History of Saginaw county, Michigan; together with ... portraits ... and biographies ... History of Michigan ...

516

HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY.

stayed but a short time. According to an official report, his contract was annulled at a school meeting held Nov. 30, 1855.
Under the heading "Union School," the Enterprise of Dec. 21,
1855, brings a short local stating that '" the new teacher, Mr.
Bingham. engaged to teach our school, has arrived, and will take
charge of the school to-day." A little later, January, 1856, we
read in the same paper: " We are informed that the Union school
of our village is now in successful operation. The new principal,
Mr. Binghatn, gives general satisfaction." And take still February
8, there is a communication signed "Citizen," which speaks in
high terms of Mr. Binghamn's work and success, the improved discipline of the school, etc. Miss Rice is mentioned in the same
paper as teacher of the intermediate, and Mrs. C. S. Stearns as
having charge of the primary department. Miss Ingersoll was
then assistant in the upper department. This lady could have
stayed but a short time, for in the same year Miss S. Beeman is
named as Mr. Bingham's assistant. Daring or at tile end of this
year Miss Rice left, and was succeeded by MAiss Weller. Miss R.
went to the Normal school, where she graduated a short time before
her return to our schools in 1861.
At the close of the winter term of this year, there seems to have
been a thorough examination of the schools, to which the public
were invited by a communication signed by Mr. Binglam. The
schools in those days seemed to have engaged a fair share of attention of the public. The Union school is mentioned as having
formed part of a procession at the Fourth of July celebration, 1857.
As to apparatus and books, however, we are at present better off
than the schools were in 1857, judging from the tact that a school
meeting was appointed on the 28th of September for the purpose
of voting a tax in order to procure a Webster's Dictionary.
At a school meeting held Oct. 2, 1857, the following officers were
elected: Dr. C. T. Dislrow, Director; Henry Woodruff, Moderator; Robert Pierson, Assessor; C. O. Garrison, Trustee, Norman
Little and Alanson Griffin holding over. The number of scholars
was given in the census of 1857 as 646. An appropriation of $100
for building a school-house, ten rods from the plank road, near
Mr. Wadsworth's corner, was also used at this meeting. About
this time the First ward school-house, on tile site of the present
"'Crary," had been built, and in the early days this was called
rather a hard school. Miss Gillett, Miss Kimberly, Miss Weller,
Miss Rose McEachron, Miss Prall, and Miss Ashlman taught there
successively and successfully until we saw it disappearing to give
place to the present elegant and commodious structure.
Mr. Bingham taught through the year 1858. With him the
report mentions four female teachers (Miss Beeman, Miss Weller,
Mrs. Stearns and Miss Woodruff). The next important event was
Mr. Bingham's resignation, tendered Oct. 24, 1859.
Mr. ileisrodt, who had been his assistant during the year, was
elected to finish the term. In connection with this gentleman we