Editor’s note: Often history can be divined or coaxed from something as simple as the meeting minutes from a club or organization. The Gaylord School District #1 held its first annual board meeting 131 years ago and has been meeting continuously ever since. Step Back in Time presents a brief snapshot of Gaylord’s first school board meeting in 1877 and subsequent years through 1890.

First meeting held Sept. 3, 1877 -- Convened by Samuel H. Crowe. Was adjourned until Sept. 8 without doing any business.

Sept. 8, 1877 meeting -- C.F. Doore was elected director for full term. Julius Dennison chosen moderator for two years. Motion carried to raise $150 for teacher’s wages and $50 for incidentals.

A contract was issued to furnish 10 cords of hardwood, 2-foot long, at 90 cents a cord.

Motion was made and carried to have six-month school: three months summer, three months winter.

Motion to hire male or female teacher and to contract to build a wood shed.

Sept. 2, 1878, second annual meeting -- Motion carried to raise, by taxes, $250 for teacher’s salaries and $40 for incidental expenses. Accepted by D. Gray. Bid for 15 cords of wood at 75 cents a cord.

Voted to raise $1,000 to build a schoolhouse, with (funds raised) one-third by taxes, one-third by one-year bonds and one-third by two-year bonds. School house to be 30-feet wide by 50-feet long, two stories high; each story to be 12-feet high.

Sept. 6, 1880, meeting -- Voted to divide the school year into three terms of three months.

Jan. 23, 1882 meeting -- Special meeting to approve textbooks.

Sept. 30, 1882 meeting -- Special meeting to purchase site for new school in Gaylord in George H. Smith addition.

Sept. 15, 1884 meeting -- Vote taken and carried to have a graded school.

Voted to raise $900 for teachers’ wages and $300 for incidental expense -- also to purchase from Otis Carpenter 100 cords of wood for 67 cents a cord.

May 13, 1885 meeting -- Voted wages: Principal, D.H. Powers, $500. Intermediate teacher, $300. Primary, $300.

Sept. 4, 1885 meeting -- Voted to adopt recommended course of study and distribute 500 copies along with rules.

July 12, 1886 meeting -- Voted to postpone for one year bonding the district for a new schoolhouse.

June 13, 1887 meeting -- Voted to authorize director to purchase five diplomas and set up graduation exercises at Livingston Township Hall on June 30.

1888 meeting -- First suspension: Two girls for failure to comply with rules and attendance and compliance to the teachers.

June 30, 1889 meeting -- Voted to have Chas. Allen of Lansing make plans and specifications for new school building -- a counterpart of the one in Rochester.

July 8, 1889 meeting -- Voted to ask the voters to approve a $8,000 levy for a new school building. Vote held July 10: 61 yes and 14 no. Bids let Aug. 16; winner John Glanfield, Bay City; $7,800. To be completed by July 1890. (He failed to give bonds bid. Then awarded to Trout & Seely of Rochester. Building was in use by September 1890.)

-- Bill Granlund is a retired Gaylord High School principal and an Otsego County historian.

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