The Wakefield School

 

Among the Hemlocks and the Pines,

Stood the “Old Wakefield school”,

Where readin’, writin’ and ‘rithmetic

Were taught by the rule.

 

On the “First Day” we gathered

In our ginghams and our jeans,

From the north end the “Klemmers”,

“The Ferris’” and the “Deans”.

 

From the south came Grace and Harry,

Harold, Mable, and Lucy Mayes,

We skipped along barefooted

In those old school days.

 

Farther south was George and Mable

With their tin dinner pail,

Later on Clarence and Cosie

Always there, without fail.

 

Down the track was Frank and Annie

They came with the “Grassmere Gang”,

And they hurried to get on there

Before the old bell rang.

 

Robinson’s and Lackenby's,

Tim, Thomas and little Manuel Tate,

He always had the habit

Of coming just too late.

 

But, it’s Will and Ann McGillivray,

If we tell what memory bids,

Are the ones we loved the best

Of those “Grassmere Kids”.

 

“The Kreutzingers” came later,

Will chose Ella for his wife,

And they have been happy together

All their married life.

 

Then there were the “Hazzards”,

Edith and Annie too.

But all the tricks and mischief

Was blamed on Will and Rance.

 

If there ever was a time

When school days were a lark,

It was the year we spent

With “John G. Clark”.

 

The place where I love to linger

As I go down memory’s Lane,

Is the fun we used to have

At the “Old Ball Game”.

 

Grace was our” Tommy Bridges”,

Fred wore the catcher’s shield,

And to us it was as precious

As “Detroit’s Navin Field”.

 

 

Grace

 

 

 

This was written by Grace Dean, date unknown. She was a friend of Annie (McGillivray) Shuart’s. I received this from my grandmother, Arzell (Shuart) Mills about 1990. She received it from her mother, Annie (McGillivray) Shuart.

 

The old Wakefeild school was a log cabin built near the corner of Pinnebog road and M-142 in Colfax Twp., Huron County, Michigan. It was built in 1886 on land donated by Thomas and Margaret Wakefield. The Wakefield’s came to Huron Co. in 1881 emigrating from Ontario, Canada.

In the seventh stanza it mentions Will and Ann McGillivray. These are the son and daughter of Edwin Alexander McGillivray and Sarah Elizabeth Mitchell. Anna married James Edward Shuart. William Harris married Ella Kreutziger.

It also mentions the “Grassmere Gang” This was a group of children that lived in The town of Grassmere, Colfax Twp., Huron Co., Mi. Grassmere existed from abt. 1891 until 1909. It ceased to be a town although several people and a grain elevator continued into existence until abt. 1968. In 1970 the elevator was razed.

 

 

Scott Mills

April 13, 2002