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
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2/28/12 8:59 PM