The Old Schoolhouse - March 2012

About Our
Cover

Tina Rice

Dixboro School Dixboro, Michigan

The red brick schoolhouse on our cover is located in Dixboro, Michigan. Dix- boro;is;located;just;east;of;Ann;Arbor;on;Michigan;14E,;in;Washtenaw;Coun- ty. According to records from the Washtenaw County Historical Society, the building;was;constructed;in;1888;at;a;cost;of;$1,200.

Local;historian,;Carol;Freeman,;spoke;at;a;1988;Historical;Society;meeting;about how the building was constructed. She reports that bricklayers came from Ann Ar- bor;in;a;two-wheeled;cart;that;was;pulled;by;one;horse.;The;cost;of;just;$1,200;seems astonishing to us now, but Mrs. Freeman reported that the building was basically just a foundation, brick walls, roof, belfry, and bell, with the interior walls being plastered. The school did not have water, plumbing, electricity, a furnace, or carpeting. Water was carried in from a hand pump in the yard, and a stove located in the center of the school provided heat. The building was also furnished with chalkboards, chalk, a wash basin, and water pail with a dipper.

The;city;of;Dixboro;was;founded;in;1824;by;a;28-year-old;retired;sea;captain named;John;Dix.;He;had;come;to;the;area;from;Massachusetts;and;for;$1.25;an;acre purchased;450;acres;of;land;in;Ypsilanti;Township.;Shortly;after;Mr.;Dix’s;arrival,;he built a house and a frame barn, which were followed over the next two years by a sawmill;and;a;gristmill.;At;this;time,;Dixboro’s;rapid;growth;suggested;that;it;would become a bigger town than Ann Arbor. Unfortunately, this hope did not hold true. The railroad that was supposed to come through Dixboro bypassed it, and Ann Ar-bor;outpaced;Dixboro’s;growth.

Founder;John;Dix;went;to;sea;at;the;age;of;16.;During;Captain;Dix’s;sea;career;he fought;in;the;War;of;1812;and;traveled;to;New;Zealand,;where;he;was;shipwrecked. Just;nine;years;after;founding;the;town,;Dix;moved;his;family;to;Texas,;where;he became a judge.

Dixboro is well known for its most famous feature, Dixboro General Store. The store;was;built;around;1840;(seven;years;before;the;birth;of;Thomas;Edison);and;has been;operated;for;170;years;(it;was;closed;during;World;War;II).;Readers;of;AAA’s magazine;selected;it;as;the;best;general;store;in;Michigan;for;2007;through;2010.;You can find Dixboro General Store on Facebook. In the past, it housed the post office, a barber chair, and a dance hall. When you visit today, you will find owners Steve and Brenda Dani continuing the tradition of providing a memorable visit.

Tina Rice and her husband Tim are in their seventeenth year of homeschooling and have six more to go. Two of their children have graduated and are in college. They use an eclectic mix of Classical and relaxed educational materials. When Tina is not teaching, she can be found reading, working on Homeschool Psych business, or working in her home studio on a batch of tie dye. You can follow her blog at www.Tinas TieDye .blogspot.com or visit her website: www.Tinas TieDye.com.

Cover photo: Dreamstime.com

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.

www.TheHomeschoolMagazine.com

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PUBLISHERS Paul and Gena Suarez, Tennessee ASSISTANTS TO THE PUBLISHERS Liz Koon, Colorado Wendy Hilton, Mississippi SENIOR EDITOR / DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION Deborah Wuehler, California MANAGING EDITOR Donna Rees, Florida EDITORIAL MANAGER Andrea Newitt, California MAGAZINE GRAPHIC DESIGNER David Borrink, Michigan DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Angela Quigley, Kansas ASSISTANT TO DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Lori Lynn Lydell, Pennsylvania DIRECTOR OF MARKETING Sharra Badgley, Indiana DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING SALES Pat Marcum, Tennessee ADVERTISING SUPPORT MANAGER Amy Osborn, California DIRECTOR OF PRODUCT REVIEWS Kate Kessler, California SCHOOLHOUSE STORE MANAGER Virginia Donahue, South Carolina www.TheOldSchoolhouseStore.com CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER Julie Ott, Nebraska CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES tephanie Ziemba, Kansas Pam McCormick, Kansas DATABASE ADMINISTRATOR Laura Fox, California Home Room