Chandler Township School (SD No. 2)
And Chandler Township Fire Hall
[Also known as Elm Ridge School, and Clark School, and Snyder/Snider School, as well as East Chandler School}
Location of Chandler Township Fire Hall in 2013
~ Section 27 ~
History of the Chandler Township Fire Hall built in 1989 on this SD No. 2 location...
And Chandler Township Fire Hall
[Also known as Elm Ridge School, and Clark School, and Snyder/Snider School, as well as East Chandler School}
Location of Chandler Township Fire Hall in 2013
~ Section 27 ~
History of the Chandler Township Fire Hall built in 1989 on this SD No. 2 location...
Please do not copy the photos on this site, many of which have been submitted by private individuals...
just come back and visit the site often to view the photos.
just come back and visit the site often to view the photos.
1883 ~ Chandler district No. 2 in need of a teacher... then school will be opened!
Students and Teacher at POSSIBLY Chandler Township (S.D. No. 2)
~ Guessing About 1907 to 1909~
Photo Below: The teacher, center back, was Mable Snyder (Clark) b. 1880 as listed on the 1900 census record. Mable married Carl Clark 2 July 1907, so if this photo was taken about 1907 to 1909. she may, or may not, have been married yet. If this was for sure Chandler Township (S.D. No. 2) and Mable was married, then she and Carl Clark eventually lived just down the road from this school house. Three Eastwood children were in the photo... Dalton b. about 1900 on the left, with brother Alva b. about 1895 on the right, and sister Evelena "Lena" b. 1896 two girls in from the right. If anyone can identify any of the other students, please contact the webmaster.
Photo Above: Other children possibly living on top of Chandler Hill where this school house probably was located,
and listed on the 1900 census record, having been born after 1895 and before 1901/02 were listed as follows:
and listed on the 1900 census record, having been born after 1895 and before 1901/02 were listed as follows:
Lena Caston Feb 1895 Michigan Daughter
Effie M Caston Aug 1899 Michigan Daughter Dellie Clark Nov 1896 Michigan Daughter Maggie J Clark Feb 1899 Michigan Daughter Cecil S Hughes Nov 1899 Michigan Son Vena A Walton Jun 1899 Michigan Daughter Cecil E Mitchel Mar 1898 Michigan Son Walter M Bradford Feb 1897 Michigan Son Eve R Bradford Apr 1899 Michigan Daughter Robert G Gilbert May 1896 Michigan Son Garland Rice May 1898 Michigan Son |
~ TEACHERS ~
1910 ~ Hattie Gunsolus
1916 ~ Mabel Dunlop
1910 ~ Hattie Gunsolus
1916 ~ Mabel Dunlop
1916 Article Below: One has to wonder WHY had the East Chandler school been carefully fumigated.
Was it because of diptheria cases such as those in schools in Clarion as also mentioned in the same article?
Was it because of diptheria cases such as those in schools in Clarion as also mentioned in the same article?
Students and Teacher at Chandler Township (S.D. No. 2)
~ 19 May 1927 ~
~ 19 May 1927 ~
Photo Below: The two taller boys in the back row were John Howard b. 1910 and cousin Maynard Howard b. 1913 who both lived just down the road from the school. Since the photo was hand labeled as having been taken in 1927, in checking on both the 1920 and the 1930 census records, three teachers were listed for Chandler Township. On the 1930 census: 1) Marvel Boice b. abt 1912 Michigan [Teacher Public School] 2) Wesley S Zolliffe b. abt 1906 Michigan Lodger [Teacher Public School]. On the 1920 census: Belle Sparks b. abt 1878 Michigan Boarder [Teacher School]. From that information it would seem that Marvel Boice would be ruled out because she would have been too young in 1927 to be the teacher who was standing in the back row. Wesley S. Zolliffe was a male. The age for Belle Sparks born about 1878 would seem the logical person to have been the teacher in the back row. The first little boy front row left was Orville Thomas "Mickey" Ledwick. The dark-haired girl directly behind him was his sister Lila. If anyone can identify any of the other students, please contact the webmaster.
Possibilities of other children guessed because of Maynard Howard being in the photo for sure, and his parents Herb and Ida Hadix Howard living just down the road would include Maynard's siblings: Melvena b. 1914, Laura Belle b. 1915, Woodrow b. 1917, Gretchen b. 1919, Gold b. 1920, Doris b. 1922, with the other siblings having been too young to be in school in 1927. With 15 students in the photos, that would leave six students unidentified.
Melvena Howard received her schooling and 8th grade diploma in this Chandler Hill schoolhouse before her family moved to Johannesburg, Michigan, in 1928. Melvena remembered she had her front teeth knocked at school near the pumphouse.
Melvena Howard received her schooling and 8th grade diploma in this Chandler Hill schoolhouse before her family moved to Johannesburg, Michigan, in 1928. Melvena remembered she had her front teeth knocked at school near the pumphouse.
Photo Above: Other children possibly living on top of Chandler Hill where this school house was located,
and listed on the 1920 or 1930 census record, having been born after 1913 and before 1922 were listed as follows:
and listed on the 1920 or 1930 census record, having been born after 1913 and before 1922 were listed as follows:
Beryl Westover abt 1914 Michigan Son
Ardon Westover abt 1916 Michigan Son Alice Westover abt 1919 Michigan Daughter Lois Clark abt 1916 Michigan Daughter Clifford Kittle abt 1919 West Virginia Son Orill Hughes abt 1918 Michigan Son Helen Howard abt 1914 Michigan Daughter Victor Howard abt 1916 Michigan Son Elinor Howard abt 1919 Michigan Daughter Andrew Tousley abt 1911 Michigan Son Robbie Tousley abt 1915 Michigan Son Jane Tousley abt 1919 Michigan Daughter Millard Tousley abt 1921 Michigan Son Virgie Adams abt 1914 Michigan Daughter Malcolm Adams abt 1918 Michigan Son Blossom Adams abt 1915 Michigan Daughter George Gallop abt 1919 Michigan Son William Gallop abt 1921 Michigan Son Louise Wilber abt 1913 Michigan Daughter Marie Wilber abt 1920 Michigan Daughter Harold Goff abt 1912 Michigan Son Irene Goff abt 1914 Michigan Daughter Vivian Goff abt 1918 Michigan Daughter Leon Headley abt 1915 Michigan Son James Smithingale abt 1913 Michigan Son Carol Smithingale abt 1917 Michigan Son Leo Smithingale abt 1914 Michigan Son Walter Smithingale abt 1915 Michigan Son |
Marion Mackie Wood, Chandler Township resident, wrote the following letter to her daughter Isabelle Wood Oldham in Chicago IL, after her granddaughter Marion [& Cub] Bush Howard's home burned. The cause was from a homemade power plant... before the electricity came through the area. The community "came to the rescue" by allowing Marion, Cub, and their children Rodger "Rod" and Karla, live in the school house [SD No. 2] until they had their own house rebuilt.
February 1947:
February 1947:
Belle, Belle, Junior Howard was just here with Marion, & the Hughes house burned at supper time & they lost everything in it. [Karl "Cub" & Marion Bush Howard had purchased the Hughes farm on Chandler Hill Road on top of Chandler Hill.] Marion was reading & had Karlie in bed, & happened to go out and the whole back shed was afire. She got a few things out. She took Karlie & rolled her in a blanket & carried her out & Bernice [Howard] had seen it, & was there & Marion gave her the baby & Bee took her home with her & put her to bed. Marion tried to get some clothes but did not get hardly anything. You know this has haunted me all winter, but I was afraid it might happen with the little kids there when Marion was down watering cattle. Cub was gone to the Falls & had Roddie with him & he heard it at the Creamery- & drove home. I’ll bet he died a thousand deaths on the way- I am having a chill- I wish I could get in touch with Art- She, Marion, got out the davenport & Cub’s blue chair and some bureau drawers and her clock, I think, but, most everything is gone- The lovely separator and Cub’s tan coat & Aunt Kittie’s goods not made up. She got Cub’s money, but their bonds, deeds etc. & all the old jewelry & the piano- oh Belle, I feel so sorry for the poor kids. The whole neighborhood came & they run the tractor out & the cows, & the boys shoveled snow over the stacks. The wood shed partly burned, but the boys shoveled snow over the wood pile. The conservation officers came with extinguishers.
They think it was the electric light plant, started it [Homemade power plant-before the electricity came through. Sparks from the generator blew back on to the tar paper siding and ignited.]. The neighbors were marvelous & these country fellows can work! It’s a mercy they saved the barns, & the tools & the hay- I asked them to come home tonite, but Roddie & Karlie are at Bernice’s and asleep- so she said she’d see what they were going to do & decide in the morning. It may be they’ll go back in the log house until spring. I fancy Virge will offer it, & he & the other Marion [Bettis] are not moving into it until Spring. Belle, It's heart breaking, but my soul, if they had lost the children. I think it would have finished all of us-Karlie was undressed she has nothing to wear, poor lamb. I just gave Marion my new galoshes, for I was afraid she’d catch cold. She had on Johnnie Howard’s. I didn’t like the way they [mine] fit my ankles. They’ll fit M. better.
Now my dear, I’ll write to Donald [Bush]. I am wondering if Art & Gene [Oldham] will hear of it before they leave Petoskey in the morning.
My darlings-We will give them something- to help replace what they have lost. Bet they will get a lot of donations [they did. over 600 in donations] Their potatoes are here, so will have oceans for their winter food, but all her canned stuff- she had over 300 quarts, & the apples & oh so many things we will have a couple of bus. of apples- for them too. Aunt Emma’s little old locket & Deans 150 year old little walnut table. Oh- it’s sickening-
So my dears, write, this is going to just upset us so. Write & I think M. & the kids will be here for a few days- It will rest her up & maybe we can cobble up something for her to wear- her good coat went- Cub will have to do his chores, but he will maybe sleep here. Poor Cub-
Marion was so dazed when she was here. I’ll leave this open as it won’t go out tomorrow anyway-love from all of us- to all of you. Mama- sun. never slept until daylight this morning- H [Howard] gave me "what for" because I think too much. He didn’t know I heard him tossing and groaning right above my head every little while.
Out of the nite I got the idea, maybe the school board would let Cub’s live in the school house this winter. [They did. And, it was ironic, knowing the Chandler Township Fire Hall would be in that same location by 1989.]? Do you suppose? It would be close to their chores, & you know the ceiling was lowered (thanks to Jeanne [she means Belle-a family joke] & her sweet suggestions!- ha-) so it wouldn’t be too hard to heat. I think the school furnace is still there, & Cub could put up some temporary partitions out of his steel roofing. He has a lot of it. Gosh yesterday I got up so happy after my refreshing laughs with Art & this morning I dragged out like a bag filled with lead.- I got over my chills as I was good and warm during the nite. I can’t figure how those men kept the fire from getting to the hay- you know the stacks are just a few feet from the house. Art will tell you. He went in Friday but no one was there. He said he never saw so many stacks in a farm yard in his life. It’s just a mercy that there wasn’t one bit of wind, or it would all have gone.
Poor Roddy lost all his toys, & he had fifteen dollars in his bank, Xmas. I bet that wasn’t saved. I hope the kids come to dinner. I made a cake & johnny cake in case, with the morning fire. Now must go-
February 10, 1947:
I’m getting over the fire & have stopped dreaming I am in one. Bud says he is too. He has helped at 4 nasty ones now, & he says he is always so scared. But Marion said he knew exactly what to do & led ‘em all. Roddy was so dear, when Cub drove up he told Rod to stay right in the pickup & he never moved but watched it burn, but he was thinking every minute. He told his father, “I guess Santa will never come to our house anymore.” Cub asked why & he said, “All our tree ornaments are gone,” & when Rose Barnes heard that- she gathered a box full & sent them over to him, & he was so happy to have them again.
February 1947:
February 1947:
Belle, Belle, Junior Howard was just here with Marion, & the Hughes house burned at supper time & they lost everything in it. [Karl "Cub" & Marion Bush Howard had purchased the Hughes farm on Chandler Hill Road on top of Chandler Hill.] Marion was reading & had Karlie in bed, & happened to go out and the whole back shed was afire. She got a few things out. She took Karlie & rolled her in a blanket & carried her out & Bernice [Howard] had seen it, & was there & Marion gave her the baby & Bee took her home with her & put her to bed. Marion tried to get some clothes but did not get hardly anything. You know this has haunted me all winter, but I was afraid it might happen with the little kids there when Marion was down watering cattle. Cub was gone to the Falls & had Roddie with him & he heard it at the Creamery- & drove home. I’ll bet he died a thousand deaths on the way- I am having a chill- I wish I could get in touch with Art- She, Marion, got out the davenport & Cub’s blue chair and some bureau drawers and her clock, I think, but, most everything is gone- The lovely separator and Cub’s tan coat & Aunt Kittie’s goods not made up. She got Cub’s money, but their bonds, deeds etc. & all the old jewelry & the piano- oh Belle, I feel so sorry for the poor kids. The whole neighborhood came & they run the tractor out & the cows, & the boys shoveled snow over the stacks. The wood shed partly burned, but the boys shoveled snow over the wood pile. The conservation officers came with extinguishers.
They think it was the electric light plant, started it [Homemade power plant-before the electricity came through. Sparks from the generator blew back on to the tar paper siding and ignited.]. The neighbors were marvelous & these country fellows can work! It’s a mercy they saved the barns, & the tools & the hay- I asked them to come home tonite, but Roddie & Karlie are at Bernice’s and asleep- so she said she’d see what they were going to do & decide in the morning. It may be they’ll go back in the log house until spring. I fancy Virge will offer it, & he & the other Marion [Bettis] are not moving into it until Spring. Belle, It's heart breaking, but my soul, if they had lost the children. I think it would have finished all of us-Karlie was undressed she has nothing to wear, poor lamb. I just gave Marion my new galoshes, for I was afraid she’d catch cold. She had on Johnnie Howard’s. I didn’t like the way they [mine] fit my ankles. They’ll fit M. better.
Now my dear, I’ll write to Donald [Bush]. I am wondering if Art & Gene [Oldham] will hear of it before they leave Petoskey in the morning.
My darlings-We will give them something- to help replace what they have lost. Bet they will get a lot of donations [they did. over 600 in donations] Their potatoes are here, so will have oceans for their winter food, but all her canned stuff- she had over 300 quarts, & the apples & oh so many things we will have a couple of bus. of apples- for them too. Aunt Emma’s little old locket & Deans 150 year old little walnut table. Oh- it’s sickening-
So my dears, write, this is going to just upset us so. Write & I think M. & the kids will be here for a few days- It will rest her up & maybe we can cobble up something for her to wear- her good coat went- Cub will have to do his chores, but he will maybe sleep here. Poor Cub-
Marion was so dazed when she was here. I’ll leave this open as it won’t go out tomorrow anyway-love from all of us- to all of you. Mama- sun. never slept until daylight this morning- H [Howard] gave me "what for" because I think too much. He didn’t know I heard him tossing and groaning right above my head every little while.
Out of the nite I got the idea, maybe the school board would let Cub’s live in the school house this winter. [They did. And, it was ironic, knowing the Chandler Township Fire Hall would be in that same location by 1989.]? Do you suppose? It would be close to their chores, & you know the ceiling was lowered (thanks to Jeanne [she means Belle-a family joke] & her sweet suggestions!- ha-) so it wouldn’t be too hard to heat. I think the school furnace is still there, & Cub could put up some temporary partitions out of his steel roofing. He has a lot of it. Gosh yesterday I got up so happy after my refreshing laughs with Art & this morning I dragged out like a bag filled with lead.- I got over my chills as I was good and warm during the nite. I can’t figure how those men kept the fire from getting to the hay- you know the stacks are just a few feet from the house. Art will tell you. He went in Friday but no one was there. He said he never saw so many stacks in a farm yard in his life. It’s just a mercy that there wasn’t one bit of wind, or it would all have gone.
Poor Roddy lost all his toys, & he had fifteen dollars in his bank, Xmas. I bet that wasn’t saved. I hope the kids come to dinner. I made a cake & johnny cake in case, with the morning fire. Now must go-
February 10, 1947:
I’m getting over the fire & have stopped dreaming I am in one. Bud says he is too. He has helped at 4 nasty ones now, & he says he is always so scared. But Marion said he knew exactly what to do & led ‘em all. Roddy was so dear, when Cub drove up he told Rod to stay right in the pickup & he never moved but watched it burn, but he was thinking every minute. He told his father, “I guess Santa will never come to our house anymore.” Cub asked why & he said, “All our tree ornaments are gone,” & when Rose Barnes heard that- she gathered a box full & sent them over to him, & he was so happy to have them again.
As my Great Grandma Marion Mackie Wood had hoped, the Chandler Township Community allowed our family to stay in the old school house after our home burned in February 1947. It was a blessing. All of the photos below are of me while we lived in the school house. Great Grandma had written about a furnace being in the schoolhouse, but I remember the big open area being so cold that Mom would often put Rod and me in the bed with her, even during the day, just to keep warm, from body heat while under the covers. ~ Karla Howard Buckmaster
Both of the above photos were included in a 1967 article in the Top 'O Michigan Rural Electric Company magazine BETWEEN THE LINES showing what "a little paint and some imagination can accomplish". Below is my transcription of the hard to read darkened and faded copy of the text of the article:
"A symbol of the changes that are taking place in the area… This old Chandler Township School had been ? new sale. Outdated and abandoned it was purchased several years ago by outdoor ski enthusiasts who renovated it to house their families during winter and summer vacations. Now called "Belle of the North" it is only a few minutes away from several ski resorts and one mile from the blue waters of Lake Louise.
An article in Ski Magazine in November 1966 illustrated the steps taken to transform the building into a cozy four bedroom cottage. Our picture is reprinted from Ski Magazine."
"A symbol of the changes that are taking place in the area… This old Chandler Township School had been ? new sale. Outdated and abandoned it was purchased several years ago by outdoor ski enthusiasts who renovated it to house their families during winter and summer vacations. Now called "Belle of the North" it is only a few minutes away from several ski resorts and one mile from the blue waters of Lake Louise.
An article in Ski Magazine in November 1966 illustrated the steps taken to transform the building into a cozy four bedroom cottage. Our picture is reprinted from Ski Magazine."
Both photos above were also from the same article as mentioned above: The interior of the "Belle of the North," before and after the renovation of the living area. The old blackboard still hangs in its place between the two windows (the right hand wall in the after photo), and a Benjamin Franklin stove was added for warmth and atmosphere.
Chandler Township Fire Hall ~ Location Of Previous S.D. No 2
Established in 1989, Chandler Station 2
has a working agreement with neighboring Melrose Township to provide fire protection for their residents.
In 2013 Dennis Howard serves as Fire Chief.
has a working agreement with neighboring Melrose Township to provide fire protection for their residents.
In 2013 Dennis Howard serves as Fire Chief.
After the old school house/lodge had burned, the Chandler Township Fire Hall was built in 1989, as seen in the two above photos.
Chandler Township Garage and Woodshop Burned
Chimney Fire on Springvale Raod in Chandler Township