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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
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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
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Luke Suarez, Tennessee
ExECU TIVE EDITOR
SCHOOLHOUSETEACHERS.COM
Robert Irvin, Ohio
SCHOOLHOUSE ExPO MANAGER
Tami Fox, North Carolina
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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