Jackson Michigan News and Information, News for Jackson MI

Another 100th anniversary in town is coming up next month. It’s the 100th anniversary of the building of the Albion High School “west wing” addition to the Central School on E. Michigan Avenue.

This was the first of three separate modern building projects during that decade that eventually was transformed into Washington Gardner High School.

On Friday, June 8, 1922 as part of Commencement Day activities for the Albion High School Class of 1922, the cornerstone for the new $150,000 high school wing that was being erected was laid at 2 pm in a special ceremony. The class of 1922 presented their memorial in the form of a copper box filled with various contents.

The ceremony included members of the school board, and other dignitaries. Dr. Samuel Dickie, president of Albion College, gave the main address for the event. The Albion Evening Recorder reported (June 19, 1922): “Superintendent Donald Harrington in a few appropriate remarks introduced George E. Dean, president of the school board, who called upon Dr. W. W. Diehl to offer prayer. Dr. Diehl invoked the divine blessing upon the structure about to be erected and all that it will mean in the future life of Albion.”

What did the class of 1922 place in that copper cornerstone box which is still there today? The Recorder continued: “Clinton Austin of the Class of 1922 then presented the memorial and in turn called upon Miss Alberta Pritchard who placed the contents in the copper box which was to be laid in the stone. The box contained a copy of the Albion Evening Recorder of last December announcing the plans for the new building; a school board directory with outline of study and list of teachers, and a commencement program for the present year. Miss Elain Abbott christened the stone with a cup of water—a symbol of life, purity, and truth.”

As part of Dr. Dickie’s eloquent speech during the occasion, the Recorder reported that “he spoke of what a splendid thing it is to be willing to tax ourselves for the upkeep of our schools, to pay our heaviest tax with such good cheer. The speaker said that this new building will add immeasurably to the general efficiency of Albion.”

Today, that cornerstone which simply states “HIGH SCHOOL 1922” remains prominently in the southwest corner of the Washington Gardner High School building. It is customary in some parts, that on the 100th anniversary of a cornerstone, that it be opened and the contents be inventoried and displayed to the public. I haven’t heard any news about such an event here, however. How about it?

From our Historical Notebook this week we present a photograph of the cornerstone of Washington Gardner High School, laid 100 years ago. For more information about the various construction projects at this school complex during the 1920s, consult the chapter entitled “Washington Gardner High School” in my book “A History of the Albion Public Schools,” beginning on page 35.