USA > Michigan > Oakland County > History of Oakland County Michigan a narrative account of its historic progress, its people, its principal interests Volume I > Part 30
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The county system of public schools is, of course, an integer of the greater system which originates in the state constitution and laws. For that reason, if for no other, a brief review of the legislation through which the splendid Michigan system has been developed is herewith given.
BASIS OF PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM
The ordinance of 1787 for the government of the northwest terri- tory contained the oft-quoted provision that "schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged," and the congressional act of 1804 reserved from the sale of public lands section 16 in each town- ship "for the support of schools." These acts were confirmed when Michigan became a territory in 1805; but the first regular school law of the territory was not enacted until 1827, the year when the town- ship form of government was fully established in Oakland county, as has been already described in chapter XII. By the provisions of that act the citizens of any township having fifty householders were obliged to provide themselves with a schoolmaster of good morals, to teach the children to read and write; and a township containing two hundred householders was obliged to have a schoolmaster who could teach Latin, French and English. Neglect to comply with these provisions made the people of the township liable to a fine of from fifty to one hundred and fifty dollars.
In 1833 the law was passed which created the office of superintend- ent of public schools, and provided for three commissioners and ten inspectors to take charge of the school lands, which had by the con- gressional act of 1828 been under the control of the governor and ter- ritorial council. As it often happened that school section 16 was under water, or otherwise almost valueless, when Michigan was admitted into the Union in January, 1837, provision was made for securing land which Vol. 1-15
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might be of some real advantage to the school fund-the ordinance by which it became a state declaring that "section No. 16 in every township of the public lands (and where such section has been sold or otherwise disposed of, other lands equivalent thereto, and as contiguous as may be) shall be granted to the state for the use of schools." This pro- vision also greatly simplified the work of managing the school lands and the accruing fund. One great advantage of this plan has been that all sections of the state shared equally and at once in the benefits of this general fund. The loss in consequence of poor sections was shared by the whole state.
CENTRAL UNIVERSITY AND BRANCHES
The act of congress of 1804 for the disposal of the public lands of the northwest territory reserved three townships for the use of semi- naries of learning, and one of these townships was for that part of the territory now constituting the state of Michigan. In 1817 three sections were granted to the College of Detroit. The proceeds of this last grant were afterward added to the university fund, which was established by legislative act in 1837. This not only provided for the founding of the State University, but for the establishment of several branches, one of which was at Pontiac. This branch was opened on the 15th of Sep- tember, 1837, under the principalship of Professor George P. Williams. The magnificent plan of Judge Woodward for a grand central uni- versity, with branches at various localities throughout the state, was tested and found wanting. Its principal drawback was that which in- cumbered most of his plans; they were too large for the times and the available funds. The last appropriation for the maintenance of the branches was made by the legislature of 1846.
FIRST ACADEMIES IN OAKLAND COUNTY
Two academies were incorporated in Oakland county in territorial times-the first at Auburn village, under an act approved March 2, 1831, with Benjamin Phelps, S. V. R. Trowbridge, Elizur Goodrich, Ezra S. Park, Reuben Woodford, Seth Beach and George Hornell as trustees.
The Pontiac Academy, the second institution of the kind, was in- corporated by territorial act of April 23, 1833, and its original trustees were Samuel Sherwood, Hervey Parke, Olmstead Chamberlin, Amasa Andrews and William Thompson.
With the advent of the state public school system these academies and various private and select schools disappeared, since which the people of Oakland county, in common with those of the entire com- monwealth, have depended with ever increasing appreciation upon the system provided by the state.
HEADS OF THE COUNTY SYSTEM
The county superintendency of schools was established by legislative act of 1866-7, and continued until it was abolished in 1875. In April, 1867, .Charles Hurd was elected and served until September of that
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year, when he resigned and Philip M. Parker was appointed in his place, serving the balance of the two-years term. In April, 1869, Wil- liam Littell was elected, but did not qualify and Mr. Parker was reap- pointed. The latter resigned in September, 1870, and a Mr. Wilbur was appointed to fill his term. Johnson A. Corbin was elected in April, 1871, reelected in April, 1873, and served until the repeal of the law in 1875. A law was then enacted creating the office of township school superin- tendent, giving Oakland county twenty-five, each supreme within his jurisdiction.
REMAINS A "PERPETUAL FUND"
Section II, of Article XI, of the 1909 constitution, is as follows : "The proceeds form the sales of all lands that have been or hereafter may be granted by the United States to the state for educational pur- poses and the proceeds of all lands or other property given by individ- uals or appropriated by the state for like purposes shall be and remain a perpetual fund, the interest and income of which, together with the rents of all such lands as may remain unsold, shall be inviolably appro- priated and annually applied to the specific objects of the original gift, grant or appropriation." The original constitution of the state also re- quired that the proceeds derived from the sale of the school lands should remain a prepetual educational fund.
The county school commissioner is now at the head of the system. Since 1877 the management of the schools of Oakland county has been in the hands of Elmer R. Webster, Harry H. Snowdon, Harry S. Elliott and Abram L. Craft (present incumbent). No section of the state has made more substantial advancement in superior and practical develop- ments of its system of public education than this; and the very mention of these names is a forcible explanation for the solid work accomplished during the past thirty-five years.
DUTIES OF THE TEACHER OF TODAY
What is expected of the teacher of today in the Oakland county schools is well put in the last "directory" issued by Commissioner Craft, under the head "Duties of Teachers."
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I. It is the duty of the teacher to place upon the blackboard or wall, within three days after the beginning of school, a program of the daily work, giving the time of each recitation.
2. The teacher should practice such discipline as would be exer- cised by a wise parent in a well governed home; being always firm, but prudent.
3. Use good judgment in teaching the pupils to be neat and orderly at all times.
4. Insist upon having order in the room during the recess interval as well as during school hours.
5. Teach pupils the principles of morality and virtue and impress upon their minds the value and care of school property.
6. Keep the school room comfortably warm and well ventilated.
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7. Have plenty of "busy seat work" for young pupils when not in recitations.
8. Encourage the Eighth Grade pupils; give them frequent reviews in all studies and insist upon thorough advance work.
STANDINGS REQUIRED
The following standings are required in Oakland county by the board of school examiners :
First grade certificates, 85 per cent average, 75 per cent minimum. Second grade certificates, 85 per cent average ; 70 per cent minimum. Third grade certificates, 80 per cent average, 65 per cent minimum. A standing of not less than 75 per cent is required in arithmetic, grammar, orthography and spelling for all grades of certificates.
Eighth grade, average 80 per cent; 65 per cent minimum.
Applicants not known to any member of the board must furnish letters of recommendation.
Teachers holding certificates issued by other authority than the county board of school examiners, must promptly file the same in the office of the commissioner of schools to become legally qualified teachers.
A male teacher is required to pay an annual fee of one dollar and a female teacher an annual fee of fifty cents, to the director or secretary of the board at time of contracting providing such fee has not been previously paid within the current year, and no teacher is legally quali- fied until such fee is paid.
The growing sentiment among school officers and patrons of school districts in favor of teachers who have had some preparation besides high school to begin their work in the school room, has caused the board of school examiners to adopt the recommendation of the superin- tendent of public instruction, that applicants for third grade certificates should attend the Ypsilanti Summer School, the Ferris Institute, or some equivalent school.
DISTRICT LIBRARIES
School district libraries are provided for in Sections 4757 to 4764 of the school laws. Any district, by a two-thirds vote of all the qualified voters present at an annual meeting, may establish a district library. When so established the district is entitled to such a share of the fine moneys, apportioned by the state superintendent through the county treasurer to the township, as the number of children of school age in the district bears to the whole number of children in the township.
The district board has charge of the library, may appoint a librarian other than the director. The librarian must report annually to the state librarian through the commissioner of schools.
The director must report the library in his annual report to the superintendent of public instruction in order to enable the district to draw its share of the fine moneys.
The law provides that the director shall purchase a case for library books, and the library should be kept at the school house.
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There is no reason why every school district in the state should not maintain a library, and it is hoped that school officers and teachers will make a strenuous effort to provide this means of culture for the chil- dren placed under their care.
HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARS
All eighth grade scholars who have passed the eighth grade county examination and received diplomas may enter any of the three nearest high schools and their tuition must be paid by their district. Pro- vided, that the parent or legal guardian of such children must notify the officers of their district of their intention to send their children to a spe- cified high school on or before the fourth Monday in June. The amount of such tuition cannot exceed twenty dollars per year. Surplus primary money may be used to pay tuition, and the school board may vote a tax for the payment of transportation of such children.
DISTRICT SCHOOLS OF THE COUNTY
The district schools included in the public school system of Oak- land county are as follows: Addison township-Brewer, Leonard, Lakeville, Kingsbury, National and Arnold schools.
Avon township-Stony Creek, Wilcox, Frank, Hamlin, Rochester, Brewster, Ross, Hubbell, Christian Hill, Graham and Stiles schools.
Bloomfield township-Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Hickory Grove, Linton, Gilbert Lake, Hammond, Tuscarora, Wing Lake and Bartlett schools.
Brandon township-Seymour Lake, Oak Hill, Union, Brandon Cen- ter and Ortonville schools.
Commerce township-Plains, Walled Lake, Sugden, Stephens, Sleeth, Union, Burch, Killam, Wixom, Jones, Commerce and Patten schools.
Farmington township-Coleman, German, Nichols, Green, Thayer, Fair View, West Farmington, Farmington, Clarenceville and Noble schools.
Groveland township-Algoe, Stone, Campbell, Groveland Center, Cot- tage and Bird schools.
Highland township-Hickory Ridge, Clyde, Excelsior, Highland Sta- tion and Grub schools.
Holly township-Stony Run, Belford, Five Points, Olive Branch, Holly, Patterson, Willover and Traphagan schools.
Independence township-Sashabaw, Clarkston, Bailey Lake, Hunter and Bigelow schools.
Lyon township-Kensington, Wood, Wilson, Blackwood, Smith, New Hudson, Bullard and South Lyon schools.
Milford township-Town Line, Foote, Bird, Milford, Stone, Tuck, Taylor, Welch, Pickett and Hale schools.
Novi township-Bassett, East Novi, Stone, West Novi, Yerkes, Chap- man, Novi, Griswold and Sanford schools.
Oakland township-Snell, Goodison, Kline, Brush, Eaton and Car- penter schools.
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Orion township-Howarth, Clark, Orion, Shanghai, Prospect, Big- ler, Wilson, Proper and Block schools.
Oxford township-North Oxford, Oakwood, East Travis, Oxford, Town Corners and West Travis schools.
Pontiac township-Amy, Shattuck, Stanley, Kemp, Ball Mountain, Five Points, Phillips and Hallstead schools.
Rose township-Seaver, Craft, Jones, Stone, Rose Corners, Rose Center and Pioneer schools.
Royal Oak township-Parker, Starr, Clinton, Lamphere, Stumpf, Royal Oak, Baker, Hazel Park and Porter schools.
Southfield township-Franklin, Bingham, Erity, Jackson, Beddow, Angling, Mckinley, Brace, Klett and Southfield.
Springfield township-Springfield Plains, Brondige, Davisburg, An- dersonville, Springfield, Covell and Austin schools.
Troy township-Troy Fractional, Troy, Leonard, Smith, Coleran, Big Beaver, Log Cabin, Poppleton and Stone schools.
Waterford township-Elizabeth Lake, Four Towns, Covert, Water- ford Center, Clarkston Station, Clintonville, Drayton Plains, Wyckoff and Waterford schools.
West Bloomfield-Eagle, Scotch, Pennell, Pine Lake, Hosner, Green and Walnut Lake schools.
White Lake township-Webster, Granger, White Lake Center, Gib- son, Fair, Thompson, Dublin and White Lake schools.
PRESENT STATUS OF SCHOOLS
Commissioner Craft's annual report to the state board of education was filed in July, 1912, the Pontiac city schools not being included in the figures given. From this document it appears that the entire census enrollment in the county is 11,968, with an average school attendance of 8,378. The total number of teachers employed, including Pontiac city, is 408, while the whole number of legally qualified teachers in the county is 424, showing that all but 16 are employed.
The school commissioner made 340 visits from September 15th to June 15th, 20 schools were visited twice. Fifty-five inexperienced teachers were added to the force during the year. The amount of fees collected and credited to the teachers' institute fund is the largest ever known in the county to date, being $506, after paying for expenses of the teachers' mid-winter institute and the summer school at Ypsilanti. The total amount paid the teachers is $116,000, leaving a surplus of $19,651.37 primary money. There are 285 female teachers employed receiving $92,140 or an average salary of $32.33 a month, while 32 male teachers receive for the same length of term, $19,460, or an average monthly salary of $62. The above average includes superintendents and prin- cipals of all high schools outside of Pontiac city.
The districts raise for general expenses, $45,192, or $4 per capita. There is a surplus library fund of $2,228.85. All but 58 schools in the county maintain libraries. The township of Lyon has no surplus pri- mary money on hand, while the township of Royal Oak has $3,514.76.
Three districts in the county have enough primary money on hand
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to run their school for two years. Four districts closed their schools during the past year and paid tuition to adjoining districts. There are 334 eighth grade pupils in the county exclusive of the graded schools, of this number 192 received diplomas at the May examination and will enter the high schools, being eligible to free tuition from their respective districts.
The number of districts supplied with maps, charts, globes and dic- tionaries is 192, while 140 have flags and I10 have wells as required by law. There are no districts in the county furnishing free text-books.
Three public examinations were held during the year and 165 teachers and 3II eighth grade pupils attended the same; 115 certificates were issued to teachers and 192 diplomas granted to eighth grade pupils. There are in the county 100 state normal graduates, 63 county normal graduates and 12 who hold state life and University of Michigan cer- tificates and 25 who have city certificates.
All but 20 schools in the county have a uniform series of text-books, following an adopted course of study as prescribed by the commissioner, and 25 districts have a regular course of study adopted by the school board.
Not a district in the county has lost its primary money in two years through neglect of directors or school commissioners. Oakland county, through careful management, is one of the first to file reports with the state department, and no report has ever been rejected by the state.
CHAPTER XV
MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION
FIRST OAKLAND COUNTY HIGHWAY-OTHER ROADS ESTABLISHED IM- PROVEMENT OF THE CLINTON RIVER-FIRST MICHIGAN RAILWAY CHARTERED-DETROIT & PONTIAC RAILROAD COMPANY-FINALLY COMPLETED TO BIRMINGHAM-DETROIT & MILWAUKEE RAILWAY COMPANY-ESTABLISHMENT OF PRESENT SYSTEMS-COMING OF ELEC- TRIC LINES-THE GRAND TRUNK SYSTEM-THE MICHIGAN CEN- TRAL-PERE MARQUETTE RAILROAD- DETROIT UNITED RAILWAY- SUMMARY.
It was not until the late 'twenties that the roads which brought immi- grants to Oakland county from north and south were sufficiently estab- lished to encourage settlement. The military road begun by Colonel Leavenworth in 1817, started from Detroit and followed the old Indian trail to Saginaw. Previous to 1819 this highway had been completed about three miles, besides "corduroyed" several additional miles. What manner of road it was, has been already told by Capt. Hervey Parke, the surveyor, and other early comers into this region by way of Detroit.
FIRST OAKLAND COUNTY HIGHWAY
An act to establish a road along the Detroit-Saginaw route was passed December 7, 1818, and the following proclamation by Governor Cass completed the legislation relating to it:
"Whereas, by virtue of the provisions of an act of this territory passed the 7th day of December, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighteen, entitled 'An act to establish a certain road,' the governor was empowered to lay out and make a public highway and road mentioned therein, and to appoint three commissioners for carry- ing the said act into effect; and whereas, John Hunt, Ezra Baldwin and Levi Cook, Esquires, commissioners as aforesaid, did, on the 13th day of December instant, transmit to me their report upon the subject of the said road;
"Now, therefore, by virtue of said act and in conformity with the said report, I do lay out the following as a public road or highway namely : Commencing at the center of the military square in Woodward avenue, in the city of Detroit, and running along said avenue to Witherell street, and thence with Witherell street to the commencement of the
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space of one hundred feet between lots 56 and 57, in Fletcher's plan of the survey of the tract of land granted by the act of congress passed April 21, 1806, and entitled (an act to provide for the adjustment of the titles of land in the town of Detroit and territory of Michigan, and for other purposes) ; thence along the said space of one hundred feet and, with the course thereof, through the said tract; then thence west- wardly on the road which was opened and cut by the troops of the United States to the termination thereof; thence westwardly to a large oak tree standing on the right of the Saginaw trail, so-called, and within a short distance of the same, the said tree being marked with the letter H; thence westwardly in a direct line as surveyed and marked by Horatio Ball, to the main street in the village of Pontiac, and thence along said street to the termination; and the line surveyed as aforesaid is to be the center of the road.
"In testimony whereof I have caused the seal of the said territory to be hereunto affixed. Given under my hand at Detroit, this fifteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and nineteen.
"LEWIS CASS.
"By the Governor : "WILLIAM WOODBRIDGE, "Secretary of Michigan Territory."
This road, originally commenced by Colonel Leavenworth, was ex- tended from time to time, under various acts of legislation by the terri- torial government, until it reached a point some six miles beyond the present city of Flint, about 1834. It was cut out of the width of one hundred feet through its whole course and graded to a width of eighty feet. Subsequent to the admission of Michigan as a state, it was worked by the various counties through which it passes until it became a splen- did turnpike.
OTHER ROADS ESTABLISHED
By act of July 23, 1828, a road was ordered laid out from the north- east corner of Oakland county, running south along the county line until it intersected the Detroit and Pontiac turnpike. Under the same act a road commencing at the bridge over the Clinton river in Pontiac and running along the north side of Pine lake, the east side of Orchard lake and the north side of Walled lake, was also ordered. The council act approved March 4, 1831, ordered a road laid from Pontiac south- west to a point on the road between Monroe and Ypsilanti; that of June 26, 1832, one running from section 18 in Southfield township to Detroit; and the acts of April 4 and April 20, 1833, authorized thorough- fares from Bloomfield west to the Pontiac and Monroe road and from the same point, through Auburn, to Flint. Nearly all of these roads were afterwards substantially graded and graveled.
The legislative records show, however, that the act of 1819 ordering the Detroit and Pontiac turnpike was not fully carried out; for in June, 1822, another act was passed by the council authorizing the governor to appoint three commissioners to establish a road from Detroit via Pontiac, to Saginaw, or the Saginaw river. Again, an act approved
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August 5, 1824, incorporating the Pontiac and Paint Creek Turnpike Company, named the following as the incorporators: John R. Wil- liams, Daniel LeRoy, Peter I. Desnoyers, William Thompson, Solomon Sibley, Amasa Bagley, James McCloskey, David Sauard, Benjamin Woodworth, Jonathan Kearsley, Johnson Niles, David C. Mckinstry, Thomas Palmer, Cyrus Chipman and Olmstead Chamberlain. This turnpike was to extend from a point three miles from the Detroit river on the present road, by the most practicable route via Royal Oak to the courthouse in Pontiac, with a branch from Royal Oak to a point on Paint creek to be fixed by the commissioners. The corporation stock was fixed at $200,000, divided into eight hundred equal shares. James McCloskey, Daniel LeRoy and Johnson Niles were appointed commis- sioners to receive subscriptions. This was a toll-road, with two gates- one near Detroit and the other within half a mile of where the Paint creek branch commenced.
The contrast of the old and the more modern roads, noted in the following paragraph written thirty-five years ago is further intensified by the many improvements made in the thoroughfares of the county within the intervening period: "The contrast between the smooth turn- pike-roads of the present day, upon which an ordinary roadster can easily make eight miles an hour, and the bridle paths and subsequent 'corduroys,' where the speed was seldom more than one or two miles per hour, is indeed wonderful. The first twelve miles from Detroit on the Saginaw trail was nearly an impenetrable swamp, covered with heavy timber and so level that the water stood upon the surface a greater part of the year. Many a venturesome pioneer, who had perhaps found his way from New York or New England, has had the last atom of faith in the new country taken from him in this indescribable morass."
IMPROVEMENT OF THE CLINTON RIVER
The difficulties of transporting persons and goods over the early roads projected between Detroit, Flint, Saginaw and Pontiac, naturally drew attention to the waterways which connected the interior with the lake regions. The valley of the Clinton river was thought to be espe- cially feasible as an outlet for the products of Oakland county and an inlet for goods and settlers, and the improvement of that stream was pushed so persistently that the legislative council of the territory passed an act, which was approved by the governor April 17, 1827, incorporat- ing the Clinton River Navigation Company. Specifically, it was in- corporated "for the purpose of removing obstructions from the Clinton river, and making such river navigable for boats from the village of Mount Clemens to Mack's lower mills in the county of Oakland."
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