Timeline of Early 1800s
- An early settler, Dr. Charles Wallin from New York, first mentioned a Buchanan school in the woods near McCoy’s Creek when he arrived in 1836 and educated forty. “It was a small log cabin not far from the Indian Village.” [Walter C. Hawes—THE STORY OF BUCHANAN] Early settlers built one room schools where young teachers educated all ages and all subjects. Settlers built such schools as needed when small groups settled areas usually on rivers, since rivers were the means of transportation.
- On January 27, 1837, Congress ratified Michigan statehood. Buchanan Township received its name that same year and in 1842 the small town also became known as Buchanan. [Walter C. Hawes—THE STORY OF BUCHANAN] At that time James Buchanan served as a Democratic U.S. Senator from the state of Pennsylvania. Senator Buchanan supported Michigan statehood during the “Toledo War” in 1835. As an ultimate result of that “war” Michigan gave up a small area near Toledo but received the Upper Peninsula as compensation. Many migrants from eastern states arrived weekly in Michigan during this time as a result of the opening of the Erie Canal in 1821. Township governments had the task of supervising schools and handling the sale of state school lands as established in the Land Ordinance of 1785. One of the first acts of our new state legislature involved laws providing for the organization of elementary schools.
- In 1838 our community established the first “official” school near the McCoy Creek settlement, located on the north side of River Street and a quarter mile north from the Bainton Mill site. School District No. 1. School District No. 1 included land in an area approximately two miles wide and four miles long. [Walter C. Hawes—THE STORY OF BUCHANAN] No law existed for the formation or financial support of schools at that time and parents supported the teacher. At times this included welcoming the teacher into the homes of students. This first Buchanan log school likely educated young students but few high school age students. Their first teacher was Angelina Bird. [Walter C. Hawes—THE STORY OF BUCHANAN]
- “The first primary…money drawn in Buchanan Township was received at the rate of 65 cents per scholar…” in 1839. [Walter C. Hawes—THE STORY OF BUCHANAN] This resulted in an education fund of $18.56 for the entire year.
- In 1842, high school age students from Buchanan attended a private high school in Niles with tuition set at $2.50-$4.00 per course with a maximum of $5.00 regardless of the number of classes taken. Buchanan did not have a high school at that time. For the first time students were not educated in a log cabin but in a modern framed building of walnut or white oak on Main Street with windows and a stove rather than a fireplace for heat by the next year. Most students ended their education by eighth grade in the early 1800s. [Walter C. Hawes—THE STORY OF BUCHANAN]
- Some schools were called Union Schools because they were the union of several rural districts. They provided several teachers and more classrooms. Thus, grading of students was made possible. The voters in Buchanan School District No. 1 voted to build such a school in 1854.
- In 1856, the Dewey School on what was then Second Street opened with George Dewey as the first principal. After the Spanish American War in 1898, Second Street was renamed Dewey Street after Admiral Dewey. Teachers’ interest and expertise likely determined any advanced curriculum for older students. For example, Principal Dewey had experienced a scientific expedition to South America by Harvard prior to arriving in Buchanan. Principal Dewey represented our area at the Jackson, MI, meeting where the Republican Party held early gatherings in 1854. One of the weekly assignments at the Dewey school was a “piece speaking program.” After leaving Buchanan, Principal Dewey went on to editing newspapers and serving in the Michigan legislature. His Grandson Thomas E. Dewey ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Presidency twice as a Republican after being the Governor of New York [Walter C. Hawes—THE STORY OF BUCHANAN]
- Michigan state law authorized building of public high schools in 1859 but taxpayers and religious organizations who had invested in private academies, also known as high schools, opposed public high schools. These new public schools were “’the people’s high school’ since it marked the end of the entire dependence on private secondary schools.” These public high schools provided no advanced, organized curriculum, however. Plus, tuition provided the funds of the public high schools. [Walter C. Hawes—THE STORY OF BUCHANAN]
- During the mid 1800s, the Dewey Street school there likely had four elementary school grades, four grammar school grades, and four high school grades. Compulsory attendance required 12 weeks per year for all students between eight and fourteen years of age.
School Board Members 1871-1900
- The school board members in 1871 when the first school was built on Chicago Street at Detroit were Mr. Osborn, Mr. Richards, Mr. Ross, Mr. Pears, and Mr. Wells
Administration 1860-1900
- The duties of superintendent, principal and teacher were carried out by the same man. In 1871, that individual was Professor W. F. Kent.
Timeline of 1860-1900
- Buchanan Union School graduated its first class on March 19, 1860, at the Dewey School. Rural schools consolidated, organizing high schools at this time forming Union Schools across the state.
- No records exist prior to 1870, having been destroyed. Oral histories recorded of the original families provide all known information of the first generation of students.
- The original high school on Chicago Street was built in 1871 in response to overcrowding at the Dewey School . This original Buchanan School was built at cost of $35,000 [$40,000 according to THE PINES in 1930] with three stories on seven acres. Its mansard roof and upper story could be seen by passing trains on the Michigan Central Railroad. (In 2022, the equivalent cost would be less that $800,000.) “It is one of the finest in the state. It is noted for its modern school system in charge of Prof. Kent. There are eight teachers and the enrollment is five hundred.” [as remembered in Berrien County Record, 17 Oct 1929] The janitor and his family lived in part of the basement and the lunch room was in the other portion along with the furnace and fuel. It took up to forty years to clear the debt. [THE PINES 1930] The contractor was Mr. L.P. Alexander, who was one of Buchanan’s foremost citizens and boosters at one time a state senator.” [THE PINES 1997].
- The location of Buchanan’s first high school building was chosen because of its prominence and the fact that it could be easily seen from the railroad. School Board members had familiar community names—Osborn, Richards, Ross, Pears, and Wells.
- “The building was a beautiful brick structure consisting of a basement and three stories. The basement contained a long dining room, the janitor’s quarters and the furnace room. On the first floor were four rooms and a long hall down the center. Located on the second floor was the high school assembly and another large room. The third floor, like the first, contained four rooms and a long hall.” [THE PINES, Vol. 8, 1930]
- According to THE PINES in 1994, “On a cold January 12, 1872, the Buchanan high school students marched from the old Dewey School led by the Cornet Band.” The history of Buchanan High School on West Chicago began that day! Walter C. Hawes in THE STORY OF BUCHANAN describes the events of that momentous day.
- At the very top of the 1871 Buchanan High School, a 418 pound bell rang out to welcome students. One hundred and fifty years later that same bell moved to the new electronic sign in front of the 1922 building. In the early 1960s, this same bell was moved to the new entrance to the auditorium on the east end of the building where it remained until May 2022.
- 1873— “The fall term of the Buchanan schools will commence on Monday, September 1 with a full corps of competent teachers. No pains or reasonable expenses have been spared by the school board to make our school second to none in the country, and in every respect worthy of public patronage. We feel confident that our efforts to furnish the citizens of Buchanan and this vicinity with the facilities to educate their children at home in a school based on the most approved system of education have not been in vain.
“The grading and classification is now very nearly complete, and pupils entering the primary department will be carried through a full course of instruction graduating from the high school department, being prepared to enter our state university, or to assume an honorable position in the active duties of life. The course of instruction which we have adopted in our curriculum has the unqualified approval of the leading educators of the state…” [BERRIEN COUNTY RECORD, August 28, 1873. The first principal, Professor W.F. Kent, served as superintendent, also.
- The Michigan Supreme Court ruled in favor of tax supported public high schools in the landmark Kalamazoo Case in 1874. Thus, with the written decision of Justice T.M. Cooley, Buchanan High School could receive tax dollars.
- “The first class to finish the high school course in Buchanan consisted of five girls: Minnie Hamilton (Plimpton), Lillie Howe (Smith), Fannie Woodroff (Baker, Emma Smith (Knight), Nettie Bainton (Snyder) who graduated in 1877.” [THE PINES, Vol 8, 1930] These women received diplomas certified their fitness to enter the University of Michigan. In fact, the President of the University of Michigan, James Angell, spoke to the students the night before graduation. Miss Lillie Howe wrote the valedictory essay about the progress of popular education. She highlighted the fact that they graduated in the first year of the “new” century of the country, referring to 1776. [Walter C. Hawes—THE STORY OF BUCHANAN]
- By 1878 the graduating class increased to six members–Ella Hahn, Rose White Howe, Genevra Hamilton, Eva Gaunt, Eva Chamberlain, Maria Wells, plus William Bainton and Floyd Buck, our first male graduates. By 1939 only Miss Chamberlain still lived after teaching for many years. Maria Wells became a foreign missionary in India where she died serving there only seven years. Ella Hahn became an artist and hand painted china. [THE PINES, Vol. 16, 1940]
- In 1892 the salary for the Professor [superintendent, principal plus teaching some students] was $900. He supported a family of five.
- Buchanan Seniors became upset that graduation essays at commencement would be limited to only eight graduates of the sixteen in 1896. The Seniors went on strike and the chosen eight “demurred…the sixteen entered into a compact to refuse to receive the last honors of the school year unless the Board of Education rescinds its edict and the entire class is treated alike.” With the threat of no graduation, this decision was rescinded by the Board of Education with the stipulation that the graduation should not last longer than two and a half hours. This caused quite a bit of news and statewide publicity. [Kalamazoo Gazette, February 14, 1896 and The News Palladium, February 14, 1896]
Student Activities 1871-1900
- Buchanan High School used the Athletic Park for outdoor events such as baseball, softball and football [across McCoy Creek] until 1947.
- Any plays or music performances were held beyond the walls of the 1871 Buchanan High School at theaters or churches in the city.
- A cornet band existed early in the history of school activities but no other activities were noted.