TAMARACK SCHOOL

Occasionally in this column I’ll feature one of the area’s "country schools" that once were so prevalent until they closed by the mid-1960s (See the February 17, 2019 edition of this column about the Wines School for background information). This week we are focusing on the Tamarack School, located on the west side of 27 Mile Road north of Albion at the intersection with D Drive North. Its legal name was Sheridan No. 3 Fractional. The original schoolhouse stood about 30 feet south up the hill from where the brick structure was later erected. It was constructed with logs obtained from Tamarack trees growing in a nearby swamp--hence the name Tamarack.

The wood frame structure served the district until 1892, when it was replaced by a new brick schoolhouse. A second classroom was constructed on the front of the building in 1962 to help ease overcrowding.

Security could be a problem for rural country schools. On June 5, 1958, the Tamarack schoolhouse was discovered to be extensively damaged by vandals. Equipment was destroyed, and school materials were scattered throughout the building.

The Tamarack School district voted to annex into the Albion Public Schools on April 26, 1965 by a vote of 34 to 27. Classes continued to be held at the school during the 1965-66 school year until it was closed in June, 1966. The final two teachers were Mrs. Anna K. Butler, and Lois Haskins. Tamarack School was reopened for the 1968-69 school year under the auspices of the Calhoun County Intermediate District for use as a training center, and then was permanently closed. The structure then was sold for use as a private residence and remains standing today.

From our Historical Notebook this week we present an October, 1939 photograph of Tamarack School. Notice the ornate decorations gracing the edge of the roof and porch areas. Of course, there is an outhouse, too, just to the left of the rear of the building. How many of our readers remember Tamarack School?

	Frank Passic — Albion Historian An Albion native and 1971 graduate of Albion High School, Frank Passic has been researching and writing Albion history since 1976. He is the creator of the Albion Historical Notebook, with hundreds of articles appearing weekly in the Morning Star and The Recorder. Frank maintains an extensive personal archive including Riverside Cemetery records, family surname files, genealogies, photographs, city directories, and high school yearbooks. Support his 2026 research at the Historic Albion Michigan Facebook page. Historical Notebook \| From the Archives \| Subject List \| 100 Years Ago \| Alphabetical Index \| Frank Passic Home Page \| Albion History Books \| Contact Frank
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