Historic Central Grade School

The first Central School building was a two-story wooden structure located at the current site of the playground. The floor plan for the lower grades was similar to what it is today, with the big exception of the high school classrooms, which were interspersed with the upper elementary classrooms on the first and second floors. The school band practiced, perched on crates, in a former boiler room. Graduation exercises took place on the school lawn. On Memorial Day, though school was not in session, children would meet at their school and march, carrying a small flag to the cemetery, with drummers keeping step. The 1922 red brick addition, including Lars Hockstad Auditorium and the "big" gym, were built to accommodate the growing Central High School population. In 1936 a red brick Central School was rebuilt on the ashes of the original light brick school after a devastating fire.

Information from Grand Traverse Herald

By: Julius Petertyl

Central Grade School during the 1934 fire.
Central Grade School after the fire, which destroyed everything but the 1922 addition.	Turn-of-the-century picture of Central Grade School, taken from Eighth Street.
Central Grade 1941 - Miss D. Dunlap, Teacher  with Anita C., Betty B., and Carol F.