COLDWATER PUBLIC SCHOOLS The history of the Schools of Coldwater seems to begin in the year 1834. A red school house was built near the northeast corner of Hudson and Pearl streets and in this MISS CYNTHIA GLOYD taught the first school within the present limits of the city. A second school building was erected on the west side of Clay street between Chicago and Pearl streets about 1842.

In 1847 a two-story frame building was erected on the site of the present school in the second ward and about four years later the old brick school was built in the third ward.

For several years these schools were entirely separate and distinct, belonging to independent districts and in 1854 steps were taken which resulted in the formation of the union school district.

The pupils had become so numerous in 1859 that, besides the two schools, it was necessary to rent two rooms for primary schools on Chicago street. This condition led to the construction of the central school, a brick three-story building, on the site of the old Central school in 1860.

The oldest of the school buildings now in use is the one in the fourth ward and was built in 1867. This is now known as the Franklin school.

The wooden structure in the second ward was removed and in 1883 the fine brick building, recently named the Washington school, took its place.

Fire having demolished the central school in 1889, from the ashes arose promptly the elegant and commodious Lincoln school. The cost of this building was about $50,000. It is one of the most complete, convenient and well-equipped high school and grade buildings in the state. The entire value of school property in 1894 is estimated at $90,000.

From the organization of the union district down to 1878, the Board of Education consisted of six members elected by the entire district for terms of three years. An amendment to the city charter in the latter year reconstructed the Board and it has since consisted of two members from each ward chosen for a term of two years.

This Board of eight choose annually a president and a clerk from their own number, and a superintendent to whom is entrusted the immediate management of the schools. The city treasurer is treasurer of the Board of Education.

The organization for the year 1894-5 is as follows: H.P. COLLINS, president; W.T. LOWRY, clerk; B.D. PADDOCK; J.W. BURK; BERNARD LILLY; W.S. HAWLEY; GEO. W. STEVENS; J.H. BUGGIE; E.L. BRIGGS, superintendent.

The schools of Coldwater have always ranked among the best in a state of strong public schools. The high school was first thoroughly organized in the 1860's, and in 1868 graduated its first class of three members. From that date it has graduated 264 pupils, many of whom have filled places of much prominence in the community and the state.

The senior class of the present year contains 25 pupils, the largest in the history of the school.

For many years its graduates have been received upon presentation of their diplomas at the state university without examination. The school is finely equipped with a physical and a chemical laboratory, a hall seated with 500 opera seats, besides the three session rooms and a recitation room.

Four courses are offered its students; Classical, Latin, Scientific, and English, and special instruction is given in bookkeeping and penmanship.

The enrollment for the present year (1894) has been 186. Five regular teachers have been employed and instruction has been given in two subjects by the superintendent.

The school census for 1893 showed 1,354 children of school age in the city and the entire enrollment in the eighth month has reached 1,100. Of these 51 are non-resident pupils, living in various parts of the country.

The following are the districts attached to the different schools, but attendance is necessarily modified by the superintendent from time to time to make the classification of pupils most advantageous.

LINCOLN SCHOOL. All high school, eighth and seventh grade pupils. Pupils below the seventh grade from the entire first ward except the south side of Chicago street.

WASHINGTON SCHOOL. Those pupils below the seventh grade living on the south side of Chicago . street in the first ward, and all in second ward not assigned to the Longfellow school.

LONGFELLOW SCHOOL. Grades below the seventh. All second ward pupils to the following eastern boundries: Marshall street including both sides, north to Pierce street; east on the middle of Pierce street to Hudson street, north on Hudson street to city limits. Third ward pupils east of Fremont street. Fourth ward pupils east of Jackson street.

FRANKLIN SCHOOL. Grades below the seventh. All the third and fourth wards not assigned to the Longfellow school.

The entire teaching force numbers 28 and at this time is composed as follows:

LINCOLN SCHOOL (high school) E.L. BRIGGS, Superintendent, U.S. History and Government; E.P. BRADLEY, Principal, Latin and Greek; ELMA M. BLACKMAN, German, English, and History; JANETTE E. CORBIN, Mathematics; E.H. HARRIMAN, Science; CECILE H. SCHICK, Bookkeeping and English.

ESTELLE J. MORRISON, Eighth Grade; L. AGNES ROBINSON, Eighth Grade; CARRIE INGRAM, Seventh Grade; MABEL L. SMITH, Seventh Grade; KATE L. BISHOP, Fifth and Sixth Grades; MARY E. KING, Third and Fourth Grades; RUTH CRIPPEN, Second and Third Grades; BELLE STEVENSON, First Grade.

WASHINGTON SCHOOL MAE NIVISON, Sixth Grade; ESTHER C. PADDOCK, Fifth Grade; JEANETTE FISHER, Third and Fourth Grades; FLORENCE A. CORNELL, First and Second Grades.

LONGFELLOW SCHOOL ONA THORNTON, Fifth and Sixth Grades; NELLIE L. ORR, Fourth Grade; MARTHENA HASTINGS, Third and Fifth Grades; LIDA GILLET, Second Grade; MARY E. CRIPPEN, First Grade.

FRANKLIN SCHOOL CORA L. ALLEN, Fifth and Sixth Grade; JESSIE IVES, Third and Fourth Grade; NETTIE HOUSTON, First and Second Grade.

Special Teachers: O.W. NOTTINGHAM, Penmanship; MAUDE L. HAYWARD, Drawing and Music.