The collection was the property of Miss Constance M. Stenenga, a high school English teacher at Mount Pleasant High School, who compiled a history of the high school with three high school seniors Sue Brown Morrow, Delores Conkright, and Faye Lou Brasington in 1955/1956. A copy of the printed history is in the collection.
The collection consists of miscellaneous materials relating to the high school, the student council, homecoming, and school pageant, term papers on the history of the school, student newspapers, commencement programs, 1956-1969, and some newspaper clippings (copies). A 1957 program for the dedication of the new high school is included.
Biography:
The current Mount Pleasant High School building was built in 1957 and opened for use on September 4, 1957. It accommodated 631 students and 32 instructors. The total construction cost was $1, 222,937.77. The octagonal shape of the structure was considered to have many wonderful possibilities for future use and expansion.
The history of the schools in Mount Pleasant began in 1877 when the voters appropriated $16,000 for a main school building. In 1880, officials decided to build a new brick school building on block 26. The architect selected was F. W. Hollister of Saginaw. The building was completed in 1881 for $13,500 and opened to students in 1882. The school held 400 students.
By 1887 the school was crowded, however building expansion plans were delayed because local Roman Catholics were planning to build their own school. The Catholic school, Sacred Heart Academy, was built in 1889. Catholic students transferred from the public school into the Catholic school, decreasing the number of students in the public school. Also in 1889, $5,000 was bonded to build two public elementary schools, Fancher and Ganiard. The younger students then moved to the elementary schools, which further thinned the population in the old high school.
The first Fancher Elementary School building was built in 1890. A new building was erected in 1936. Additions to the building were added in 1953.The building was named for Isaac A. Fancher, pioneer and prominent citizen of Mount Pleasant.
The first Ganiard Elementary School building was built in 1900. It was torn down in 1934 and replaced in 1935 with a brick building. Additions to the building were added in 1937, 1948, and 1953. The school was named for George E. Ganiard, an acknowledged civic leader, school organizer and superintendent.
Pullen Elementary School was built in 1951. Additions to the building were added by 1953. Pullen School was named for Dr. Charles D. Pullen, a political leader, eminent physician and surgeon of Isabella for 48 years.
Kinney Elementary School was built in the early 1930s. An addition was added within three years. The school was named for John Kinney, a lumberman who started the first school in Mount Pleasant.
The Junior High School was built in 1908 with an addition added in 1920. (This information is from the collection and a section on the new high school and the history of Mount Pleasant schools in the Daily Times News of Mount Pleasant November 8, 1957, pages 9-14.)
