History of Oakland County Michigan a narrative account of its historic progress, its people, its principal interests / compiled from the official records of the county, the newspapers and data of personal interviews, under the editorial supervision of Thaddeus D. Seeley.

CHAPTER XXIII

PONTIAC SCHOOLS
SARAH MCCARROLL'S SKETCH-TIHE OLD PONTIAC ACADEMY-FIRST
COMMON SCHOOLS-PUBLIC SYSTEM ORGANIZED-THE "OLD UNION"
-HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING OF I871-SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS AND
HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS -THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL —PUBLIC SYSTEM AND LIST OF SCHOOLS-MICHIGAN MILITARY ACADEMY.
The Eighth ward, the High and the Manual Training schools of
Pontiac are under the general control of the city board of education and
under the direct supervision of the superintendent. At this writing
(October, I912) the board officers are as follows: President, Samuel
E. Beach; secretary, Elmer E. Webster; treasurer, Dr. Robert Y. Ferguson; trustees, James H. Lynch and Charles L. Rockwell. G. L. Jenner is superintendent of schools; also principal of the high school.
SARAH MCCARROLL'S SKETCH
The teacher of longest continuous service connected with the public
educational system of Pontiac is Miss Sarah McCarroll, preceptress of
the high school since 1883. She is so well qualified to present the history of the schools, especially the institution in whose upbuilding she
has been so prominent, that liberal extracts are here taken from the
sketch which she prepared for the Quiver in I900: "By 1820 Pontiac
was started. The government sent men here to build mills, and the
first flouring mill was completed in 1819 or 1820. The academy was
built by the Old Pontiac Company. This company also gave land for
church purposes, at the intersection of Huron and Saginaw streets. The
Presbyterians used the academy for their church services, the school
being held in the upper story. This academy stood where the Davis
block now is, and there Judge Draper taught. The academy became a
branch of the University of Michigan and was opened as a branch school
September I5, I837. Professor George P. Williams was 'the first and
only principal' and had charge of twenty-five or thirty scholars. Judge
Baldwin was one of the young men in attendance in 1838 or 1839. This
school was closed as a branch of the university in 1840; 'discontinued
for want of any interest taken,' as was said in a school meeting some
years afterwards.
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