Michigan Oak School

GRHC - December 26th, 2012

The first school in Grand Rapids Township, District No. 4 was a small log cabin with ten pupils that opened in September 1844. The teacher, Miss Amelia Davis received $12 for the three-month term.

Transcript

The first school for Grand Rapids Township, District No. 4, was a 20 X 20 ft. log school built at the NW corner of Michigan and Maryland. It opened in September of 1844 with ten Pupils. Miss Amelia Davis taught the three-month term for the grand sum of $12. Originally, the school was to be a frame building, but its price of $250 exceeded that of the log building at $150.

In 1857 the district voted unanimously to build a new school and raise $200 for a building. It was constructed on James McCrath’s land on the north side of Michigan between Baltimore and Somerset Drives. In payment for the site McCrath received the old school building and $25, to be paid in two annual installments. By 1859 the district reported all debts for the new building had been paid. 

The district’s third school was built on land given by a Mr. Ball at the NW corner of Michigan and Plymouth; date of its construction in not known. Another building was constructed on that site in 1911. Originally a two-room building, the basement was later remodeled, adding two more classrooms.

Construction of a final Michigan Oak School began in 1953, back again on the 16-acre site of the old McCrath farm. In 1988 Wealthy Park Baptist Church, formerly Wealthy St. Baptist Church, occupied the former school as its new home.