The Bay City Times - Saturday, November 3, 1940
Dolsen School
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For more than half a century Dolsen school has served children of one of the most pleasant residential districts in the city. It also has a lumber-day heritage, although he city, at the time of the school's inception was losing its robust personality, with fewer and fewer visits from the lumberjacks, who were moving northward to still uncut timberlands.
Dolsen ws erected in 1883, just one year after the building of what is now Eastern Junior High school, then Eastern High school, during the period when Bay City was erecting one school after another in accordance with the spread of desire for more education. Bay City was settling down, and with the quieter mood, the residents were turning to things cultural and educational. They wanted their children to go out into the world well equipped with a background to ease the way to success in business and professional realms.
Has Been Improved
Dolsen school has been improved from time to time, but its rating is still not of the best. However, local educators feel that it will serve Bay City children for a while. Its construction is "fair" as are its basement, general condition and heating. Equipment and safety are also relegated to this category.
The year that the school was erected Bay county purchased Third street bridge from a stock company and did away with the toll system. Fishing was rapidly becoming a major industry and approximately 500 men engaged in the business that spring. Women's civic activities were just getting under way, and just a few years later social and charitable groups were organized.
The Dolsen school was named after a board of eduction member as were so many in the local system.
John J. Dolsen was one of Bay City's prominent lumbermen, and the firm of Dolsen, Chapin & Co. was employing more than 130 men at that time. The mill cut around 22,000,000 feet of lumber in a year.
Absorbs Sherman Pupils
The building has 14 rooms, 10 of which are used as classrooms. There is also a small gymnasium, supplement by another still smaller in the basement where is also located a kitchen used by Boy Scouts, Gray-Y, Girl Reserves, P.-T.A, members, and as Adult Education Sewing class.
Enrollment at the school this year and last increased with the closing of the Sherman school, most of whose students have been aborbed at Dolsen.
Interest in the school library has increased with the new students. This project is one the most interesting developed at Dolsen and started with 300 books from the public library and the board of education. Students are in charge of the project, and through it a greater interest is being shown for books, according to Miss Ida Dorland, principal. Thirty books were given the school by Charles Hamilton, local educator, and several sets from Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Gregory.
The first principle of the school was Miss Susie Holmes. She was followed by Mrs. Sarah Dolsen, widow of John L. Dolsen, Charles Silvers, W.H. Hartley, A.J. Armstrong, Mrs. Ida Carson, and Miss Dorland. The present staff includes Mrs. Adeline C. Gilfey, Miss Blance E. Curney, Miss Hattie Mather, Miss Rebecca Gregory, Miss Marian Schumann, Mrs. Mary L. Baird, Harry Feldman, Miss Edmunda Slacheikowski, Mrs. Maud Heckett and Miss Frances Young.
No. 9: Washington school
Central High school