-
Davison Community Schools celebrated its 100th year of offering 12 full grades in 2007 but records show that the district dates back as early as 1850. Then known as "District Number Six," students met in a one-room log cabin. More than 50 students attended the school there until the start of the Civil War.
School records indicate that several one-room school houses existed in the 1860s, including Cartwright and Cottrell. Other one-room school houses in the district included Kitchen School, believed to have been built in the 1930s, and Uptegraff School, built sometimes in the mid 1950s, as well as Richfield, Goodenough, Herrick, Potter, Russelville and White school buildings. Wolcott School was another small building that was still in operation in the 1970s.
In the late 1880s, the main school was located in the area where Davison City Hall now stands. According to historical book, "Davison, Then and Now," the two-story building was heated with stoves. It was in 1907 that the district began offering 12 full grades in this building.
Enrollment skyrocketed in the early 1920s and two temporary buildings were constructed. However, fire destroyed the school on March 2, 1930.
Students spent the next year and a half attending school in makeshift classrooms held at several locations throughout the city, including area churches, City Hall and even a car dealer's garage.
According to "Davison, Then and Now," many local taxpayers fought against the proposal to build a new school. In fact, two special elections and a court fight took place before the Board of Education was finally allowed to award contracts for a new school building. Work was soon underway to build a new K-12 school building known today as Central Elementary. The last class to graduate from this school, located along M-15, was 1962.
The building now known as Davison Middle School was opened in the fall of 1962 as the new high school. The athletic complex located next to it - Collins Field - is named for the building's first principal, Rodney Collins.
In 1972, Davison High School opened its doors to 9th through 12th graders. In the fall of 2005, the football team played its first game in the new Cardinal Stadium. It was that same year that an addition was completed, making room for athletic offices, a weight training room, student lockers and a large conference room.
