2022.93.01

HISTORY OF GANGES SCHOOL DISTRICT #6 This Ganges School was built on land just north of the Ganges Corners, or Johnson's Corners as it was then called. The Allegan County Land transfer was dated October 15, 1814, from Wm. H. Sutherland, founder of Pier Cove. This land transfer was recorded March 7, 1816, and the building was probably built at that time. The Ganges School Association minutes states "The school ground was purchased in 1871 from Dennis Sutherland for the sum of One Hundred Fifty Dollars ($150.00), and consists of two acres. The school house was built in 1871 by Weed and Durham at a cost of Two Thousand Four Hundred and Thirty Dollars, ($2,430.00). The building committee was Richard Mack, Lyle Howard and James R. Gardner. James Goodeve also was the first director of the school". There Is good evidence that this school was previously located in the Lakeshore village of Pier Cove. An early accounting of Pier Cove written by H. N. Hutchins states, "Mr. Goodrich and his sister attended school there in 1852". The Allegan County Plat book of 1873 shows a Pier Cove plat and business directory. A school is located on the plat approximately 1000 feet South of the Bridge on what is now 70th Street. It may be that part of the Pier Cove School was moved or dismantled but a new two story school was built at the Ganges location. Early records of the pupils or teachers are not known to exist. Available, however, are the minutes and bylaws of the Union School Association of Ganges, Michigan. The first meeting was held April 5th, 1923. The Constitution under Article four states, "No person shall be eligible to membership or office unless fifty years or more of age, and who has been either teacher or scholar in the Union School of Ganges, Michigan." The first meeting was held at the home of Mrs. Minnie Johnson, who was elected President, Mrs. Zelda Trowbridge, Secretary, and Mrs. Etta Knox, Treasurer. Other members present were Henry Ensfield and wife, Wm. Gardner, Gordon Spencer, Eddie Atwater, Nettie Atwater, Onrita Perottet, Frank Weed, and others. The association had two social meetings each years the summer meeting at the Allegan County Park and the winter meeting usually at the hall above Haile's Garage, or in the H1. E. Church next door. The social meetings were well attended, usually fifty to sixty five in attendance At the 1938 picnic Mr. Charles McNitt was in attendance who was a teacher in the "upper room" in 1893. The minutes were brief and to the point; "A good time was had by a11, Picnic dinner, harmless gossip and old-time reminiscences were the order of the day", Lloyd Goodrich, Secretary. Some of the early teachers were the McVea sisters, Rachel and Esther, Emily Benson Francis Sheehan, Alice Wightman, Helen Kitchen, Marie Schultz, Grace Dornan, and Marie Parrish. In 1951, the Ganges School District voted to raze the old two story wooden structure and build a more modern structure. The District then voted on October 19, 1960, to annex to the Fennville School District, thus ending the Ganges School , District #6 after an existence of nearly one hundred years. --- This history of Ganges School District # 6 was written by former student Robert B. Wolbrink. After the Ganges district annexed to Fennville the building in Ganges was used for another 20 years by special programs before being sold in the 1990s to the Ganges United Methodist Church next door. Graduation and other special programs had often been held in the church building and the two structures shared a driveway. Source: SDHS newsletter pg. 254-255

Education and schools

Winthers, Sally

12/14/2022

01/04/2024