USA > Michigan > Branch County > A twentieth century history and biographical record of Branch County, Michigan > Part 22
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Union City School Building
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HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY
1902-Ray Whitmore, a graduate in medicine at the University of Michigan ; Grace B. Walsh. Carry M. Sheldon. Anna Oxenham, Everett Benge.
1903-Harry Farwell, a draftsman at Detroit: Edith M. Green. formerly a Quincy teacher and now in the Ypsilanti Normal: Fred Boley, an electrical engineer at South Bend; Elva Gage. Lena Wilmarth. Sarah Safford. Louis Hoxie, Edith Walter, Ralph Keeler, Glenn Ransom.
1904-Ralph Mckenzie, Robert Sanderson. Ross D. Porter. Morean Etheridge, Myrta Crater, Clara Stafford. Jessie Bowerman, Jessie Robinson. Wilhelmina Walsh. Roe Horning. Louie Knirk.
1905-Charles H. Walters, Edan M. Ransburg. Greta W. Forte. Ray R. Brott. Mary E. Penoyer. Florence M. Dickerson, Charles H. Walters. Lulu B. Brott, Jessie M. Aldrich, Rena A. Tompkins. Roy A. Boley, Nellie M. Larzelere. Bernice V. Newberry, Harry E. Robinson.
The officers of the Alumni Association for 1905-06 were: Mrs. George Houghtaling. president; Miss Jessie Aldrich, vice president : Dr. Carl Sears, secretary and treasurer.
UNION CITY SCHOOLS.
The first schoolhouse in Union City, built in 1837. a frame structure, painted red and long known as " the red schoolhouse." is still standing upon its original site at the corner of Ellen and .Ann streets, having been for many years in use as a dwelling. A little further down on Ellen street is the handsome three-story brick and stone building that for the past thirty years has been the central school building of the village. These two buildings graphically illustrate the contrast between the educational facilities of the first half of the nineteenth century and those of the present. The pioneer ' equipment of schools described in an earlier part of this article on education has been displaced by apparatus and methods in all respects in keeping with the character of the buildings which now provide shelter for educational work. The people of Union City are justly proud of their schools, and the principal events in the progress of the educational institutions of the village should be given at this point.
April 26, 1837, soon after the organization of the township of Union. it was divided into four school districts, and that the assistance rendered by the state at this early date was not large will be plainly seen when we state that the apportionment of school moneys to all the schools in the township in 1838 was only $51.38. School District No. 2 included Union City, and the first teacher to have charge here after the organzation of the districts was Miss Ellen E. Hammond, daughter of Deacon Chester Ham- mond. This was a summer school and was taught in 1838. The teachers immediately following Miss Hammond were Henry Hammond and Miss Sarah Sargent, although it is creditably related that Miss Sargent was really the first teacher in Union City, she giving instruction during the winter of 1836-37, before the organization of districts. Certain it is. however, that
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Miss Sargent taught a school during the winter of 1839-40 in the office of Justus Goodwin. on the county line.
The first schoolhouse was built in Union City in 1837, and the building was also used by the Methodist and Congregational societies on alternate Sundays. At about this time schools were also established in the rural dis- tricts surrounding Union City, and among the first was the one in the Lincoln district, south of town, where in the summer of 1838 a school was taught in a chamber of Caleb Lincoln's house. the school building being erected the following year.
The real development of the Union City schools began, however, with the erection of the present handsome school building on Ellen street. The town had grown so rapidly in population that in the early seventies it became evident that there must be additional room and facilities for the accommoda- tion of the rapidly growing number of pupils. Accordingly the present building was completed in 1877 at a cost of about $25,000. It is a remarka- bly elegant and substantial building of stone and brick, three stories high. and the improvements made upon it each year have served to make it a model of convenience and utility. It has a fine public hall, a completely equipped laboratory, a well-selected library, and all the modern equipments and accessories, including water and electric lights upon every floor.
Excellent work is done in the lower grades and the high school is con- sidered among the very best in this portion of the state. There are seven regular courses of study and such is their thoroughness and completeness that the high school has for years been on the approved list of the University of Michigan, graduates therefrom being admitted direct to the university without examination.
The graduates of the Union City High School during the different years from the first class in 1880 to the class of 1906 are named in follow- ing paragraphs. It seems just, however, to single out certain names from the various classes and mention the position which has been attained by the person in each case since he left the high school to begin the battle of life.
Of the class of 1880, C. E. Wisner is now a resident of Toledo and engaged in land development in the south. E. L. Moseley is an entomologist who has gained considerable prominence in his profession. W. H. Brum- field is at the head of a signal service bureau in the west. Of the class of 1884, Walter Groesbeck is a patent attorney at Washington, D. C .; G. H. Seymour is head of the banking business in Sherwood, and Delia Page is a teacher of deaf mutes in West Superior, Wisconsin.
Two well known representatives of the class of 1886 are Leon A. John- son, present supervisor of Union township, and C. H. Lowell, connected with the Farmers National Bank of Union City. From the class of 1887 should be mentioned Edward Guernsey, a foreign buyer for Marshall Field and Company ; and Mrs. Jennie (Walker) Spore, who is the sole founder and manager of the Union City Creamery, an enterprise which she has built up by her own business judgment and energy. From the class of 1888,
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Herbert Johnson is a successful music teacher of Battle Creek, and Walter Lowell is in charge of a sugar plantation in the Hawaiian Islands.
In the class of 1889 were Carolyn L. Willard, now a well known con- cert pianist, associated with Madame Bloomfield Zeisler of Chicago: and Edwin Hayden, who fills the chair of sociology in the University of Mis- souri. Ray Burlingame of the class of 1890 is a druggist at Dowagiac. Of those who went out in 1892. R. W. Coddington is a superintendent of schools in Michigan, and Jessie Willard is a doctor of osteopathy in Chicago. Lulu Palmer, of 1893. is a teacher in one of the Wisconsin state normals. Of 1894, Leo Warren is superintendent of schools in North St. Paul, Minn. : Hubert Bell is superintendent of schools at Boyne City, Mich., and E. M. Chauncey is a physician at Girard. George Gaw. of the class of 1895. is cashier in an Ypsilanti bank, and his classmate, Ralph Morrill. is a physician in Lincoln, Neb .. and on the faculty of a .medical college in that city. Clay- ton Crandall and Carrie, of the class of 1896. are high school teachers, and many other of the graduates fill similar positions throughout this and ad- joining states. Of the class of 1897. Arthur Barnes is superintendent of schools at Olivet and F. W. Ackerman is principal of the Union City schools. Leo L. Eddy is superintendent of the schools at Sherwood, and N. P. Olm- sted is a minister. George Barnes, from the class of 1898. gained the high scholastic honor of a Rhodes scholarship at Oxford. England, and is now attending that university. H. H. Willard. of 1899. is on the faculty of the school of pharmacy of the University of Michigan, and A. H. Tower of the same class is a doctor at Centerville.
The graduates for the different years are :
1880-Elbert L. Page, A. Harshman Harrison. George E. Willitts. C. Edward Wisner. Lorenzo D. Cochrane. Edward L. Moseley. Willard H. Brumfield, William H. Bauer, Robert H. Baker, John D. H. Wallace. Jay P. Lee. Norris A. Cole, Ward C. Walker, Elma Lynn.
1881-Ida Southerland. Jennie Rowe. M. Ross Graham. Warren D. Converse.
1883-Nettie Doty.
1884-Myra McDonald. Walter Groesbeck. Erta Tuthill. George H. Seymour, Jennie Corbin. John Bishop, Edward Stafford. Doane Smith. Lydia Race, Eva Lester. Delia Page, Lida Nesbitt.
1885-Nellie Giltner, Nellie Lathrop, Rose Swartout. Sabrie Van Vleet. Hattie Johnson, Verona Smith, Lura Laverty.
1886-Leon A. Johnson. Minnie Van Camp. Cora D. Fulton. Charles H. Burton. Minnie Eddy. Jennie Chase, Charles H. Lowell.
1887-Edith Underwood, Hattie Blake, Nathan Rowe. Jessie Peck, Nanette Jeffery. Edward Guernsey, Stella Buell, Isaac J. Margeson. Fred Stafford, Bertha Sawin, Frank Cain, Robert McDonald, Jennie Walker.
1888-Herbert Johnson, Mary Stevens. Walter Lowell. Wylie Hub- bard. Fred M. Hodge, Nettie Lee, Habey Haas. Mae Swartout, Ophelia Van Vleet, Maude Hubbard. Mattie Stratton, Nellie Thompson.
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1889-Frances Russell, Carrie L. Willard, Edwin Hayden, Clarence Brace, Millie Simmons.
1890-E. May Thompson, Laurene Corbin, Mertis Wellman. Byrdie Gaw. Ray Burlingame, Claude Whitney, Daisy Buell, Georgia Smythe, Felia Matthews.
1891-L. Belle Watkins, Fred J. French, Frances C. Wilkins. Nellie Clark, Alta McCrary, V. D. Lee. Isabella Maxon, Myrtie Mitchell, Hannah Russell. Emma Merritt, Lois French.
1892-Ralph Waldo Coddington, Fred Hammond, Earl Hubbard, Thomas Cain. May Burlingame, Frank S. Mann, Edna Peck, Fannie Bailey, May I. Lowell, Jessie Willard. Sophia Page, Ella Gillett.
1893-Jessie Banford. Grace .Smith, Grace Drumm, Mae Lee, Libbie Fitzgerald, Sereno B. Clark. Albert Miller, Lizzie Peck, Lulu Palmer, Earl Hayner.
1894-Hattie Wells, Georgia Bassett, Anna Melody, Leo Warren, Chauncey, Lina Merrill.
1895-Nettie Stevens, Ethel Kilbourn, Clara Page, Bertha Greenfield, Myrta Bartlett, Edna Case, George Gaw, Ralph Morrill, Lizzie Norton.
1896-Elmer Wilson, Winfred Pierce, Harry Kimball, Ora Hayner, Carrie Hurd, Miles Rider. Harry Wilcox, Frank Buell, Clayton Crandall.
1897-John L. Moore, Lillie Mitchell, Coral Johnson, J. C. Studley, Kittie Bell, Jennie Smith, Thomas Buell, Arthur Barnes, Simeon Bole, George Howard, Minnie Smith, Clarence Reynolds. J. Carl Gaw, John Truax, F. Ella Kilbourn, F. W. Ackerman, Marcella Burns, Roy McEwen, G. E. Ackerman, Carrie Saunders, Ethel Burnham, N. Perl Olmsted, Carle Smith, Nellie Strong, Henry Wells, Leo. L. Eddy, Alice Pierce.
1898-George Barnes, Gertrude Travis, Bertha Simons. Blaine Brown, Carrie Ward, Victor Crandall, Hettie Smith, Flora Banford, Lester Crandall, Earl Fuller, James Melody, Daisy Matteson, Beryl Knauss, Floyd Davis, Veva Bole, Grace Gaw. Lena Fox.
1899-Levi A. Geer, Cora E. Seymour, Hobart H. Willard, Ethel M. Kimball, Lottie Bell, Nellie M. Spencer. Leland H. Tower. J. Morris Smith, William H. Bruening, Fred H. Hass, Jessie R. Morrill, Bessie F. Hubbard.
1900 -- Clara L. Buell, Ora L. Smith. Fred S. Dunks, Erta B. Kimball, . Mertie M. Hass, Harry M. Simmons. Courtney B. Aiken, Henrietta M. Knauss, Ervin A. Warsop.
1901-Mary L. Dibble, Grace R. Dunks. Daisy L. Eberhardt, Lura V. Eitniear. Nellie E. French, Jesse N. Hayner, William H. Melody, Nina E. Palmer, Amy Mortina Sweet, H. Harris Ward, Sherman Wilson.
1902-Dean S. Johnson, Ernest E. Baird, Mildred N. Wood, Elcy T. McCausey, Dean E. Shannon, Zella E. Merrifield, G. Belle Fisk, Lula Libhart, Dorr D. Buell. Hilda M. Bruening, Pauline G. Hawley, Claude L. Bullock, Maude E. Grill. Majorie Buell. Viva A. Spore.
1903-Bennett H. Ackerman, Franklin F. Holbrook, Iza S. Holbrook, Claude W. Johnson, Howard I. Ludwig, Homer R. Mallow, Harland A.
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Johnson, Viletta B. Lovejoy, Jessie Wheeler, Roy S. Wheeler, Jesse C. Kim- ball, John C. Corbin, Roy G. Newman, Louise L. Lux.
1904-Mary L. McCausey, Mary Copeland. Glynn Buell, Hazel Bowen, Burr Collyer, Bessie Corbin. Thomas McCansey, May Clifford, Ray Warren, David Church, Lucia Drake.
1905-Petra Lundteigen, Edith V. Smith. Charlotte P. Carr. Aimee Palmer, Maude A. Knauss, Hazel V. Whitney, Ethel F. Pullman, Eva D. Lux. Ethel A. Johnson. Lynn E. Wood. Gladys Brown, Aaron W. Poole, Frank R. Corwin. Deo R. Parsons.
1906-Harry Clifford. Matt Corwin. Margaret Stitt. Don Nichols, Bessie Kilbourn. Emma Boyer, Carma Libhart, Vivian Baker.
BRONSON VILLAGE SCHOOLS.
The first school in the county, taught by Columbia Lancaster at Bron- son Prairie in the winter of 1830-31, has already been spoken of. This and several other schools, supported in a private way by several families co- operating in carrying them on, preceded the first public school on the prairie in the township, and this first public school was the beginning of what has become " the Public Schools of Bronson."
The " Bronson Public Schools." as a pamphlet, published for 1905-06 by the Board of Education, is entitled, are not schools in several buildings. nor are they schools free to pupils residing in the village only. They are schools in one building, and this building is the schoolhouse of a school dis- trict, including, besides the village. territory from one to two miles beyond it in all directions. The district bears today the designation. "District No. I." the number indicating that it was the first district organized in the township. The schools carried on in this one building of the district are, the high school, the grammar or intermediate school and the primary school, the latter being more commonly spoken of as " grades " or " departments." The time of the entire course is twelve years, four years being given to each department. Graduates of the high school may be admitted to any of the Michigan State Normal colleges without examination.
This District No. I was certainly organized some time before 1839. probably in 1837. Its first school, the first public school of the township, was taught in a building on the ground where the Werner Bros. building now stands on Matteson street, south of Chicago street. Among the early teachers in this building were Miss Salona Pixley and Miss Maria Taggart. Mr. Loring Grant Jones. still living in the village. remembers attending school in this building. Later a schoolhouse was built a considerable distance to the east on a corner of the Chicago road and the road running south on the eastern boundary of the village. Here Miss Mary Ann Clark taught for a time. Mr. Jones remembers as other teachers also, Mr. Mitchell, Mr. " Dick " Daugherty and Mr. Homer Wright. a brother of Mr. P. P. Wright.
Population on the prairie increased and when the village stage arrived a union school was established. The report of the director on this union
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school is illustrative not only of this particular school but in general of the status of most village schools at the time. The state superintendent of public instruction, in 1857, asked information concerning each of the union schools then in the state, and Jason Shepard, then director of the Bronson school district, in his reply dated January 13, 1858, gave the following cate- gorical answers to the series of questions :
Ist. Our school was established on the 4th of the present month. (January, 1858.) 2nd. The size of the site is one acre of land.
3rd. The schoolhouse is 33 by 43 feet on the ground, two stories high, rooms 12 feet in the clear, with recitation rooms in each story. Cost of the house, $2,500.
4th. The apparatus is small, consisting only of Mitchell's Outline Maps, costing $11.00. Number of volumes in library, 125.
5th. At present, there is but one department to our school; but on the first of April it is expected another will be added, in which the higher branches will be taught.
6th. We have one male and one female teacher-a gentleman and his lady-at a salary of $50 per month, for both.
7th. The average number of scholars in attendance is one hundred.
8th. The course of studies embraces Primary Geography, Philosophy, Algebra, Geom- etry and Astronomy.
9th. There have no students been fitted for higher schools.
Ioth. As far as I am acquainted the co-education of the sexes is advisable and I can- not but recommend it.
IIth. The expenses of our school are at present met by rate-bill, but I think after our next annual meeting it will be free to scholars of our district.
12th. The cost of this system of schools I think no greater than that of the single district, while the advantages for advancement are much greater.
Our school and schoolhouse, although new and just commenced, has an influence among us that no one would be willing to part with. It has created a spirit of energy never felt among us before as well as a desire for advancement among parents and children. Where in- difference has hitherto prevailed among our citizens, it is now asked, what shall be, and who will be first in, our next enterprise.
We hope to give a good account of our school as time advances, and that our reports hereafter may compare favorably with other schools. Yours truly, JASON SHEPARD, Director.
The building described was of frame, and in 1878 a brick addition, two stories high, was constructed in front of the old building.
The Bronson school officers at the time of this writing are: William Scribner, president of Board of Education; William Bushnell, secretary ; Jacob F. Werner, treasurer; Warren Boughton, James Davis, trustees. The teaching force are: Frank E. Robinson, superintendent ; Miss Bertha Rob- inson. principal ; Miss Iles, assistant principal; Miss Mernie Bailey, eighth grade; Miss Lucinda Bowen. second and third grades; Miss Della Osborn, third grade: Miss Florence Anderson, primary.
The following paragraphs name the graduates who in the years since 1887 have gone from the high school :
1887-Elison Weldon.
1888-Claire Russell, Guella Boughton ( Parham), Edwin Powers. Florence Van Every.
1890-Edwin Moffit.
1891-Cora Washburn (Chapman), Nellie Hamilton.
1892-Della Wait (Butler), Nellie Ellis (Paul), Grace Douglas (Deane), Gula Albertson (Werner). Josie Jump, Anna Harris.
Bronson Public School
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1893-Hattie Randall (Faust). Rose Jump ( Staymen), Nan Hoskins (Rider), Gussie Van Fleet (Davis). Cora Ticknor. Burt Corey. Emma Rus- sell (Coon). Ora Cockle (Clark). Grace Jones ( Howe), Myrtle Van Anken, Rose Parham ( Pfaff), Frank Douglas.
1895-George Davis, Burt Walker, Howard Horton.
1897-Mabel Earle, Lora Quear ( Tinkham). Mabel Perrin. Christie Shaffmaster. Gertrude Baxter. Emma Wait. Gertie Bush (Chapman). Ina Fox.
1898-F.stelle Blass.
1899-Loa Secor (Lindsey). Ethel Turner (Gibbs). Glenn Green, Ethel Latta. Fred Baxter, Margaret Cunningham.
1900-Eva Jones, Cornelius Lane. Peter Greenwald.
1901-Clara Squier, Stella Keyes (Nash). Clifford Carpenter. George Holcomb. Rose Davis.
1902-Theda Bailey, Audra Spitz, Josephine Burnell.
1903-Vera Himebangh (Flanders). Jeanette Holmes, Ina Clark. Goldie Bush. Julia Tisdel. Cicero Holmes. Maude Stevenson. Oral Clark, Clyde Bushnell.
1904 -- Elwood Bushnell. Maude Taggart. Mande Hurford. Myra Rug- gles. Lola Perrin. Willie Cook.
1905-Cass Scribner.
1906-Hazel Branvan, Edith DeWitt. Gatha Dorn. Kathryn Hime- baugh. Myrtle White, Joy Shaffmaster. Clesson Bushnell. Charles Rich. Harold Bennett Clark.
SHERWOOD.
Sherwood's first school was the district school located on the angling road west of the present village. With increase of population following the establishment of the village in the seventies a school was established within the village. In the late eighties the schools were graded and placed upon a good standing by Mr. James Swain. now county commissioner of schools. at that time superintendent of the Sherwood schools. In 1894 the Sherwood College buildings were purchased and devoted to village school purposes. The structures are substantial and modern and occupy a commanding site. There are now the regular twelve grades, with four teachers. those for 1906-07 being Ray Locke. superintendent: Bessie Cogswell, grammar grades : Ethel Monteith, intermediate, and Bernice Willer, primary. The board of education consists of J. W. Finch. Dr. C. E. Nelthorpe. Frank Swain, Charles Hall and Dr. R. Fraser. The schools are on the approved list of a large number of colleges, graduates being admitted to these without examination.
The Sherwood High School has an alumni association of sixty mem- bers, which holds annual reunions. The graduates since 1892 are named as follows :
1892-May (Jackson) Stickney, J. A. Annis.
1893-Nellie (Thayer) Bower. Guy Thurston.
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1894-Edna R. Locke, Amos Cross.
1895-Harry Wilcox, Wave (Locke) Wright, Frank French, Mamie (Banker) Hill.
1896-Grace Smith, Daisy (Collins) Clark, Florence Crocker, Hattie Blossom.
1897-Frank Thoms, Edw. Mowry. Jennie ( Runyan) Lampman, Ber- nice Sargent, Adrian Sturgis, Nellie (Mowry) Cline, Leo R. French, Inez (Quinlan) French, Etta Mowry.
1898-Mamie (Hazen) Chipman, Gertie (Bartlett) Collins, Effie (Alger) Jones, Ray Hall.
1899-Glenn Cline, Clayton Selby, Josie Mowry, Robert Osborn, Guy L. Mowry, Nina Thurston.
1900-Lou (Sturgis) French, Earl Taylor, Ed. Sargent, Carson Fraser, Vern French, Ernest Cole, Margaret Kidney, Glenn Sipes, Blanche (Nelson) Bennett, Hazel Strickland, Hubert Thornton, Susie Davis.
1901-Ray E. Locke.
1902-Beulah Gwin, Gertrude Robinson, Myrtle Robinson, Eva Leath- erberry.
1903-Blanch I. French, George E. Ladyman, Jesse E. Thornton.
1904-No graduates.
1905-Lloyd Warren, Lulu Smith, Katie Eddy, Bertha Mitchell.
1906-Alice Wattles, Lena Spencer.
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HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY
CHAPTER XXII.
THE STATE PUBLIC SCHOOL.
In 1836 a company of charitably inclined ladies of Detroit organized the Protestant Orphan Asylum of that city. Governor Henry P. Baldwin was for some years a trustee of that institution and became considerably interested in its work. Following his election as governor in 1868 Governor Baldwin made a trip to all the state institutions and many of those of a public and private charitable nature in the various counties, and thoroughly informed himself of conditions which he would meet in the performance of his official duties. So impressed was he that a thorough and radical change should be made in certain lines that he dwelt upon them at length in his inaugural message and recommended that a commission be appointed to give to them a thorough investigation and report to the legislature of 1871. The commission appointed in accord with this resolution consisted of Hon. C. I. Walker, of Detroit, and Hon. F. H. Rankin, of Flint.
Largely because of his connection with the orphan asylum above men- tioned Governor Baldwin was in position to see the child problem both from a humane and public policy, and his message, which became the gen- eral instructions of the commission, set up that problem clearly. A short quotation from the report of the commission will describe dependent child life as they found it in the county houses, the only home provided up to that time.
" Think of their surroundings: the raving of the maniac; the frightful contortions of the epileptic; the driveling and senseless sputtering of the idiot; the garrulous temper of the decrepit, neglected old age: the peevish- ness of the infirm; the accumulated filth of all these; then add the moral degeneracy of such as from idleness and dissipation seek a refuge from honest toil and you have a faint outline of the surroundings of these little boys and girls. This is home to them. Here their first and most enduring impressions of life are made. And is it any wonder that so large a per- centage go from such surroundings to lives of idleness and crime and thus to propagate and perpetuate a pauper, dependent and depraved class for public support and maintenance ? "
The commission found two hundred and twelve dependent children of sound mind and sound bodies in the county poor houses and strongly sup- ported Governor Baldwin's recommendation that they be taken from these institutions and made wards of the state. They suggested three plans :
" Ist. Placed by indenture directly in families; or
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HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY
" 2d. Placed in orphan asylums at the expense of the state; or
" 3d. Committed to an institution like the State Primary School at Munson, Massachusetts."
When the report of this commission reached the legislature in 1871 it was referred to a joint committee from both houses, of which the late Hon. C. D. Randall, of Coldwater, then state senator from this district, was chair- man. As its work progressed various members of the committee took up the questions presented and Mr. Randall was assigned to the child problem. All three of the plans suggested by the commission had adherents. Bills were introduced in the legislature and referred to the joint committee, favor- ing each. The Michigan Orphan Asylum, at Adrian, largely under the management of Aunt Laura Haviland, as she was generally known, was very persistent in its advocacy of the second of these plans.
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