With the passage of the Primary School Law in 1837, followed by Public Act 50
of 1843, the growth of school districts in Ionia County began. The law
said each township was responsible for establishing districts within its
borders. The districts could be either whole, that is entirely within the
township, or fractional. Fractional districts were shared with other
townships.
All districts, once approved by the township, needed to have a public meeting
of the residents of the district to elect a school board composed of a
moderator, assessor, and director. Districts were also required to have at
least one annual meeting where the voters of the district would elect the school
board for the next year and decide on important issues.
Once formed, the district could begin collecting money from the state Primary
Fund as long as it met basic requirements, such as minimum number of students,
and provided a suitable school house.
Districts had an official name composed of the township and an assigned
number. Most districts also went by common names, often the person who
donated the land that the school house sat on. Numbers and names would
sometimes change as new school houses were built or district boundaries changed.
(The following is a work in progress -- Information, especially common names are appreciated.)
| Berlin Township |
|
|
| School |
No. |
Location/History |
| District No. 2 |
2 |
Located in section 11
on the SE corner of David and Airnsworth Rds. Established by 1860. |
| Coon School |
3f |
Located in section 24
on the west side of M-66 1/4 miles north of Grand River Rd. K-8
school. |
| District No. 4 |
4 |
Located in section 34
in the north part of the township on south side of Riverside Rd. near
Sessions Creek. Currently this is in the Ionia State Recreation Area.
Established by 1860. |
| Benedict School |
5f |
Located in section 1
on the NW corner of David and and M-66. |
| District No. 6 |
6 |
Located in section 21
on the SW corner of Peck Lake and Jordan Lake Rds. Established by 1860. |
| District No. 7 |
7 |
Located in section 5
on the NW corner of David and Hartwell Rds. Established by 1860. |
| District No. 8 |
8 |
Located in section 29
on the NE corner of Portland and Bliss Rds. Established by 1860. |
| District No. 9 |
9 |
Located in section 34
in the south part of the township on the south side of Portland Rd. 1/4 mile west of Ainsworth Rd.
Established by 1860. |
| District No. 10 |
10 |
Located in section 18
on the SW corner of Bliss and Bennett Rds. |
| District No. 11f |
11f |
Located in section 19
on the NW corner of Grand River and Bliss Rds. |
| |
|
|
| Boston Township |
|
|
| School |
No. |
Location/History |
| District No. 1 |
1 |
Located in section 20
on the NE corner of Kyser and Grand River Rds. Established by 1860. |
| District No. 2 |
2 |
Located on section 29
on the north side of Portland Rd. 1/4 mile west of Bell Rd.
Established by 1860. |
| Saranac School |
3f |
Established by 1860. |
| District No. 4 |
4 |
Located on section 22
on the NW corner of Gould and Nash Rds. Established by 1860. |
| District No. 5f |
5f |
Located on section 14
on the NW corner of Morrison Lake and Peck Lake Rds. Established by
1860. |
| District No. 6 |
6 |
Located in section 26
on the NW corner of Morrison Lake and Portland Rds. Established by
1860. |
| District No. 7f |
7f |
Located in section 7
on the NW corner of Conklin and Ware Rds. Established by 1860. |
| District No. 8f |
8f |
Located in section 5
on the east side of White's Bridge Rd. 1/4 mile north of M-21.
Established by 1860. |
| District No. 9
|
9 |
Located in section 8
on the SE corner of Riverside and Hotchkiss Rds. |
| |
|
|
| Campbell Township |
|
|
| School |
No. |
Location/History |
| District No. 1 |
1 |
Located on section 12
on the SE
corner of Clarksville and Elm Rds.; Originally located on a now
abandoned portion of Clinton Trail in section 11. Established by 1860. |
| Nash School/Clarksville |
2 |
The Nash school was founded in
1849. It was located in section 10 on
the NW corner
of Robbins and Nash Rds. In 1890-91 it moved into Clarksville and
evolved into the Clarksville School. |
| Pleasant Valley School |
3 |
Located in section 20 on the NW corner of Thompson and Bell Rds.
Established by 1860. |
| District No. 4 |
4 |
Located in section 9 on the
SE corner of
Robbins and Bell Rds. Established by 1860. |
| District No. 5 |
5 |
Located in section 35 on the
SE corner of
Tupper Lake and Darby Rds.; Original school house was in section 27 on the
NW corner. Established by 1860. |
| District No. 6 |
6 |
Located in section 23 on the
Campbell Rd. ¼
miles east of Darby Rd. |
| District No. 7 |
7 |
Located in section 30 on the
SW corner of
Thompson and Hastings Rds.; Original school house was on the NW corner. |
| District No. 8 |
8 |
Located in section 8 on the
east
side of Hastings Rd. ¼ mile south of Clarksville Rd. |
| |
|
|
| Danby Township |
|
|
| School |
No. |
Location/History |
| District No. 1 |
1 |
Located in section 33
on the SW corner of Tupper Lake and Charlotte Hwy. Established by
1860. |
| District No. 1f |
1f |
Located in section 36
on the NE corner of Vedder and Sanders Rds. Established by 1860. |
| District No. 2 |
2 |
Located in section 23
on the NE corner of VanBuren and Frost Rds. Established by 1860. |
| District No. 3 |
3 |
Located in section 11
on the east side of the intersection of Peake and Grand River Rds.
Established by 1860. |
| Sessions School |
4 |
Located in section 16
on the SW corner of Towner and Okemos Rds. |
| District No. 5 |
5 |
Located in section 10
on the east side of Charlotte Hwy, 1/2 mile south of Peake Rd.
Established by 1860. |
| District No. 6 |
6 |
Located in section 4
on the NE corner of Clarksville and Kent Rds.; Original school house was
located in section 8 . Established by 1860. |
| |
|
|
| Easton Township |
|
|
| School |
No. |
Location/History |
| District No. 1 |
1 |
Located in section 23
on the SW corner of M-21 and Wall St. Original school house was in
section 24 on the NE corner of M-21 and Haynor. Established by 1860. |
| District No. 2 |
2 |
Located in section 30
on the NW corner of Sayles and Johnson Rds. Established by 1860. |
| Dildine School |
3 |
Located in section 10
on the SE corner of Bellamy and Dildine Rds. Established by 1860. |
| District No. 4 |
4 |
Located in section 7
on the SW corner of Johnson and Dildine Rds. Established by 1860. |
| District No. 5 |
5 |
Located in section 21
on the NW corner of Ballamy and Potters Rds. Established by 1860. |
| Haynor School |
6 |
Located in section 11
on the SE corner of Haynor and Dick Rds. K-6 |
| |
|
|
| Ionia Township |
|
|
| School |
No. |
Location/History |
| District No. 1f |
1f |
Located in section 30
on the SE corner of M-66 and Belleview Rd. Established by 1860. |
| North LeValley |
2f |
Located in section 6
on the east side of M-66; K-5 |
| District No. 3 |
3 |
Located in section 3
on the east side of Welch Rd. at Ernest Rd. Established by 1860. |
| District No. 4 |
4 |
Located in section 6
on the west side of Jefferson Rd. Established by 1860. |
| District No. 5 |
5 |
Located in section 15
on the west side of Stage Rd., south of M-21. Established by 1860. |
| District No. 6 |
6 |
Located in section 33
on the SE corner of Clyde and Kingston Rds. Established by 1860. |
| Oak Grove |
7 |
Located in section 23
on the north side of Riverside Rd. |
| District No. 8f |
8f |
Located in section 1
on the north side of Stone Rd. between Olmstead and Westbrook Rds.
Established by 1860. |
| Gorham School |
9f |
Located in section 34 on the
SW corner of Sunfield and Clyde Rds. Merged with Lyons. |
| District No. 10 |
10 |
Established after 1878 |
| |
|
|
| Keene Township |
|
|
| School |
No. |
Location/History |
| District
No. 1 |
1 |
Located in section 23
on the north side of Sayles Rd. 1/4 mile west of Hawley Rd.
Established by 1860. |
| District
No. 2f |
2f |
Located in section 30
on the north side of Sayles Rd. 1/4 miles west of White's Bridge Rd.
Established by 1860. |
| District No. 3 |
3 |
Located in section 27
on the SE corner of Sayles and Harley Rds. Established by 1860. |
| District No. 4f |
4f |
Located in section 33
on the north side of Centerline Rd. 1/2 miles east of Pinckney Rd.
Established by 1860. |
| District No. 5 |
5 |
Located in section 17
on the south side of Richmond Rd. 1/4 mile west of Marble Rd.
Established by 1860. |
| District No. 6 |
6 |
Located in section 11
on the north side of Scott Rd. 1/4 mile west of Hawley Rd. Established
by 1860. |
| District No. 7 |
7 |
Located in section 26
on the NW corner of Rickert and Hawley Rds. Established by 1860. |
| District No. 8 |
8 |
Located in section 21
on the SE corner of Marble and Potters Rds. Established by 1860. |
| District No. 9 |
9 |
Located in section 15
on the west side of Higgins Rd. 1/4 mile south of Richmond Rd. |
| |
|
|
| Lyons Township |
|
|
| School |
No. |
Location/History |
| Pewamo School
|
1 |
The first Pewamo
school house is thought to have been built shortly after the founding of the
town in 1859. The first mention of a school was in 1872 when a school
house on the north side of town was erected at a cost of $1,800 on
the northwest corner of North and Higham Streets.
The first commencement at the school was held in 1888.
By 1895 the school had been moved to the present location of Pewamo Elementary at
the west end of Main Street.
The school consolidates with 5 other districts in 1941
to form the Pewamo Rural Agricultural School district. In 1959 it merged
with Westphalia to form Pewamo-Westphalia Community Schools.
|
| Lyons School
|
1f |
The Lyons school was created in
the late 1830's. Lyons High School attracted students from the Crane,
Keefer, Murphy, Kimball, Oak Grove, and Gorham Schools. Merged with
Muir to form the Lyons Township Unit Schools in 1942. It later merged
with Ionia. |
| No. 1 fractional |
1f |
Located in section 34
on the north
side of Maple Rd. ¼ mile east of Devine Hwy. The old district is
currently divided between the Portland and Pewamo-Westphalia school
districts. |
| Ross School |
2 |
Located in section 4
on the north
side of Ross Rd. between Struble and Grandal Rds. It is currently part
of the Ionia school district. |
|
Little Brick School |
3 |
The Little
Brick School was in operation by 1865. The district used three school
buildings with the last a brick school house on the northeast corner of Cook
Road and Blue Water Highway just west of Pewamo in section 11. The district consolidated
with Pewamo in 1941. |
|
Spaulding School |
4 |
The
Spaulding School was located on the northeast corner of Spaulding Road and
Dexter Trail south of Pewamo in section 25. The district consolidated with Pewamo in
1941. |
|
Kimball School |
6 |
The
Kimball School was organized on October 7, 1844 with a school house known as Saw
Mick School located near Greenview Point. Around 1864 the district split
and the new Kimball school was built just west of the intersection of Kimball
and Divine Highway in section 15. The district consolidated with Pewamo in 1941. |
| Crane School |
9 |
Located in section 32 on the SW Corner of Peckins and Staley Rds. The
school closed about 1935 and merged with Lyons. |
| Muir School |
10 |
Muir originally was a part of the
Lyons school before breaking off to form their own district. Muir High
School attracted students from Hayes, Schaeffer and Ross schools.
Muir joined with Lyons to form the Lyons Township Unit Schools in 1942.
It later merged with Ionia. |
| Murphy School |
11 |
Located on section 21 on the west
side of Murphy Road at Dexter Trail. The school closed in the 1930's
and merged with Lyons. |
| |
|
|
| North Plains Township |
|
|
| School |
No. |
Location/History |
| Hayes School |
1/1f |
Located in section 30 on the NW
corner of Hayes and Schaeffer Rds. Merged with Ionia after 1969. |
| District No. 2 |
2f |
Located in section 18 on the west
side of Olmstead between Borden and Hogan Rds. Merged with Palo. |
| District No. 3 |
3 |
Located in section 10 on the NW
corner of Borden and Obrien Rds. Merged with Carson City. |
| District No. 4. |
4 |
Located in section 16 on Hogan Rd.
just west of Beachan Rd. Merged with Carson City. |
| Matherton School |
5f |
Located in Matherton and included
one section in Lebanon Twp., Clinton Co.. Merged
with Pewamo-Westphalia in 1965. |
| Schaeffer School |
6 |
Located in section 34 on Omara Rd,
1/4 mile south of Schaeffer Rd. Merged with Ionia after 1969. |
| District No. 7 |
7 |
Located in section 6 on the NW
corner of McKenna and Hayes Rds. Merged with Carson City. |
| Hubbardston School |
8f |
Located in Hubbardston and
included two sections in Lebanon Twp., Clinton Co.. Merged
with Carson City. |
| District No. 9 |
9f |
Located in section 3 on Bricker
Rd. between Obrien and Beachan Rds. Merged with Carson City. |
| District No. 10 |
10 |
Located in section 23 on the NE
corner of Charles and Brayton Rds. Merged with Carson City. |
| Vance School |
1f |
School house was located in
Lebanon Twp., Clinton Co. on the NE corner of Hubbardston and Colony Roads.
The district merged with Pewamo in 1941. |
| |
|
|
| Odessa Township |
|
|
| School |
No. |
Location/History |
| District No. 1 |
1 |
Located in section 27
on the NE corner of Jordan Lake and Bonanza Rds. |
|
District No. 2 |
2 |
Located in section 35
on the SW corner of Tupper Lake and Harwood Rds. Original school house
was in section 25 on the NE corner |
|
District No. 3 |
3 |
Located in section 20
on the SE corner of Bippley and Bliss Rds. Original school house was
in section 17 on the NE corner. |
|
District No. 4 |
4 |
Located in section 15
on the NE corner of Bippley and Shilton Rds. |
|
District No. 5 |
5 |
Located in section 6
on the NW corner of Clarksville and Bliss Rds. |
|
District No. 6 |
6 |
Located in section 3
on the NE corner of Clarksville and Jordan Lake Rds. |
|
District No. 7f |
7f |
Located in section 13
on the NE corner of Bippley and Harwood Rds. |
|
District No. 8 |
8 |
Located in section 29
on the NE corner of M-50 and Bliss Rd. |
| Carr
School |
9 |
Located in section 2
on the NW corner of Clarksville and Harwood Rds. |
| |
|
|
| Orange Township |
|
|
| School |
No. |
Location/History |
| District No. 1 |
1 |
Located in section 17
on the NE corner of Peck Lake and Kelsey Rds. |
| Keefer
School |
1f |
Located in section 1
on the SW corner of Reeder and Keefer Rds. |
|
District No. 2 |
2 |
Located in section 20
near the NE corner of Kelsey and Grand River Rds. |
|
District No. 3 |
3/3f |
Located in section 26
on the SE corner of Sunfield and Grand River Rds. |
|
LeValley School |
5 |
Located in section 5
on the NE corner of David and Kelsey Rds. |
|
Kilmartin School |
7 |
|
| Riker
School |
9 |
Located in section 11
on the east side of Sunfield Rd. between David and Goodwin Rds. |
|
District No. 9f |
9f |
Located in section 35
on the north side of Grand River Trail, north of the intersection with Knox
Rd. |
| |
|
|
| Orleans Township |
|
|
| School |
No. |
Location/History |
|
District No. 1 |
1 |
Located in section 31
on the west side of Johnson Rd. 1/4 mile south of of Seeley Rd. |
|
District No. 2 |
2 |
Located in section 8
on the west side of Johnson Rd. 1/4 mile south of Kiddville Rd. |
|
District No. 3 |
3 |
Located in section 21
on the west side of Orleans Rd. south of M-44. |
|
District No. 4 |
4 |
Located in section 33
on the NW corner of Heald and Hoyt Rds. |
|
District No. 5 |
5 |
Located in section 34
on the NW corner of Hayner and Peterson Rds. |
|
District No. 6 |
6 |
Located in section 25
on the north side of Hubbell Rd., east of Hoppough. Original school
house was located in section 36 on the SW corner of Hubbell and Hoppough Rds. |
|
District No. 7f |
7f |
Located in section 18
on the NW corner of M-44 and Johnson Rd. |
|
District No. 8 |
8 |
Located in section 4
on the NW corner of Kiddville and Orleans Rds. |
| Piper
School |
9 |
Located on section 14
on the NW corner of M-44 and Decker Rd. Original school house was
located in section 23 on the south side of M-44. |
| Shiloh
School |
10 |
Located in section 2
on the NW corner of Long Lake and Decker Rds. |
| |
|
|
| Otisco Township |
|
|
| School |
No. |
Location/History |
|
District No. 1 |
1 |
Located in section 9
on the west side of White's Bridge Rd. 1/4 mile north of M-44.
Established by 1860 |
|
District No. 1f |
1f |
Located in section 32
on the west side of White's Bridge Rd. 3/4 mile south of 5 Mile Rd. |
|
District No. 2 |
2 |
Located in section 28
on the SE corner of Button and White's Bridge Rd. Original School was
in section 21 in Smyrna. Established by 1860 |
|
District No. 3 |
3 |
Located in section 5
on Fisk Rd. 1/2 miles east of Jenks Rd. Established by 1860 |
|
District No. 4 |
4 |
Located in section 1
on the west side of Kiddville Rd. south of Long Lake Rd. Established
by 1860 |
|
District No. 4f |
4f |
Located in section 34
on the NE corner of Miriam and Krupp Rds. Established by 1860 |
|
District No. 5 |
5 |
Located in section 23
on the NW corner of Palmer and Hawley Rds. Established by 1860 |
|
District No. 6 |
6 |
Located in section 36
on the SE corner of Seeley and Hawley Rds. Original school house was
on the SW corner in section 25. Established by 1860 |
| Button
School |
8 |
Located in section 19
on the NW corner of Button and Bartonville Rds. Established by 1860 |
| Belding
School |
9 |
Located in section 11 |
| |
|
|
| Portland Township |
|
|
| School |
No. |
Location/History |
| District No. 1 |
1 |
Located in section 24
on the NE corner of Barnes and Spaulding Rds. Merged with Portland. |
|
District No. 2 |
2 |
Located in section 15
on the NW corner of Marsalle Rd. and Devine Hwy. Merged with Portland. |
|
Portland School |
3 |
Portland |
|
District No. 3f |
3f |
Located in section 30
on the SW corner of Ionia and Friend Rds. Merged with Portland. |
|
District No. 4 |
4 |
Located in section 17
on the W side of Maynard Rd. 1/2 mile south of Goodwin Rd. Merged with
Portland. |
| Gibbs
School |
4f |
Located in section 18
on the north side of Peck Lake Rd. 1/2 mile east of Keefer Rd. Merged
with Portland. |
|
District No. 5 |
5 |
Located in section 5
near the NW corner of David Hwy and Staley Rd. Merged with Portland. |
| Knox
School |
5f |
Located in section 31
on the NE corner of Keefer and Knox Rds. Merged with Portland. |
| Miller
School |
6 |
Located in section 13
on the SE corner of Goodwin and Spaulding Rds. Merged with Westphalia. |
| |
|
|
| Ronald Township |
|
|
| School |
No. |
Location/History |
| Palo School |
1 |
Palo. K-8
district. |
|
District No. 2 |
2 |
Located in section 24
on the SW corner of Martin and Westbrook Rds. Merged with Palo. |
|
District No. 3 |
3 |
Located in section 16
on the NW corner of Luce and Powell Hwy. Merged with Ionia. |
|
District No. 4 |
4 |
Located in section 28
on the SE corner of Steadman and Charles Rds. Merged with Ionia. |
|
District No. 5 |
5 |
Located in section 4
on the west side of Steadman Rd., south of VanVleck Rd. Original
school house was located in section 9. Merged with Palo. |
|
District No. 6f |
6f |
Merged with Ionia |
|
District No. 7 |
7 |
Located in section 26
on the SE corner of Stage and Charles Rds. Merged with Ionia. |
| Hubbell
School |
8 |
Located in section 30
on the NW corner of Hubbell and Jefferson Rds. Merged with Ionia after
1969. |
|
District No. 9 |
9 |
Located in section 17
on the north side of Woods Rd. east of Woodard Lake Rd. Merged with
Ionia |
|
District No. 10 |
10 |
Located in section 7
on the SE corner of Woodard Lake and Jones Rds. Merged with Palo. |
| |
|
|
| Sebewa Township |
|
|
| School |
No. |
Location/History |
| District No. 1f |
1f |
Located in section 24
on the west side of Keefer about 1/3 of a mile south of Bippley Rd. |
| Goddard
School |
2 |
Located in section 32
on the SE corner of Tupper Lake and Goddard Rds. |
| West
Sebewa School |
3 |
Located in section 5
on the NE corner of Clarksville and Goddard Rds. |
| Sebewa
Center School |
4 |
Located in section 22
on the SW corner of Bippley and Sunfield Rds. |
|
District No. 5 |
5 |
Probably the school
located on section 34 near the SE corner of Tupper Lake and Sunfield Rds. |
|
District No. 6f |
6f |
1n 1875 was located in
section 25 on the NW corner of Tupper Lake and Keefer Rds. Moved by
1905. |
|
District No. 7 |
7 |
Located in section 20
on the north side of Musgrove Rd. just west of Kimmel Rd. |
|
District No. 8 |
8 |
Located in section 11
on the SE corner of Sunfield and Clarksville Rds. |
