An Honor and an Ornament: Public School Buildings in Michigan State Historic Preservation Offi ce Michigan Historical Center Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries September 2003 1 An Honor and an Ornament: Public School Buildings in Michigan Credits Client: State Historic Preservation Offi ce, Michigan Historical Center, Department of History, Arts and Libraries, Lansing, Michigan www.michiganhistory.org Consultant: ICON architecture, inc., Boston, Massachusetts Jonathan Lane, AIA, AICP, Principal-in Charge Rita Walsh, Senior Preservation Planner Beatrice Bernier, Associate and Interpretive Planner Richard Perkins, Graphic Designer Ahmed Kaddoum, Graphics Assistance Roy Strickland New American School Design Project, Taubman College of Art and Architecture, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Printing by Inland Press, Detroit Special appreciation to Douglas LaFerle of French Associates, Kathryn Eckert, William Kane of the Kane Group, Inc., Robert Janson, and Suzanne Daniel of the Michigan One-Room School- “A new [school] house is to be built the ensuing house Association. Many thanks to the numerous school district summer…that will be an honor and an orna- administrators and other individuals who shared information about ment to the town.” their buildings. John H. Palmer, Barry County Superintendent, in the 1870 The activity that is the subject of this project has been fi nanced Annual Report of the Michigan Superintendent of Public completely with Federal funds from the National Park Service, Instruction U.S. Department of the Interior, through the Michigan Depart- ment of History, Arts and Libraries. However, the contents and opinions herein do not necessarily refl ect the views or policies of the Department of the Interior or the Department of History, Arts and Libraries, nor does the mention of trade names or commercial products herein constitute endorsement or recommendation by the Department of the Interior or the Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries. This program receives Federal fi nancial assistance for identifi cation and protection of historic properties. Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, the U.S. Department of the Interior prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, or age in its federally assisted programs. Michigan law prohibits discrimination on the basis of re- ligion, race, color, national origin, age, marital status, or disability. 2 An Honor and an Ornament: Public School Buildings in Michigan Introduction hroughout Michigan’s history, public schools were tory. The summary publication also looks to communities to provide the often the fi rst institution established in a newly settled SHPO with information about exist- community of the state. The school embodied a ing historic school buildings through T the completion of an inventory form confi dent vision of the future for its citizens. They continue to be included with it. an important symbol of the progress and stature of a community. Only a small number of Michigan’s Their appearance refl ects the civic role they hold as well as a host of school buildings are individually listed in the National Register of Historic practical concerns and idealistic goals at the time they were built. Places, the federal list of cultural re- sources worthy of preservation. Many In turn, schools have signifi cantly impacted the course of physical, more Michigan schools are listed in social, and economic development in communities. Their location, the National Register within a historic district. With information gained from appearance, and functions are major reasons why communities this study, and through the cooperation develop as they do. of Michigan’s communities in provid- ing further information on their his- toric schools, the SHPO can assist in The State Historic Preservation Offi ce The study focused on numerous factors, determining which schools are eligible (SHPO) of the Michigan Historical including state legislation, educational for listing in the National Register. Center, Department of History, Arts and architectural theories and practices, As important architectural landmarks and Libraries commissioned this study health concerns, demographics, and and social institutions in a commu- of the history and architecture of the economic trends, which shaped the size nity, many school buildings deserve state’s public elementary and secondary and appearance of school buildings and this form of recognition. However, the schools from 1835, when the system grounds and their locations within a most important outcome of this study was established in Michigan’s fi rst con- community. The purpose of the more is that a community recognizes the stitution, to the present. The SHPO detailed narrative is to provide the State importance of its school buildings and identifi es, evaluates, registers, interprets Historic Preservation Offi ce and others makes thoughtful decisions about their and protects the state’s historic proper- with an understanding of the impor- continued use and location. ties. ICON architecture, inc. and Roy tant trends and events that infl uenced Strickland of the New American School school design. The summary publica- Design Project, University of Michigan, tion is meant to increase awareness and prepared the study. Two products appreciation among the general public resulted from the study: this summary of the signifi cant story of how schools publication and a more detailed narra- developed throughout Michigan’s his- tive. 1 An Honor and an Ornament: Public School Buildings in Michigan History of Michigan’s Public Schools and Important Design Infl uences ichigan possesses an astounding diversity of extant pub- Consolidation efforts continued through the late 19th century as prima- lic school buildings that date from the earliest years of its ry districts increased in number. The public school system to the present and represent every primary district schools were considered M less advantageous than urban schools major era of school building trends. These trends were both local and for children’s education. As a result of national in nature and were infl uenced by legislative reforms, educa- an 1891 law, all of the primary districts in the Upper Peninsula were consolidat- tional theories, social and health concerns, architectural styles, and the ed into township units by 1900. Like earlier union school districts, many new economic situation. and larger buildings were erected to take the place of the smaller one-room Brief History of the Public were called union schools. Like the and two-room schools. The growth of School System in Michigan one-room schoolhouse, union schools primary districts continued, however, held all of the student population under and reached their highest number of The public school system in Michigan one roof, but contained separate rooms 7,362 in 1912. was established in the 1835 Constitu- for several grades. Union schools were In the early 20th century, several new tion and in legislative acts of 1837 when mainly located in urban or larger rural kinds of schools were introduced as a Michigan achieved statehood. The communities. early system called for the creation of result of state legislative acts. These primary districts, which served students In the late 1850s-1860s, as the state’s schools provided better educational of all ages in an un-graded school that population grew, overcrowding became opportunities in both rural and urban was overseen by local offi cials. A newly a problem in union schools. As a result, areas. They included manual training created state position, the Superinten- ward schools were built in the residen- schools, rural agricultural and consoli- dent of Public Instruction, was given tial areas for smaller children. These dated schools, and junior high schools. little authority over the school districts. schools evolved into what were known Manual training schools, initially pri- The primary districts quickly increased as elementary schools by the early 20th vately fi nanced by local industrialists in number due to parents’ desire to century. Separate high schools for to provide more practical job skills, have the school, commonly a one-room older students were initially seen in the became part of the local public school building, near their home. Initial ef- 1860s. At fi rst considered a luxury, district beginning in 1918. Rural forts by the legislature to allow primary high schools became the most promi- agricultural and consolidated schools districts to combine into larger districts, nent public education building in most from the early 20th century were cre- known as union districts, in the 1840s communities by the late 19th century. ated from new public acts that aimed resulted in larger school buildings that to improve education in rural areas. These acts mandated the establish- 2 An Honor and an Ornament: Public School Buildings in Michigan of town in the early 20th century, began In many communities, a new school building was erected on to be moved to the edge of town due to the ample lot of the older union demands for larger buildings and sites. school building, as seen in this image of Battle Creek’s new Today, schools are larger in size and 1908 high school and 1869 union sited further out on bigger parcels as school (left). Courtesy of Willard Library the population continues to move away from city centers. Public school academies and