Wayside: The Community's Heart

"The Community's Heart" wayside sign at the Tweddle School

Quick Facts

Location:

44° 47' 33.972" N, 86° 3' 0.31" W

Amenities

1 listed

Audio Description

Main Exhibit Text

The school bell is now silent, but imagine the days when students—sometimes walking one to three miles—heard the bell ring and started running so they wouldn’t be late for school. Schools were often the heart and soul of rural communities, serving to educate children, but also as a gathering place for community activities and events. One teacher, who often boarded with a local family, taught all subjects—reading, spelling, arithmetic, history, and geography—to first through eighth grades. He or she was also the school nurse, janitor, and counselor. A typical day was 9 am to 4 pm, with recess and time allowed for students to eat their packed lunches. Notice the two entrances: one for girls and one for boys.

Image Descriptions

Background Image

The background of this exhibit is a sepia-colored historic photograph of a group of people standing and sitting on the front porch of a school building. The front porch spans the length of the building, with four columns supporting the roof. There are twelve young adults standing on the porch. The girls are all standing to the left and the boys stand together to the right of them. There are eighteen younger students sitting on the front porch steps.

Caption

The first Tweddle School, a log structure, was built about 1861. Four others stood here before this one, built about 1895. It was one of 7,200 one-room schools that operated in Michigan until rural schools began to be consolidated in 1936. Compare the historic image with the building today, restored by the National Park Service.

Historic Photograph (right, top)

On the right-hand side of the exhibit are two additional photos. The top photo is a historic black and white photograph of children seated in a classroom. Each child sits at their own wood desk, and most are looking at the camera.

Caption

Students inside the classroom.

Modern Image (right, bottom)

The bottom photo is a modern image of a National Park Ranger leading a group of children in an activity. They are standing in a group on sand, some of the children have their arms raised in the air, mimicking the ranger.

Caption

Students today participate in ranger-led programs throughout the park.