Pioneer history of Ingham County, compiled and arranged by Mrs. Franc L. Adams, secretary of the Ingham County pioneer and historical society.

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PIONEER HISTORY OF INGHAM COUNTY

Feb. 22, 1842.
No. 8 district shall embrace all of sections 17 and 18, one-half
of 19 and north one-half of 20.
At one time the farm adjoining the school site of District No. 8
was owned by the county, as was also the Lewis farm where the
county house buildings were located.
The original first school house was a frame building which was
later sold to E. N. Wilkins, and at present is used as a granary on
the farm of Clair E. Wilkins.
A brick building Was then put up and this is still in use, though
it is expected that it will be replaced by the centralized school some
time.
In those early days there were not the State homes for children
that there are at present, or at least the youngsters were not all
placed there, for each county farm sent a number of pupils to the
nearest school, and they not only brought their lunch, but something known in modern times as "cooties." The report of some
of the older pupils of No. 8 is that times were interesting at home
as well as school after that. But perhaps they served the same
purpose as David Harum's fleas, and "kept them from brooding."
Traveling in pioneer days was safe as far as the speedmaniac
was conerned. Judging from the records of the township clerk
which read "decided to raise $150 for the purpose of making roads
across the big swamp in the center of the township. March 22,
1843.
"D. C. Stillman,
Joel B. Strickland,
Isreal Chapman.
Commissioners of Highways.
E. W. Patterson,
Town Clerk."
It is also found recorded that the amount of mill tax to be collected in the township of Alaiedon in 1855 is $111.50. Of this
amount $25 to be taken out for the township library leaders and
$86.50 to be divided among the several districts, No. 8 to get
$10.16. This was dated Dec. 20, 1855. In 1919 the mill tax in
District No. 8 was $200.20.
In early days teachers were examined by a board of school inspectors, and the wages varied from $3 to $10 per month and