By Teri Stiles
Staff Writer
ORTONVILLE – On April 3, 2003, the long ago silenced school bell of the Mann School House rang to call the children, once again.
Purchased by the Ortonville Historical Society in 1994, for the purpose of historical integrity and student education, the Mann School House is back in the business of learning.
When the one room school house was built in the late 1880’s it cost only $350 to build the Ortonville Town Hall, little more than 600 people lived in Brandon Township, and both Oakwood and Thomas villages were wiped out by a cyclone
Long out of service, the one room school house sat empty and unused, on the corner of Sawmill Lake and Honert roads, now in Hadley Township.
After two years of planning and community fund-raising, the Mann School House was moved to its current location at the historical Old Mill in downtown Ortonville.
‘Everybody has been wonderful about getting this going,? said Charlene Carlson, Historical Society member and School House Teacher.
Community members continued to donate time, services, expertise and artifacts for the restoration efforts. Historical Society Member, Mary Alice Seelbinder has been primarily instrumental in locating the artifacts to furnish the interior in period decor.
With text books in hand and an agenda for historical educational reenactments, Charlene Carlson, a retired school teacher, held the first of 26 scheduled classes in the Mann School House.
‘I still substitute in Brandon but of course I miss the kids,? said Carlson.
In cooperation with Bart Jenniches, Superintendent of the Brandon School District, more than 26 classes from grades second through fourth will experience a typical school day from the late 1880s.
The students will dress in period costume, work on literature of the period, grammar and creative writing. Carlson read a version of Cinderella written more than 100 years ago. She also had the students create a necklace of buttons and string.
‘The students were so interested in learning about how school was taught back then,? said Harvey Swanson teacher Melissa Chapa.
Chapa said the students enjoyed learning about recess games and toys, and were impressed with the spelling lesson of the day.
Carlson said the students will also be asked to bring a bag lunch with period food, not to include foil chip bags, yogurt, or microwave meals.
After the successful journey into the past with the fourth grade group of students from Harvey Swanson Carlson said she is looking forward to the future of classes at the Mann School.
‘The first group of students were real interested and the historical part of the class and very responsive,? said Carlson.
The one hour classes will be held April through May and will be taught alternately by Marilyn Webb, Barbara Ferguson, Carol Tait, Carol Kachmar, and Carmen Ziegler, all retired teachers, with the exception of Tait who is a bee keeper.