About Our
Cover
Tina Rice
PUBLISHERS
Paul and Gena Suarez, Tennessee
ASSISTANTS TO THE PUBLISHERS
April;Brooks,;Alabama
Liz Koon, Colorado
Wendy;Hilton,;Mississippi
SENIOR EDITOR /
DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION
Deborah Wuehler, California
MANAGING EDITOR
Donna Rees, Florida
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Heather Mader, California
MAGAZINE GRAPHIC DESIGNER
David;Borrink,;Michigan
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
Angela Quigley, Missouri
DIRECTOR OF MARKETING
Tami Fox, North Carolina
DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING SALES
Amy Osborn, California
DIRECTOR OF PRODUCT REVIEWS
Kate Kessler, California
DIRECTOR OF CUSTOMER RELATIONS
Julie Ott, Nebraska
CUSTOMER SERVICE
REPRESENTATIVE
Stephanie;Ziemba,;Kansas
DATABASE ADMINISTRATOR
Laura Fox, California
DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT
Pat Marcum, Tennessee
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
ASSISTANT
Luke Suarez, Tennessee
ExECU TIVE EDITOR
SCHOOLHOUSETEACHERS.COM
Robert Irvin, Ohio
SCHOOLHOUSE ExPO MANAGER
Tami Fox, North Carolina
CUSTOMER SERVICE
1.888.718.HOME
The Little Red Schoolhouse
The;Little;Red;Schoolhouse,;or;Rounds;School,;pictured;on;our;cover,;was;built in;1860;in;Rockford,;Michigan.;The;local;school;inspectors;formed;a;school district;known;as;Courtland;No.;8.;Following;the;school;district’s;formation,
voters;met;at;the;home;of;William;Rounds;to;elect;officers;on;December;4,;1858.
They;established;a;school;site;on;September;26,;1859,;and;raised;$25;toward;the;con-
struction;of;the;school.;An;additional;$114.50;was;raised;to;complete;the;building.
Rockford;is;located;north;of;Grand;Rapids,;Michigan,;just;off;of;US;131.;Rounds
School;is;located;in;front;of;Rockford;Middle;School;and;is;open;to;visitors;on;a;lim-ited basis. Most of its maintenance and staffing is done by the Rockford Rotary Club.
Before;the;days;of;sawmills;and;the;birth;of;a;local;logging;industry,;Rockford
was;home;to;the;Hopewell,;Mascouten,;and;Ottawa;peoples,;whose;presence;was
noted;by;early;surveyors.;Smith;Lapham;was;one;of;the;earliest;settlers,;and;the;area
was;named;Laphamville;after;him.;When;the;Indiana;Railroad;Company;extended
the;railroad;north;from;Grand;Rapids,;its;leaders;suggested;that;the;area’s;name;be
shortened.;Consequently,;the;name;“Rockford”;was;proposed;(and;narrowly;ap-
proved),;and;the;Village;of;Rockford;was;incorporated;in;June;1866.
In;1960;the;Rockford;Rotary;Club;took;charge;of;the;project;to;restore;the;school
and;use;it;as;an;educational;museum.;By;the;time;the;Rotary;Club;began;the;proj-ect,;Rounds;School;had;been;empty;and;neglected;for;forty;years.;The;building;was
moved to its current location, and nearly all members of the Rotary Club worked to
repair;it.;Some;of;the;windows;and;siding;seen;today;are;original.;Restoration;costs
totaled;$1, 165. 63.;Local;residents;donated;books,;maps,;kerosene;lamps,;a;teacher’s
desk;and;chair,;dinner;pails,;slates,;a;water;pail;and;dipper,;clock,;photographs,;and
more;to;furnish;the;building.;An;1861;United;States;map,;McGuffey;Readers,;and;an
1863;Kent;County;map;are;of;special;interest.
Visitors;to;Rockford;can;participate;in;a;variety;of;activities,;including;the;Ice;Fes-tival, which is held on the second Saturday in February; during the festival, visitors
can;play;mini;golf;on;an;ice;course!;The;Rockford;Chamber;of;Commerce;hosts;a
webpage;dedicated;to;promoting;fun;and;free;activities;in;the;area.;Every;August
they;sponsor;the;Reading;Rocks;Festival;to;encourage;kids;to;love;the;adventures
found only in books.
If you would like to make arrangements to visit the school, the Rockford Rotary
Club can be reached at rockfordmirotary@gmail.com. Rotary club meetings are held
on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Cover image:
Photo courtesy of David Borrink
Did;you;know;that;you;can;submit;a;photograph;of;a;school;for;cover;consideration?;Send;us;several
dead-centered;photos;with;natural;surroundings.;The;front;or;front/side;view;is;best.;If;we;select
your;photo,;we;will;need;a;9;x;11;photo,;negative,;or;digital;image;(300;dpi).;If;your;photograph;is
used,;we;will;pay;you;$50;and;feature;your;name;as;cover;photographer.;Send;a;digital;image;of;your
photograph;to;Publisher@TheHomeschoolMagazine.com.;If;you;are;unable;to;send;a;digital;image,
mail;your;photograph;and;details;about;the;school;to;Cover;Photo;Search,;The;Old;Schoolhouse
Magazine,;P.O.;Box;8426,;Gray,;TN;37615.;Be;sure;to;include;your;name,;email;address,;and;phone
number.
Home Room
®
Bibliography:
•;Communications;with;Al;Pratt,;Managing;Director,;Rockford;Area;Museum
•;rockfordmichamber.com/about/who-we-are/history
•;www.rockfordmuseum.org/museum
•;rockfordmichamber.com/recreation/10-fun-free-things-to-do-in-rockford
-michigan
•;www.rockfordmirotary.com/index.php/ct-menu-item-5/ct-menu-item-13
• www.rockfordmirotary.com/
•;www.mapquest.com
•;Rockford,;Michigan,;Rotary;Club
