Ferry Elementary School

Ferry School had its beginnings in September, 1913, when, as the Fourth Ward School, it was built on the southwest corner of what is now Pennoyer and Ferry Streets. It replaced the Beech Street School located at Beech Tree and Pennoyer Streets which was purchased by Otto Glueck for his home.

The Fourth Ward School was built on property of five acres purchased from Henry J. Bolt who had a garden and cow pasture there. It was a brick building with three floors containing eight classrooms and a kindergarten room. The front entrance to the main floor was on Pennoyer Street. On a cold day a lucky child could enter at the side door. When one entered this way, it took one down a few steps to the boiler room, bathroom facilities, one classroom and the kindergarten room. The main floor had four classrooms. The office was on the third floor because the sixth grade teacher was also the principal.

The athletic field, also used by the high school, was completely rebuilt in 1926 and was considered one of the finest playing fields. It was so well built and so perfectly drained that during a wet season it was the only playable high school field in the state.

In 1927 an addition to the Fourth Ward School was begun. The walls of the foyer were built of caen stone with a soft antique finish accomplished by using hundreds of gallons of sour milk in the process. The terrazzo floor, wrought iron stair rails, recessed benches for waiting parents, and beautiful tile made the entrance outstanding. Small tile color insets and small carved figures in high relief, tiled drinking fountains and broad well-lighted stairways impressed everyone.

The kindergarten room had a big fireplace at one end, low seats along the walls so legs wouldn't dangle. Cupboards, drinking fountains at just the right height, a cloakroom and private bathrooms made it the talk of the town.

The big auditorium-gym, large stage, and kitchenette were often used by organizations for social functions. A clinic room was convenient to the gym in case anyone was injured. There was also a dental chair for the use of city nurses, dentists, and doctors.

The dedication for the newly named Ferry School was held on December 14, 1928. Superintendent E. H. Babcock and the Board of Education joined with the teachers and Miss Laura Wuennecke, who was then the principal and sixth grade teacher, to celebrate with the community the opening of the new building.

The new name was picked to honor the memory of the family of Rev. William Montague Ferry who founded the city of Grand Haven. In the fall of 1834 Rev. Ferry and family arrived in what is now Grand Haven from Mackinac Island. He had gone to Mackinac Island from Massachusetts to carry the Gospel to the those in the wilderness. A Mr. Robert Stuart had purchased land at the mouth of the Grand River. He gave Rev. Ferry several thousand dollars and asked him to look after, and possibly improve, his property. Ferry and Nathan White, his brother-in-law, later organized a company which bought large tracts of land, built a mill and began a logging business. Ferry's logging ventures marked the beginning of a real settlement at the mouth of the Grand River.

In the early morning on April 3, 1936, fire entirely destroyed the east wing of Ferry School. The burned section was the old Fourth Ward School. Parts of the new section were damaged by water and smoke. It was discovered by William Meeusen and Joe Bisacky as they returned home from work at 1:00am. There were 400 children and 13 teachers using the school during the day. The building was fully insured so the board replaced the wing with a "modern" structure to correspond with the main section.

Finally, during the 40's, a library was organized at Ferry by Mr. Lloyd McLaughlin, principal. Before this, Ferry teachers went to the high school library every two weeks. Sixth grade boys would go after the books and return them using wagons and sleds according to the weather. The Ferry library was set up in part of the old locker room which was revamped into the library.

Since this illustrious beginning, Ferry Elementary has had several renovations and additions to the main building. The most recent of these was during the winter and summer of 2006. Mold was discovered in the sections of the building in which the old large windows had been replaced for energy efficiency some years in the past. Those sections had leaked and stored water for many years. The staff and students were relocated to Ferrysburg School, across the river, for the rest of the 05-06 school year. All returned in the Fall of 06 to a beautiful, renovated building with many of the old windows restored.

Today Ferry School is a proud educational leader within the Grand Haven Area Public School system.