SCHOOLS OF YESTERYEAR
The History of Bingham District #1
Kelly School, Part 6
by Janis Stein

Join in the conclusion as Kelly students relive memories from the
1940s and '50s.

As the 1941 school year rolled around, Rudy's Electric Shop took on the job of wiring the school; no doubt the students thought all the work was well worth the $65 it cost the district. Alex Kubacki did his part in sprucing the place up by mowing and cleaning the school yard for a price of $11. Kubacki earned an additional $9.25 for shingling the toilets. Supplies and shingles were purchased from Fred Lenton for $19.38.

Thomas O'Shea became Kelly School's teacher in 1942, earning $140 per month, and Hannah Ross taught the following year for $150 per month, riding in to Bingham #1 atop her saddled horse. Preparations for the 1943-1944 school year began at the end of August with Robert Graham and C. Murray earning $53 for their work painting. Likewise, Blanch Kelly earned $7 washing the school, and Clement Heleski received $5 for mowing and cleaning the yard. Bingham #1 purchased 17,390 pounds of coal for $86.96; the children surely gathered around the stove to warm themselves on Michigan's coldest wintry days. Thinking ahead in preparation of the upcoming warmer spring days, a soccer ball was purchased from Slock Bros. as was some grease, for a total charge of $5.36. Also in January, Bukoski Bros. repaired and welded the stove for a fee of $24.15. Clement Heleski also did some work cleaning the stove, pipe and chimney in April, and he earned $2 for his endeavors.

John Pionk mowed and cleaned the yard in September, 1945, for a fee of $7, and Walter Oberin was paid $45 for paint and painting the school in October. Carl Stanton was reimbursed $4.30 for five shades and bandaids, and Mrs. Louis Tscharhart was paid $40 for washing the school room. Hannah Ross returned again to teach the children and, after taxes, she took home about $156 per month. The old stove had obviously seen better days, and a new one purchased for $200 from A.J. Dunn finally replaced it at the end of the 1945-1946 school year. Also at the close of the year, Thumb Electric Coop. was paid a total of $25.08.

As a new school year began in the fall of 1946, Herman C. Jensen busied himself painting the exterior of the school for a price of $47.50, while Miss Ida Whear was surely working on her lesson plans. Miss Whear's take home pay totaled $128.95 per month. Ed Heleski was popular with all the students in December of the same year when he was reimbursed $9.86 for tree lights, tree icicles and bulbs to decorate the Christmas tree. After the holidays were over the children studied the new maps in January, which were purchased from Denoyer Geppert Co. for the amount of $75.33. Electricity charges from REA for the 1946-1947 school year totaled $41.28.

Ida Whear returned to teach for another two years before moving on to pursue other ambitions. So good was she, a bonus of $69.65 was awarded to her just before Christmas. The children must have had a grand time celebrating the holidays and decorating their Christmas tree purchased from Earl Kuntz for $2. Even better were the candy and nuts, for which Leo Rutkowski was reimbursed $4.50. Also in December, bats and lumber totaling $93.52 were purchased from Fred Lenton. The last day of school was a wonderful event; everyone enjoyed gathering together but best of all was the $7.15 worth of ice cream purchased from Thumb Bottling Company. Electricity during the year was provided by Thumb Electric; the light bill for the year totaled $43.98.

Kelly School had an oil furnace in the basement, and Miss Whear would testify to anyone it was nice heat - when it was working well. Sometimes though, the two-room schoolhouse would run out of fuel oil, and when that happened, the winter wind found its way inside, causing more than one to shiver and shudder.

The interior of the school took on a new look in the early months of 1949 with $125 worth of used seats purchased from Martin Moore. In addition, new seats and desks were purchased from A. Flanagan Co. in the amount of $177.75. Art supplies, a globe and library books aided the children in their studies; these items costing $33.85 were purchased from Michigan School Service. Though it's not certain just what was built, more lumber amounting to $131.48 was purchased from Fred Lenton in April, 1949.

Mrs. Hannah Ross returned as Bingham #1's teacher in the fall of 1949; she continued to teach the area children through the 1954-1955 school year. In 1949, Howard Smith earned $125 for painting the school, and in July, thoughts had already turned to December since a Santa Claus outfit was purchased from Sears Roebuck & Co. for $6.32. In June 1951, towels and soap costing $8.43 were purchased at the local IGA, also known as Schornaks Supermarket. Hannah Ross's yearly salary totaled $2385, and during the year 19 books were added to the library, bringing the grand total of books to 276.

Mrs. Ross continued to ride her horse to school as she had in her earlier days at Bingham #1; ever the teacher, Mrs. Ross allowed her students to ride her horse from time to time, a great experience for those children who had no horses on their farm. One of Mrs. Ross's students was prone to epileptic seizures. The boy would fall to the ground as these 'fits', as they were called, gripped his body. The child had a fascination with snakes and, always it seemed, while succumbing to the seizure numerous snakes would surround him. While seemingly odd at the time, today it might be realized he had a special link with nature's creatures.

For years the students used that second room in the schoolhouse as a gymnasium of sorts. In the 1940s, basketball hoops could be found at either end, the children playing indoors if the weather was nasty. The room was also used for music and dancing; the children enjoyed the program they listened to on the Bad Axe radio station, singing along to favorite tunes of the times like Old Suzanna!. In later years, it has been said some of the older girls played spin the bottle with some of the younger boys, though that was in the entry and a good time was had by all!

A cement ridge surrounded the schoolhouse about four feet above the ground and just below the windows. The children had great fun balancing on the ledge and cautiously working their way around the schoolhouse. Gopher holes dotted the school yard as well, and the children had tons of laughs watching the holes to see where the gopher might pop up next! After playing outside on those cold days, once a week the teacher made hot chocolate on her hot plate, and one young man can still smell and almost taste that sweet treat each time he travels down memory lane!

On July 6, 1954, the district's officers were paid their salaries: Edward Heleski received $35; Robert Grifka was paid $20; and Earl Kuntze earned $15. Preparations continued in August as Alex Kubacki mowed and cleaned the school yard, earning $6 for his work. At the same time, Marlene Heleski was washing the school's interior and was paid $15. In her Final Report to Successor, Hannah Ross indicated she had started out the year with 18 children under her care. Six children left the district during the year, and of the 12 remaining, three of the eighth graders would be promoted.

With approximately nine children left in the district, the 1954-1955 school year may have been the last for Bingham #1 before annexing with Ubly Community Schools. Though no additional records for teacher's wages could be found for the 1955-56 and 1956-57 school terms, the final balance in the district's checkbook totaling $747.94 wasn't disbursed to Ubly Community Schools until April 1, 1957. It may have taken the two years between 1955 and 1957 to take care of all the loose ends involved with closing a school.

In researching this article, 11 individuals shared information concerning Bingham #1. Their oral histories are as accurate as their memories would allow; many thanks to those who shared their photographs as well. Special thanks to Ubly Community Schools for sharing the detailed ledger information; the old books were of great value in piecing together the history of this school. I would also like to thank Arthur Woelke of Pigeon for providing me with information from his collection. Be sure to look for my column in next month's issue as I explore the history of Sand Beach #9, also known as Ward School.

If you would like to see your schoolhouse featured in this series and are willing to share your experiences, please email Janis at janis@lakeshoreguardian.com or write to Janis at The Lakeshore Guardian, 9697 Purdy Rd., Harbor Beach, MI 48441.

© 2007 Stein Expressions, LLC