The Detroit Public School System

On December 2, 1837, the Common City Council requested the City Attorney to investigate and report what steps were necessary to organize a public school system. It took only one week for a school program to be approved, and in April 1838, Henry Chipman, John Farmer and James F. Joy were elected School Inspectors. Farmer was also elected Chairman of the Board and for the first time the provisions of our general Michigan State Law, were put into operation in Detroit.
The city was divided into five wards, for fire protection, and a school census was taken in each ward, showing a total of 1,320 white children and 36 African-American children of school age, meaning between the ages of five and fifteen years. In May the city divided into seven school districts; and each was assessed to the needs of it's own district.
Each director reported the state of affairs for his own district, every year. In 1838, the Director of District No 7, was Hon. Benjamin F.H. Witherell. His report showed 417 children that fell within the school age limitations, however only 43 were attending school. District 7 was appropriated a total of $590 for the school year, of which $500 was used for a school building, and $90 was paid to the teacher.
District 1, School Director was W.K. Coyl who made use of a old two-story building, 40 feet by 80 feet, built on the shore of the Detroit River, on West Woodbridge near Shelby. The building was leased at $100 a school year, and occupied until 1842.
District 4's Director Rev. George Field held school in the basement of the First Methodist Episcopol Church.
District Number 6 was taught by Melvina A. Hurlbut in her home, on the northeast corner of Jefferson Avenue and Beaubien Street.
District No 8 was organized in 1839, and was the African-American school, however there were no funds to pay a teacher. City residents, John Biddle and John R. Williams along with some others petitioned the Legislature in 1839, to enact a law which would establish a seperate school for African-American children. It was passed in 1840. The first African-American school was taught by an African-American Clergyman, William C. Monroe. By October 11, 1869, all orders relating to separate schools were abolished.
The books used by all 7 districts included: Webster's Spelling Book, English Reader, Testament, and Daboll's Arithmetic. There were other text books used, but they varied from school to school, among them were: Child's Guide, Juvenile Reader, First Class Book, Gallandet's National Thesbian, Olney's Geography, Peter Parley's Geography, Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations, Colburn's Arithmetic, Smith's Grammar, and Lakes' Philosophy.
Names of some of the area's earliest teachers were: August Hulburt, Charlotte S. Rang, Harriett M. Van Ingen, Alice Rayney (or Rumney), Marian Titus, Melvina N. Hurlbut, Allen Ranney, Charles Chambers, Charles Rood, Rowley Morris, Jeremiah E. Whitaker, James S. Baker, Rev George Field, Hiram F. Joy, E.F. Locke, J.T. Blois, William Merrill, William Huntington, Lorenzo Wood, John M. Davis, John Winchell and William Phelps. In Novmeber 1842, what were known as "middle schools" were opened with about 500 in attendance. The earliest "middle school" teachers were: Joshua N. Alvord, John H. Anderson, Thomas Grant, Charles W. Hayes and Dennis O'Brien.

How Were Schools Established In Each District

Some of the city's districts (or sections) were prevented from establishing a school, due to poverty. In 1841, it was reported there were 135 children in District No 1, however, the district was not able to employ a teacher. It was due to this uncertainty, that every child would not recieve an education that Dr. Zina Pitcher became a leader of the Public School System of Detroit. Pitcher was mayor of the city in 1840 and 1841 and president of the Board of Education in 1843. David W. Fiske, an alderman from the Fifth Ward, introduced a resolution to the council on September 14, 1841. He put forth a committee to consider the school system, and plan a more perfect one, if possible. The men appointed to this committee were; Mayor Pitcher, David W. Fiske, and Charles Moran. Their first report was submitted at a public meeting January 12,1842, and resolutions were adopted to enact the substance of the plan, into a law. After some petitions, planning, and opposition, the plan was sent to legislature and on February 17, 1842, passed a bill, "relative to free schools in the city of Detroit." Detroit was given only one district under the direction of the Board of Education, with one school, of which all operations were to be public and free to all children within the ages of four and seventeen years.

The first Board of Education organized March 15, 1842 was:

Dr. Douglas Houghton - President
John S. Abbott - Secretary
Daniel J. Campau - Tresurer
Samuel Barstow - Member
Elijah J. Roberts - Member
John Winchell - Member
Willard E. Stearns - Member
Justus Ingersoll - Member
John Watson - Member
George Robb - Member
Charles Peltier - Member
Ebenezer A. Byram - Member
William Patterson - Member

By 1881, there were thirteen Wards and 26 members on the Board of Education, (which was later reduced to 12) each chosen by election. And districts were entitled to public schools according to the total attendence of children in their district. The first board elected March 11, 1881 consisted of; George R. Angell, Magnus Butzel, Thomas J. Craft, N. Gallagher, Levi T. Griffin, W.N. Hailmna, James Johnston, Simon C. Karrer, James W. Romeyn, Luther S. Trowbridge, Charles I. Walker and Carlos E. Warner. The new system soon showed an improvement over the older one, as each member felt that he was working in the interests of all the schools, not only those in their own Ward, and uniformity resulted.

Where Some of the First Schools were Located

In the year 1842, four buildings were rented at a cost of $160 a year for schools; one was on the corner of Clinton and Brush Streets, and another on the northwest corner of Jefferson Ave and First Street. $75 was spent to renew the interior of the old Washington Market on the corner of larned and Wayne for a school. The first schoolhouse built by the Board of Education,(in 1843) was on West Park near Grand River Ave at a cost of $540. A building that once served as old state capitol business was used, located on Capitol Park, bounded by Griswold and State Streets (it is now tore down). In May 1850, the first school named for an individual was opened and named for Samuel Barstow. The Houghton School, originally called the Eight Ward School was opened in the fall of 1853.

School Census Totals

The school census for the year of 1850 totaled 4,250, the actual number of children that fell within the school age was 6,965, and there were 21 teachers. In 1860 enrollment totals were 7,045 (with 14,159 actual school aged children) and 68 teachers. In 1870 enrollment was 11,252 ( 29,467 actual school aged children) with 143 teachers. In 1886 enrollments totals were 21,434 (66,963 of school age) and 383 teachers. In 1911 the school census totals were 61,961 in attendence ( 114,448 of school age) and 1,589 teachers.

The Principal School Structures in Detroit through 1921

Name of School Year Opened Year Enlarged (if addition made) Location
Admiral Winterhalter 1921 none 12121 Broadstreet
Alger 1898 none North of Broadstreet, near Brush
Amos 1895 1908 South East Military & Regular
Angell 1916 none North of Maidstone & West of Holmur
Bagley 1884 none North East of 14th & Pine Streets
Balch 1921 none Ferry Ave
Barbour 1921 none 4209 Seneca
Barstow 1849 1870 & 1912 S Congress; near Riopelle
Beard 1896 1900 East of Waterman and Lafayette
Bellefontaine 1887 none West of Morrell near Wabash R.R.
Bellevue 1899 1910 Bellevue near Lafayette East
Bennett 1911 none NorthWest corner of Mullane & Senator
Berry 1892 none NorthWest corner of Concord & Charlevoix
Bishop 1857 1907 & 1908 & 1916 North of Winder & West of Rivard
Brady 1921 none 2920 Joy Road
Breitmeyer 1915 none East Cameron near Marston
Brownson 1887 1894 South Maple near Chene
Burton 1912 none NorthEast corner of Peterboro & Cass
Campau 1898 None North of Forest & West of Mitchell
Campbell 1894 1806 NorthEast corner St Aubin & Alexandrine
Capron 1905 none North West corner of Maple & Riopelle
Carpenter 1914 none South of Carpenter West of McDougall in Hamtramck
Carstens 1915 none East of Coplin & North of Charlevoix
Cary 1901 1912 Southwest Place near Waterman
Chandler 1905 none West of McClellan& East of Belvidere
Chaney 1887 1895 East Lawton near Linden
Clay 1873 1888 Stimson Place near Cass
Clinton 1870 1876 South Clinton, near Rivard
Clippert 1910 none West Martin, near Michigan Ave
Columbian 1892 1908 & 1917 SouthEast Corners of McKinley & Merrick
Craft 1901 none NorthEast corners of Ash & Vinewood
Crosman 1911 none NorthWest corner of Hamilton & Taylor
Custer 1886 none West of Hammond & Ranspach
Davison 1916 none SouthEast corners of Davison & Grandy
Davison Annex 1891 1904 South of Davison near Jos. Campau
Dexter 1915 none West Dexter near Boston Blvd
Dickinson 1889 none NorthWest corners of 12th & Calumet
Doty 1908 none West of 3rd & North Glynn Court
Duffield 1866 1892 South of Clinton near Chene
Dwyer 1913 none North of Caniff East of Cameron
Ellis 1914 none SouthWest corners of Rich & Junction
Estabrook 1896 none NorthEast corners of Linwood & McGraw
Everett 1869 1873 South Fort near Rivard
Fairbanks 1894 1915 SouthEast corners of Seward & Hamilton
Farrand 1893 1897 SouthWest corners of Harper & John R
Ferry 1886 1889 & 1894 NorthEast corners of Ferry & Campau
Field 1887 1894 & 1907 Northwest corners of Field & Agnes
Firnane 1882 none South Fort near McDougall
Franklin 1899 1912 West Brooklyn North of Henry
Garfield 1898 1912 & 1915 Northeast corners of Rivard & Frederick
George 1911 none East of Russell & South of Superior
Gillies 1901 none SouthEast corner of Junction & Lafayette
Goldberg 1904 1916 West 12th & North of Marquette
Grayling 1917 none North of Adeline East of Baumann
Greenfield Park 1916 1917 West of Brush & Longworth
Greenfield Union 1914 none North 7 Mile road East of Woodward
Greusel 1908 1917 East of Moran & North of Medbury
Hancock 1887 1891 NorthEast Corners of Hancock & 14th
Hanneman 1916 none North of McGraw & West of Cicotte
Harms 1916 none East of Central & South of Pitt
Harris 1896 none SouthEast corners of Pulford & Ellery
Hely 1914 1917 North of Duncy West of Baldwin
Higgins 1895 none North Krupp near Distell
High, Cass Technical 1908 1910 & 1921 Grand River & 2nd
High, Cass Technical Annex 1917 none South of Henry West of 2nd
High, Central 1896 1907 West of Cass South of Warren
High, School of Commerce 1870 1873 South Porter near 2nd
High, Eastern 1901 1908 SouthEast corners of Grand Blvd & Mack
High, Nordstrum 1915 none Fort near Waterman
High, Northern 1915 none NorthEast corners of Woodward & Josephine
High, Northeastern 1914 none North of Hancock East of Grandy
High, Northwestern 1911 None Southeast corners of Grand Blvd & Grand River
High, Southeastern 1915 none South of Goethe & East of Fairview
High, Southwestern 1921 none Goethe & Fairview
High, Western 1898 1899 & 1907 East Scotten near Baker
High, Condon Junior 1914 none North of Buchanan West of Vinewood
High, Joyce Junior 1913 none South of Canfield West of Seneca
High, McMichael Junior 1917 none SouthEast corners of Grand Blve & Grand River
High, Neinas Junior 1916 none South of McMillan West of Cavalry
High, Norvell Junior 1879 1894 North Arndt near Joseph Campau
Hillger 1912 none North of Forest East of Iroquois
Holmes, A.L. 1915 none West of Rohns North of George
Holmes, O.W. 1917 none East Ogden South of Michigan Ave
Houghton 1908 none North Abbott and Brooklyn
Howe 1913 none South of Charlevoix East of Garland
Hubbard 1887 1895 East 25th near Porter
Hutchins 1921 none 8820 Wilson
Irving 1882 none North Willis near Woodward
Ives 1911 none East Philip near Jefferson Ave
Jackson 1891 none North Fort Near Chene
Jefferson 1871 1892 NorthEast corners of Selden & Greenwood
Johnston 1884 1896 South Waterloo near Dubois
Jones 1906 None North of Sylvestr West of Seyburn
Keating 1919 none North of Jones West of 2nd
Kennedy 1916 none West of 16th South of Linden
Leland 1917 none NorthWest corners of Russell & Catherine
Lillibridge 1905 1908 & 1912 NorthWest corners of Kercheval & Beniteau
Lincoln 1885 1912 & 1916 North of Brady West of St. Antoine
Lingeman 1915 none West Montclair near Edlie
Logan 1886 1895 & 1903 East Clippert near Michigan Ave
Lonyo 1895 none Lawndale South of Michigan Ave
Longfellow 1917 none NorthWest corners of Indiandale and 12th
Lyon 1905 1915 South Varney and West of Ackley
Lynch 1914 1916 North of Palmetto West of VanDyke
Lyster 1896 none East of Livernois near Michigan Ave
McGraw 1899 none NorthEast corners of Wreford and 23rd
McKinley 1902 none NorthWest corners of Stanley & Greenwood
McKinstry 1905 none SouthWest corners of McKinstry & McMillan
McMillan 1895 none East of WestEnd near Jefferson
Majeske 1914 none Noth of Trombley & East of St Aubin
Marcy 1912 None South of Sylvester East of Canton
Martindale NOrmal Training 1912 none South Grand Blvd near Grand River
Marr 1913 none North Grand River near Roosevelt
Marxhausen 1914 none Cadillac Blvd near Warren
Maybee 1916 none East Cardoni near Westminster
Maybury 1909 none NorthWest Corners of Porter and Clark
Monteith 1905 none West Hibbard near Jefferson
Monterey 1915 none North Montery near Linwood
Moore 1907 1912 SouthWest corners of Alger & Cameron
Morley 1903 none Copland & Beaumont
Newberry 1887 1889 & 1903 West 29th near Jackson
Nichols 1910 none SouthEast corners of Burns and Goethe
Noble 1921 None 8646 Fullerton
Owen 1879 1901 & 1902 Northwest corners of Myrtle & Vermont
Palmer 1890 1901 & 1902 North Horton near Antoine
Parke 1900 none Southwest corners of Grand Blvd & Milwaukee
Pattengill 1920 none Maplewood & Northfield
Philip 1916 none W Philip & North of Antwerp
Pingree 1902 none West Mcclellan & Mack
Pitcher 1871 none West Lawton near Butternut
Poe 1896 none South Lysander near 6th
Potter 1889 none West Tillman near Myrtle
Preston 1894 none West 17th near Howard
Ravenswood 1915 none East Yellowstone North of Joy Road
Roberts 1890 none North Adelaide near Antoine
Rose 1887 1899 West of VanDyke North of Ferry
Roulo 1906 none East of Roulo North of Dix Road
Russell 1887 1900 & 1913 & 1917 SouthEast corners of Russell & Eliot
Ruthruff 1885 1914 Southwest corners of Livernois & Plymouth
Sampson 1911 none West Begole near Ironwood
Scripps 1898 none East Holcomb near Kercheval
Sill 1905 none Southeast corners of 30th and Herbert
Smith 1903 none Northwest corners of Hunt & Ellery
Southwestern High School 1915 1970 6921 West Fort Street View Class of 1925
Stephens 1913 1917 East of Seneca & South of Lambert
Tappan 1868 1886 & 1902 Northwest corners of Vermont & Marantelle
Thomas 1905 none West of Canton North of Ferry
Thirkell 1914 None North of LaSalle Gardens East of 14th
Tilden 1887 1897 NorthWest corners of Kirby & Brooklyn
Trombly 1860 1908 East Connor's Creek Road South of Gratiot
Trowbridge 1889 none North Forest near Hastins
Turner 1914 none East Turner and Webb
VanDyke 1894 none West Van Dyke near Kercheval
Wabash 1915 none East Wabash North of Fenkel
Washington 1871 1894 West of Beaubien near Madison
Webster 1874 1885 & 1906 East 21st near Howard
White 1921 none Charles Ave near Fenelon
Williams 1890 none North Canfield near Mt Elliott
Wilson 1916 none West Central North of Logan
Wingert 1906 none Grand Blvd near Moore Place
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