SPRING 1866 – A NEW SCHOOL BUILDING, CONSISTING OF TWO LARGE ROOMS WAS BUILT ON THE BLUFF DIRECTLY ABOVE AND SLIGHTLY TO THE WEST OF THE “LITTLE BROWN SCHOOL HOUSE IN THE HOLLOW”.
1868 – WILLIAM BRADY, PRINCIPAL, SET UP COURSES ON A HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL. PUPILS OF UNUSUAL ABILITY WERE GUIDED INTO STUDIES ON THE COLLEGE LEVEL.
1868 – FARMING AND BUSINESS FAMILIES OF THE AREA, FEELING THE NEED OF A SCHOOL IN WHICH THEIR DAUGHTERS COULD RECEIVE EDUCATION ABOVE THE LEVEL OF THE DISTRICT SCHOOL, WITH TRAINING IN GENTEEL AND LADYLIKE DEPORTMENT, AGREED TO LOAN MONEY TO MRS. MARY ANN PICKET (WIDOW OF A YOUNG OFFICER FROM JACKSON, MICHIGAN WHO HAD BEEN KILLED DURING THE CIVIL WAR), TO BUY LAND AND PUT UP A SUITABLE BUILDING, IF SHE WOULD AGREE TO OPERATE THE TYPE OF SCHOOL THEY HAD IN MIND. THE SITE SELECTED EXTENDED ALONG THE WEST SIDE OF CHICAGO STREET NORTH OF THE TOWN. THE STRUCTURE HAD TWO STORIES AND A BASEMENT, AND WAS “COMMODIOUS” IN SIZE, CONSISTING OF ASSEMBLY AND RECITATION ROOMS, PARLORS FOR SOCIAL EVENTS, A DINING ROOM, KITCHEN AND SLEEPING ROOMS. BOARDING PUPILS INCLUDED OLDER GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN FROM FARMS AND TOWNS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, AND DAY PUPILS FROM THE TOWN INCLUDED SMALL BOYS AS WELL AS GIRLS. A YOUNG LADY CAME FROM NEW YORK STATE TO TEACH SOCIAL DEPORTMENT AS WELL AS ENGLISH. WHEN SHE BECAME THE BRIDE OF THE BANKER, W. A. MOREY, THE WEDDING TOOK PLACE IN THE PARLOR OF THE SCHOOL. THE SCHOOL WAS CLOSED SEVEN YEARS LATER WHEN MRS. PICKETT DIED, AS THERE SEEMED TO BE NO ONE TO TAKE HER PLACE. TODAY, THE ADDRESS OF THIS SITE IS 585 PRAIRIE STREET (FORMERLY 818 CHICAGO STREET).
SUMMER 1869 – THE OLD STOOP TO THE SOUTH OF THE TWO ROOMS OF THE BLUFF SCHOOL WAS TORN DOWN, A LARGE HALL WAS BUILT AND A LARGE ROOM BUILT TO THE SOUTH OF THE HALL, INTO WHICH MR. BRADY MOVED WITH HIS MORE ADVANCED PUPILS.
1873 – A TWO-STORY BRICK BUILDING WAS ERECTED JUST NORTH OF THE FRAME BUILDING AND CONNECTED WITH IT BY A SHORT HALLWAY. ONLY THE LOWER ROOM WAS FINISHED AT FIRST.
1875 – THE UPPER ROOM OF THE NEW BRICK BUILDING WAS FINISHED, FURNISHED, AND DEDICATED AS THE HIGH SCHOOL. THIS MADE A FIVE-ROOM SCHOOL, KNOWN AND REFERRED TO AS THE “BLUFF SCHOOL” AND WAS SITUATED ON THE WEST HILL IN WHAT WAS THEN CALLED CLARKTOWN. THOUGH MR. BRADY WAS PRINCIPAL AND HAD FOR SEVERAL YEARS TAKEN HIS PUPILS THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL SUBJECTS (AND EVEN INTO COLLEGE SUBJECTS), THE FIRST HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION WAS HELD IN THE EARLY 1880’S . THE MARSEILLES HIGH SCHOOL OF THE “OLD TOWN” WAS ORGANIZED A FEW YEARS LATER WITH MR. OUTMAN AS PRINCIPAL. THEIR FIRST GRADUATION WAS THE 1889-1890 CLASS.
1886 – THIS YEAR SAW THE OPENING OF A ONE-ROOM PRIMARY SCHOOL TO WHICH A SECOND ROOM WAS ADDED LATER ON CLARK STREET. (*IN 1935 THE SCHOOL BECAME THE RESIDENCE OF M. ENGEL – THE ADDRESS WAS 275 CLARK STREET.) IT WAS ABANDONED IN JULY OF 1893 AND THE ROATH BRICK BUILDING, ON BLUFF STREET, RENTED INSTEAD. ALSO THIS YEAR SAW FIVE PUPILS GRADUATE FROM THE BLUFF SCHOOL. PROFESSOR BRADY WAS PRESENTED WITH A PLAQUE IN RECOGNITION OF HIS ALMOST 20 YEARS AS PRINCIPAL.
1891 – MONTGOMERY SCHOOL BUILDING (CORNER OF CHICAGO & LINCOLN STREETS) RENTED TO USE FOR PRIMARY SCHOOLROOM, AS CLASSES ARE TOO CROWDED. (THIS INFORMATION FOUND IN 1891 PLAINDEALER NEWSPAPER.)
1892 – EIGHTY-ONE LITTLE FIRST GRADERS CROWDED INTO THE PRIMARY ROOM AT THE EAST END SCHOOL. THE EMERGENCY WAS MET BY RENTAL OF THE LITTLE BUILDING AT THE CORNER OF CHICAGO STREET AND EAST BLUFF, FORMERLY A BAKERY.
1893 – BOTH THE EAST END AND WEST END OF THE TOWN MAINTAINED THE TWO SEPARATE SCHOOL DISTRICTS SET UP YEARS BEFORE, EACH WITH A TWO-YEAR HIGH SCHOOL. DEMANDS FOR A FOUR-YEAR HIGH SCHOOL WERE GROWING, AND COMMON SENSE FINALLY PREVAILED. AN ELECTION AUTHORIZED A SINGLE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR THE TOWN AND OUTLYING AREAS.
APRIL 1893 – THE TWO BUILDINGS ON EAST AND WEST BLUFF WERE ABANDONED. THE SCHOOL BOARDS WERE UNITED AS DISTRICT #155 AND PUT UNDER CONTROL OF ONE BOARD AND ONE SUPERINTENDENT, PROFESSOR WADDEL. PUPILS FROM OUTSIDE THE DISTRICT ARE NOW ADMITTED TO CITY SCHOOLS FOR $1.50 PER MONTH FOR GRADE SCHOOL AND $2.00 FOR HIGH SCHOOL PUPILS.
1894-1895 – THE BRICK BUILDING BUILT IN THE 500 BLOCK OF EAST BLUFF STREET WAS FIRST NAMED CENTRAL SCHOOL, TO EMPHASIZE IT’S COMPROMISE LOCATION. THE NAME WAS LATER CHANGED TO MCKINLEY SCHOOL (521 EAST BLUFF). THE LOWER FLOORS WERE FOR THE FIRST, SIXTH AND SEVENTH GRADES. IT HAD A SEATING CAPACITY OF NEARLY 250 PUPILS. THE UPPER FLOORS WERE FOR SOME GRAMMER AND HIGH SCHOOL CLASSES, AS WELL AS THE SUPERINTENDENT’S OFFICE, UNTIL 1919 WHEN THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL WAS BUILT.
FEBRUARY 1898 – AT 8:30 A.M., THE “EAST END” SCHOOLHOUSE CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED DOWN. THE BASEMENT OF THE METHODIST CHURCH WAS RENTED SO SCHOOL WORK COULD CONTINUE.
APRIL 1898 – PLANS WERE MADE FOR A NEW FOUR-ROOM SCHOOL BUILDING TO TAKE THE PLACE OF THE EAST END SCHOOL DESTROYED BY FIRE.
Marseilles High School - An Early History
1835 – THE CHILDREN OF MARSEILLES WENT TO A VOLUNTARY SCHOOL IN A LOG CABIN LOCATED IN THE EAST END OF THE ORIGINAL TOWNSITE. WHEN THE ROUTE OF THE CANAL WAS LAID OUT, A NEW LOCATION WAS CHOSEN NEAR WASHINGTON AND LA SALLE STREETS. TEACHER – ELIJA HENRY SPICER TAUGHT ALL CHILDREN OF THE TOWN IN ONE ROOM (LATER FOUR) FOR SEVERAL WINTERS IN THE 1850’S.
AROUND 1848-1850 – THE FIRST SCHOOLHOUSE IN EAST, OR “OLD” MARSEILLES, WAS ERECTED ON WHAT IS NOW LINCOLN STREET, AND USED UNTIL 1866.
1865 – A FOUR-ROOM BUILDING WAS ERECTED IN WHAT IS NOW THE 1000 BLOCK OF EAST BLUFF STREET FOR A COST OF ABOUT $6,000. IT WAS CALLED THE “EAST END SCHOOL”. IN THE 1870’S AND 1880’S, PROFESSORS, W. W. JOHNSON AND WILLIAM H. OUTMAN SERVED AS PRINCIPALS. THE “EAST END SCHOOL” WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE IN 1897.
1864-1865 – THE BEGINNING OF SCHOOL HISTORY FOR WEST MARSEILLES OR “CLARK TOWN” WAS A PRIVATE SCHOOL TAUGHT IN A COTTAGE IN FRONT OF ALEX ROLLO’S RESIDENCE. MRS. CHARLES HOBART, NEE JESSIE CARSON, TAUGHT SOME TEN OR TWELVE PUPILS.
SPRING 1865 – THE FIRST SCHOOL DISTRICT WAS FORMED IN “WEST” MARSEILLES. AS THERE WERE ONLY NINE HOMES IN THE DISTRICT AT THAT TIME, ONLY A SMALL FRAME BUILDING, 20X24 FEET, WAS ERECTED IN THE HOLLOW NEAR THE FIRST TURN OF THE ROAD TO THE NORTH PRAIRIE, TO THE LEFT ON WHAT IS NOW RUTLAND STREET, NEAR WHERE THE AMERICAN LEGION NOW STANDS. RODERIC CLARK, OWNER OF THE LAND AND WATER POWER COMPANY, DONATED THE LOT AND ERECTED THE BUILDING. THIS WAS KNOWN AS THE “LITTLE BROWN SCHOOL IN THE HOLLOW”.
FALL 1865 – SCHOOL OPENED WITH MISS AMINA WOOD (MRS. JOSHUA SMITH), WIFE OF A DOCTOR, AS TEACHER, WITH SIXTEEN PUPILS.
1901 – TWO ROOMS WERE ADDED TO THE MCKINLEY SCHOOL.
1906 – A SPECIAL ELECTION WAS HELD FOR BUILDING THE WASHINGTON SCHOOL IN THE 400 BLOCK OF WEST BLUFF STREET.
WASHINGTON SCHOOL WOULD HOUSE FIRST, SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADES.
LINCOLN SCHOOL WOULD HOUSE SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADES.
MCKINLEY SCHOOL HOUSED FIRST, SIXTH, SEVENTH & EIGHTH GRADES, AND HIGH SCHOOL.
1908 – A FAREWELL TO THE OLD “BLUFF SCHOOL” WAS HELD ON JUNE 19TH. IT HAD BEEN THERE 42 YEARS. IN LATER YEARS, THE 2-STORY PART OF THE SCHOOL WOULD BE HOME TO JOHN AND MARY (HILL) BROCKMAN ON SAMPLE STREET.
1909 – WASHINGTON SCHOOL ON WEST BLUFF STREET IS BUILT.
1919 – THE “EAST END” SCHOOL WAS AGAIN BURNED TO THE GROUND AND A NEW AND UP-TO-DATE BRICK EDIFICE WAS ERECTED ON THE SITE OF THE OLD ONE.
1919 – VOTERS VOTED FOR THE BUILDING OF A NEW HIGH SCHOOL TO BE LOCATED NEXT TO THE MCKINLEY SCHOOL ON BLUFF STREET (501 EAST BLUFF). THIS WAS THE HIGH SCHOOL, THEN THE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, THEN THE MCKINLEY ANNEX.
1921 – LINCOLN SCHOOL, A NEW BRICK STRUCTURE, WAS ERECTED ON THE SITE OF THE OLD “EAST END SCHOOL (THE 1000 BLOCK OF EAST BLUFF STREET.)
1922 thru 1923 – THE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL WAS ORGANIZED BY THE EFFORTS OF SUPT. MCALPINE, WITH AN ENROLLMENT OF ABOUT 120 PUPILS IN 7TH & 8TH GRADES UNTIL 1926 WHEN IT BECAME NECESSARY TO DEVOTE THE ENTIRE SECOND FLOOR TO THE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL.
1936 – MARSEILLES HIGH SCHOOL MOVED TO A NEW BUILDING ON CHICAGO STREET NEAR THE RIVER. THE OLD HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING BECAME THE JUNIOR HIGH.
1955 – THE MARSEILLES HIGH SCHOOL WAS ENLARGED TO INCLUDE THE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL. THE OLD JUNIOR HIGH BECAME MCKINLEY ANNEX AND GAVE MORE ROOM TO THE GRADE SCHOOL STUDENTS.
1956 – MCKINLEY ANNEX IS USED FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS ONLY.
1971 – AN ADDITION TO WASHINGTON SCHOOL INCLUDED FOUR CLASSROOMS, OFFICES AND RESTROOMS.
1971 – ADDITIONS TO THE HIGH SCHOOL INCLUDED A MEDIA CENTER, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES, CLASSROOMS, BAND AND CHORUS ROOMS.
1982 – SIXTH GRADE STUDENTS WERE MOVED TO THE JUNIOR HIGH CENTER WHERE THE MARSEILLES MIDDLE SCHOOL WAS ESTABLISHED. THE MCKINLEY ANNEX THEN ADDED SPECIAL ED CLASSES TO THEIR CURRICULUM.
JUNE 1985 – LINCOLN SCHOOL (HOUSING GRADES 1-5) IS CLOSED.
1990 – THE CLASS OF 1990 IS THE LAST TO GRADUATE FROM MARSEILLES HIGH SCHOOL. THE BUILDING WILL NOW BE HOME TO THE ELEMENTARY STUDENTS. HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WILL BE BUSSED TO OTTAWA TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL.
