The first schoolhouse in West Branch was built about 1880 and located on the corner of North First Street and Washington Street (now Houghton Avenue) and had a student population of about 25 pupils. In 1882 the West Branch Township Board of School Inspectors divided the township into Districts and designated the south half of Section 7, Section 18, Section 19, Section 20, Section 28, Section 29, Section 30, Section 31, Section 32, and the northwest one-quarter of Section 33 of West Branch Township as District #1. By 1887 a new four room school was built on the corner of North First and State Streets; the old school property was sold and the building moved to the State Street location. By early 1900, four additional rooms had been added and in 1912 construction began on a new two story high school to be located east of the older building. Expansion continued in 1936 with additional classrooms and in 1949 with a new gymnasium; and the old school building was removed. Later additions included more classrooms, library, offices, and elementary gymnasium. In 1968, West Branch School consolidated with the Rose City School system and high school students would now attend the new high school Ogemaw Heights. In 1969, the old West Branch High School was torn down and more class rooms and principal's office were built in it's place. The new buildings soon became known as Surline Elementary and Junior High School; and now accommodate both West Branch and Rose City area students. If you have any additional information concerning the West Branch Schools, you are asked to contact the Ogemaw County Coordinator, Grace Dooley. A big thank you to Laura Bender who digitized the graduation class photos and to the West Branch High School Alumni Association for making them available for this site. Many of the additional records provided here have been compiled by The Rose City Area Historical Society, Post Office Box 736, Rose City, MI 48654