed at the foot of Washington avenue, at a cost of $200.  It was 21 x 26 feet.  Miss A. E. Robinson was the first teacher.

1854 -  A school capable of housing 160 students was erected on Adams street, between Fourth and Fifth.  It was named the Central school.

1865 -  The Adams street school was enlarged to accommodate an additional 200 students.

1866 -  Another school was built at Adams and McKinley to accommodate an additional 120 pupils.   About 500 students were now enrolled in schools.

1867 -  Bay City's Union School District was organized.   The present Farragut school was ordered constructed at a cost of $67,350. It became Bay City's first high school.

1868 - In West Bay City the old Western high school was erected as a Union School.   The first West Bay City school was earlier built on LItchfield.

1869 -  First classes held in Farragut high school.   D. C. Schoville became Superintendent of Schools.  He immediately began to institute the graded system in the schools.

1874 -  Sherman school erected.

1875 -  The system consisted of 6 buildings and 35 teachers.  2120 students were now enrolled.   The Whittier and Fremont schools were erected this year.

1877 -  The teacher-training school was begun.  For 35 years the majority of Bay City teachers were chosen from its graduates.

1878 -  Trombley school erected.

1882 -  On March 27 the high school students marched in a body to the new high school, now Eastern Junior High.   The system now had 8 buildings and 49 teachers.

1883 -  The Dolsen school erected.

1885 -  First elected school board took office.   Members had previously been appointed by the Council.  The board consisted of 22 members.   The Park school erected.

1886 -  A woman was elected to the board of education.   The first Bay City woman to hold public office.   The Garfield school was built.

1887 -  BAY CITY FIFTY YEARS OLD.  The system had 10 buildings, 77 teachers, and 3,836 students enrolled.

1888 - The Kolb school was built.

1890 -  The Corbin school built.

1893 - Lincoln school built.

1894 -  A new Superintendent of Schools, Mr. Stewart, took office.

1895 -  Washington school built, enlarged and repaired in 1929.

1905 -  Greater Bay City.  East and West Sides united.   Woodside school built, enlarged and repaired in 1930.

1906 -  Wenona school built.

1907 -  Riegel school built.

1908 -  McKinley school built.

1911 -  E. E. Ferguson named new Superintendent of Schools.

1912 -  7,085 students enrolled.

1914 -  F. A. Gause succeeded as next Superintendent of Schools.

1919 -  Bond issue of $1,400,000 approved for city schools.

1921 -  Central high school built.   First students entered the building in April, 1922.  764 enrolled.

1922 -  A big year in the history of Bay City schools.   G. L. Jenner became superintendent of schools.   Bay City Junior College was started.   T. L. Handy Junior high school was opened.

1923 -  Bay County Normal started in Riegel school.

1931 -  An addition to Central high school chiefly to house the Junior College, was constructed at a cost of $45,000.

1936 -  Bay City school system has 330 teachers and 7622 students enrolled, occupying 19 buildings.  The school district has 74 acres of property.  Central high school has 1751 enrolled.   Benjamin Klager becomes Superintendent of Schools.

1937 -  January - School enrollment 7,646.

LOOKING AHEAD - The school system's next urgent problem to be solved is the East Side Junior High situation.   Soon the replacement and consolidation of some grade schools is planned.