Stony (Stoney) Beach Reminiscence (Helen Wilson Kagee)

Dublin Core

Title

Stony (Stoney) Beach Reminiscence (Helen Wilson Kagee)

Subject

Rural Schools
One-Room Schools

Description

Miscellaneous reminiscences about the Stoney Beach School area, early 1900's, by Helen Wilson Kagee

Creator

Helen Wilson Kagee

Publisher

Peninsula Community Library

Date

1910-1915

Contributor

Mary T Morgan

Rights

This document is protected by copyright law. Contact the Peninsula Community Library for permission to reproduce, display, or transmit this document.

Format

PDF

Language

English

Identifier

LHC 002

Coverage

Traverse City, Peninsula Township, Grand Traverse County, Michigan

PDF Text

Text

FgrEN {th

i`JELi#`pr\

#utlfeenb #en#ther

Stoney Beach School

Sometime between 1910 and 1915, the area experienced a torrential rainfall. Water rushed down the
valley on the A.J. Wilson farm and the MCManus farm and swirled across Montague Road on its way to
East Bay. The water came with enough force that it picked up the cement steps of school and swept
them out in the bay far enough that they were not recovered.

A. J. Wilson, a crusty old bachelor, had a farm up the hill from Stoney Beach school on Montague
Road. He had grape arbors along the south property line. These grapes, when ripe, were a favorite
target of students at lunch time. When my parents, Jin and Agnes Wilson, moved in with A.J. in 1938,
my mother was cautioned to stay out of the yard at lunch tine so the students could have their fun
swiping grapes.

My father, Jin Wilson, started school at Stoney Beach in the fall of 1910. His teacher was Miss Eva
MCManus who lived across Montague Road in the finhouse now owned by Ben and Janet Florence.

While I was teaching middle school in Warrensburg, Missouri, I was visiting with a teacher new to the
system. In the course of conversation, she asked ifl knew where Grawn, Michigan was. When I
replied in the affirmative, she said her mother was born there and said that her mother had taught
school at Old Mission. Unfortunately her mother could not remember the name of the family she
boarded with.
Miscellaney

..... there were three public schools and one permanent church on the Peninsula in 186?.

Making a virtue of necessity, the settlers used the forest for all possible purposes. Every structure was
made as nearly as was practicable from local, and thus, chear or free materials. That window panes
sold for $ 1.87 I/2 each and two hinges for 75cents in 1860 was sufficient to persuade the nearly
penniless farms to make-do with what they had. Even lumber milled at Traverse City sold for $12/
1000board feet F.O.B. The mill. (Records of School District No.3 (Ogdensburg) These incomplete
records are on file in the Traverse City Public Library.)

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  1. Stony Beach Reminisce Helen Wilson Kagee.pdf