SCHOOLS OF YESTERYEAR
McMillan School
Paris No. 2, Part 1
by Janis Stein

In the early settlement days, Paris Township boasted five country schools. Documentation dated as early as 1872 shows residents in the district of Paris No. 2 made plans to begin schooling their children. The building also served as a meeting place. Following the 1881 fire, surviving residents in the district gathered at McMillan School to elect a relief committee to distribute the goods coming in from around the nation.

Paris No. 2, also known as McMillan School was located in Section 21, Paris Township, Huron County. Paris No. 2 stood on the north side of Atwater Road, 10 rods east of MacDonald Road.

According to a deed filed at the Huron County courthouse dated September 30, 1872, Martin Dumond and Mary, his wife, sold one-half acre of land at the southwest corner of Section 21 in Paris Township to School District No. 2 of Paris for the sum of $1. B.J. Cleaveland and Alexander Duncanson witnessed the Dumond’s signatures, and Charles McMillan, Justice of the Peace, also signed the indenture. An 1875 plat map on file at the Library of Michigan in Lansing confirms the location of Paris No. 2.

On September 5, 1881, many residents of Paris Township suffered the wrath of the Great Fire. While many homes and barns and people burned, McMillan School survived. This is evidenced in the “Proceedings of Town Meetings” from Paris Township in an entry dated September 27, 1881.

“A special meeting of the sufferers by the recent fire Sept 5th 1881 in the township of Paris was held in schoolhouse in school Dist No 2 in said Township on Tuesday Sept. 27th 1881 pursuant to notice for the purpose of electing a relief committee to distribute the relief goods and chattels belonging to said township of Paris and to transact such other business as may legally come before said meeting.”

As a result of this meeting, Charles McMillan, Paris Township Supervisor, was unanimously elected to act as the relief agent. Members elected to serve on the committee to aid in the 1881 fire relief distribution included Peter Kowalski, William Wilson and Alexander Duncanson. Township Clerk William Reimann was elected “to keep accounts of relief goods received and distributed in said township of Paris.”

Written history on the years leading up to 1896 is lacking, but a 1938 history of Paris No. 2 written by then-teacher Thomas O’Shea states McMillan School was organized in 1896 when a meeting was called late in the year at the home of Charles McMillan, and discussion occurred regarding building a new school. Angus Dumond led the meeting with a planning committee consisting of Charles McMillan, Alex McMillan, Neil Duncanson, John Shaw and Walter Currie. According to the 1938 history, original settlers emigrated entirely from the lowlands of Scotland and received the land directly from the government.

Angus Dumond, a sawmill proprietor, offered to donate an acre of land, as well as the lumber to build the school if Paris No. 2 could be built on his parcel located at the southwest corner of Section 21. Construction began in May of 1897 with the Director, Charles McMillan, acting as head carpenter. All members of the district donated their time to aid in the construction. Angus Dumond delivered on his promise to donate the lumber, and brick, used for a veneer, was obtained in Minden City, in neighboring Sanilac County.

The schoolhouse measured 20 by 34 feet. The building contained the main schoolroom and a six-foot-wide entry on the southern end that ran the width of the school. Six windows, three on the east and west sides, were equally spaced to cover the length of the school.

The new school was completed in time for the fall session with teacher Duncan Metcalf earning $25 per month and boarding with nearby families residing in the district. The following year, Mr. Metcalf accepted a slightly higher wage teaching at a Sheridan Township school, so the board hired John McMullen to fill the teaching position. Other teachers in the late 1890s included a teacher with the surname of McKenzie, as well as Camell McMullen and Miss Stripe.

According to the Annual Statistical Report, courtesy of Ubly Community Schools, Edmund Ahearn taught 200 days of school over 10 months at McMillan School during the 1907-1908 school year, earning a total of $600. The school board consisted of Martin Sofka, Director; Mathias Peplinski, Moderator; and Joseph Gornowiz, Treasurer. Of the 105 children between the ages of five and 20 residing in the district, 48 attended Paris No. 2. New maps aided the children in their geography lessons.

In 1908, enrollment increased to 62 students, and teacher Nellie DesJardines earned $495 over the course of the year. Classes taught in 1908 included: Arithmetic, Geography, Grammar, Orthography, Penmanship, Physiology, Reading and U.S. History. At the close of the school year in the spring of 1909, the value of the school property totaled $800. The board approved $30 for building repairs, and the school’s library contained 37 volumes.

In 1909, teacher Lillie Darragh earned $495, and the library expanded to include 52 books. One year later, the board approved the addition of 30 more books to fill the library’s shelves. Flora Mack taught the following two years, earning over $600 during her second term.

Expenditures listed by the treasurer in 1912 included $9 on August 9 to pay for a globe and the freight to ship it. Later that month, Casper Peruski earned $2 for hanging the globe and fixing the chimney. On November 1, 1912, the treasurer paid John White $1, the cost for an axe, and during the same month another $19.75 for lightning rods and eavetroughing. On December 12, 1912, Paris No. 2 purchased a barrel for water from Frank Cook for $1, and “John Skrrypinski $2 for repairing shed.” Expenditures in November of 1914 included $11.06 for library books and a flag, and the board approved payment to Peter Osantoski for $6 for a flagpole.

Join in the continuation next month to learn about the improvements made at McMillan School during the early 1900s.