History of the Sturgis Public Schools

1830: First public school classes were conducted in the upper room of Philip Buck's log house. The teacher was Dr. Henry, the town's first physician.
1833: School District #3 was organized while the township was called Sherman. A log school was built.
1838: Citizens voted to erect a larger school on the corner of Chicago Road and Fourth Street. The district paid $7.50 for the land and $298 for the new frame building. Parents were assessed a school tax for each child enrolled.
1839: The first public money came from the State, $37.12. School operating expenses that year totaled $79.71. Enrollment was 71 students ages 5, 6, and 7 years old.
1849: Citizens voted to build a larger school on the corner pf S. Monroe St. costing $1,000. The old Fourth St. school was sold for $100.
1859: School was made free to all students of the district based on a general tax of $200 for that purpose.
1862: The Union School (also called Central School) was completed and opened for classes. The new three-story school was located on the northwest corner of W. West St. and N. Nottawa St. The land cost $2,000 and the school with the furnishings cost $10,178.
1874: The first high school graduates, six in number, received their diplomas.
1876: An addition was constructed on the south side of the Union School due to increased enrollment. It included a bell tower, library and "modern" furnace system. Cos: $8,000. Enrollment: 586 students.
1892-1893: The Third Ward School was built to serve students on the west part of town. The first superintendent, H.M. Huycke, was hired and paid $1,000.
1911: The First Ward School (Fourth Street School) was completed at a cost of $16,000.
1917: Construction on the new Central School completed for $120,000. The Union School was torn down except for the north side addition which was attached to the new building. A gymnasium and auditorium were a part of the new school.
1922: The Third Ward School was razed and, in its place, Park Street School was built. Cost: $20,886. It was a one-story brick school with four classrooms for grades one, two and three.
1923: Jerolene School was built at a cost of $28,860. It was a one-story building housing four classrooms with a capacity of 120 students. It was originally classed the New West Ward School.
1925: Congress School opens. It was a two-story concrete and brick building built for $43,489. It contained six classrooms for kindergarten through fifth grade.
1928: Wenzel School opens. It was built for $24,000. It contained four classrooms for students kindergarten through third grades.
1929: Charles L. Spence gifted his controlling shares of stock in the Sturgis Athletic Field to the Sturgis school board. The board renamed it Spence Field.
1931: Combination gym and auditorium were added to Central School.
1952: 7 additional rooms added to Congress.
1953: Two wings were built onto Wenzel adding three classrooms.
1955: Wall School opened after 15 months of construction. Cost of $372,814. It included ten classrooms for second to sixth grades, a gymnasium, cafeteria and kitchen.
1956: Arden Park School opens as a two-room cottage on Ilene Street. Mrs. Helen Augspurger taught 52 kindergarteners and Mrs. Etta Lewis taught 29 first graders. "It can be converted into a home in the future if it is no longer needed."
1960: 5 rooms added to Wall School.
1962: New high school opens in September.
1963: Shop facility added to the high school.
1969: 17 rooms added to high school accommodating 1,200 students.
1974: Community pool and tennis courts dedicated. Made possible by a generous gift from Helen Augspurger.
1977: Over 3,000 students enrolled in grades K-12.
1994: Eastwood School opened as a 4th, 5th and 6th grade building.
2002: $49 million dollar bond issue passed to upgrade and renovated the high school and elementary schools and build a new middle school.
2004: Eastwood became a 3rd, 4th and 5th grade building.