Part IV - Education, a supplement to the Big Rapids Pioneer Newspaper. Used with permission.

MORLEY STANWOOD CONSOLIDATED IN 1958

The first Morley Stanwood High School (MSHS) senior class graduated in 1959, one year after Morley Stanwood Community School (MSCS) consolidated.

Also in 1959, the new high school school was built and dedicated, where the current Morley Stanwood Middle Schol (MSMS) is located on Northland Drive (old US. 131.

Nearly ten years later, in 1968, the old MSHS, added a junior high to its facility. Both schools hosted classes in the same building until 1997, when the new high school was built adjacent to MSMS.

The history of MSCS dates back to the late 1900's, after both Morley and Stanwood became established communities.

Stanwood Public School first opened in 1892, before the village was incorporated in 1907. In 1927, the new Stanwood Rural Agricultural School was built.

According to a 1969 Pioneer article, eleven teachers were in charge of the school in 1931, and high school pupils were transported to Big Rapids.

At an estimated cost of $16,000, a two-room addieion was completed in 1939. Stanwood Rural Agricultural School again in the fall of 1950, with a $50,000 four room addition to the building.

Arthur Schmunk returned for his fourth year as principal, and eighth-grade graduates still attended school in Big Rapids, the article added. The new addition accommodated 120 pupils, including classrooms for kindergarten, first and eighth-grade students.

Also a garage, housing six school buses and a shop, was added in 1950.

In 1951, Walton Erickson was named the principal of the Stanwood Schoolk. He also was designated superintendent in 1954 and appointed the first MSCS superintendent in 1958 over Morley Superintendent Eldon Beardslee.

According to a study at the Walton Erickson Public Library, the first Morley School was built in 1871-1872 and cost $2,500.

The study stated, until 1888, the Morley School was operated as a two-room school - a "lower room" or primary department taught by a femal teacher and an "upper-room" or grammar department taught by a male teacher, also serving as the principal.

A third room, organizing the school inio three departments (primary, intermediate and high school), was added in 1888.

Charles Woolworth, Fred Hicks, J.D. Criss, Carrie Dodge and Estella Williamson were the first to graduate from Morley in 1890.

The first high schoolk courses taught were algebra, arithmetic, physical geography, rhetoric, literature, botany, general history and U.S. history, the study said.

Art and music were added in 1909.

Morley School continued to grow until 1922, when Morley Consolidated Schools was formed.

The consolidation included several area "one-room" school houses - Borland School District, Buck Town School District, Boyd School District, Green School and Wilson School from Deerfield Township; Vorce School District; Hopper School District and Barton School in Montcalm County.

Other local schools, including Aetna Green School, Brady Lake School District, McGill School, Luther School and Thompson School District, located in Big Prairie Townshop, joined in the late 1940's.

Return to Mecosta sesquicentennial Page

Return to Home Page