The picture and text is from a copy of the Maroon and Gray publication printed in May 29, 1956. The picture and text were scanned while visiting the Hammond House in June 2010.
Article .....Quite appropriately, the end of the present school year may be described as the close of an era - the ringing down of the curtain on a definite period of educational life which now becomes a period of history.
The promotion of the elementary grade pupils in seven rural schools included in the Union City Community School district means also that these buildings now cease to function as schoolhouses. In the months ahead, it is quite likely that the Abscota, Barnhart, Burlington Station, Hawley, Laurel Grove, Messerole, Myers and Sisco buildings will be converted into residences. All have been used for a half-century or more as schools. Burlington Station was closed a year ago.
The promotion of the elementary grade pupils in seven rural schools included in the Union City Community School district means also that these buildings now cease to function as schoolhouses. In the months ahead, it is quite likely that the Abscota, Barnhart, Burlington Station, Hawley, Laurel Grove, Messerole, Myers and Sisco buildings will be converted into residences. All have been used for a half-century or more as schools. Burlington Station was closed a year ago.
Early settlers of the Union City area recognized the importance of education, and even before the organization of districts, Miss Sarah Sargent taught .pupils during the winter of 1836-37. The first school house was built in Union City in 1837, a frame structure which was painted red, and long known as the "red school house". Here Miss Ellen E. Hammond taught during the summer of 1837, and her brother, Henry L. Hammond, who later became a .minister, taught the second winter.
Other rural schools were also springing up. Miss Sargent held classes the winter of 1839-40 in the office of Justus Goodwin, just across the Branch county line in Calhoun county and her pupils included children from Union City and near Burlington. During the summer of 1838 Miss Margaret Baxter taught children in the home of Caleb Lincoln southwest of the village and the following year saw erection of a building. With 11 pupils, Miss Charlotte Reynolds became the first teacher, and following her were Miss Abigail Mitchell and Miss Eliza Sims.
Other rural schools were also springing up. Miss Sargent held classes the winter of 1839-40 in the office of Justus Goodwin, just across the Branch county line in Calhoun county and her pupils included children from Union City and near Burlington. During the summer of 1838 Miss Margaret Baxter taught children in the home of Caleb Lincoln southwest of the village and the following year saw erection of a building. With 11 pupils, Miss Charlotte Reynolds became the first teacher, and following her were Miss Abigail Mitchell and Miss Eliza Sims.
The Northwest Ordinance had guaranteed certain school lands tending to encourage education and early settlers were school-minded. Meeting April 26, 1837 at the home of Carpenter Chaffee, school inspectors divided Union to township into four school districts and within a year the number had grown to seven. Significant is the fact that in 1838 the apportionment of school monies gave those first districts but $51.28 each. In 1840 the sum was reduced to $35.20, and still lower, to $27.10 in 1841.
Union City's first high school was erected on the present site in 1877 at a cost of slightly more than $19,000. It was remodeled in 1931. The years have seen the, merger of adjoining districts into what is now the Union City Community district comprising former smaller districts.
Since 1878 superintendents have been M. V. Rork, 1878-79; Isaac Clark, 1879-80; Webster Cook, 1880-81; Edward Haskins, 1881-82; George Carmen, 1882-85; George McVicker, 1885-86; Walter C. Hewitt, 1886-90; H. W. McIntosh, 1890-96; H. E. Johnson, 1896-98; E. M. McElroy 1898-99; W. A. Ludwig, 1899-1905; Ora Travis, 1905-07; J. B. Gower, 1907-11; F. E. Sinclair, 1911-12; H. E. Stearns, 1912-14; S. W. Tench, 1914-20; George S. Foster, 1920-27-30; Leon Cripps, 1930-36; and C. B. Kidde r, 1936-37. William A. Dyer came in 1937.
It has been during the tenure of Mr. Dyer that much of the progress and growth into the present modernized system has been made. He has had the encouragement and support of far-sighted boards of education, whose members have, considered the educational needs of young people in an ever-changing world.
Seventeen independent districts were, incorporated into the present enlarged community district in 1947 and since that date Burlington, Burlington Station and Myers have been added.
There has been a school population gain of more than 300 since Mr. Dyer assumed the superintendency. The school budget when he came amounted to $18,000 per year. Last year the figure stood at $284,730.
Today's valuation of buildings and equipment is estimated at approximately $950,000. Among the more recent additions to the systerm have been construction of the modern shop building, opening of a home, economics house, addition of a band building and three years ago completion of the new elementary building in the village. Now being built is a six-room addition to this elementary building and a two-room addition to the Burlington elementary school which makes possible the closing of' the outmoded rural structures. Still in use is the Sherwood school building, a part of the district.
