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Johnnycake-Hopkins School District, Fabius Township

Johnnycake School about 2010

Fabius Township Schools, history

According to Cutler’s history, “The first school house in the township was built of logs in 1833, and stood at the edge of the woods on the south line of section 35.” As late as the 1950’s seven one-room schools under county supervision provided elementary education in the township. They were consolidated into three schools in 1953 – Lake Section, Johnny Cake, and Hopkins. The new Lake District, building, now Norton School on A.L. Jones Road, was opened in 1956. The last classes of the one-room schools graduated in May of 1956. The three consolidated elementary schools became part of the Three Rivers Community Schools in 1966. http://www.fabiustownship.org/?page_id=118   

The last Johnnycake school (two rooms) was at 15464 Millard Road, Three Rivers, MI.  It was opened in approximately 1953 to replace the red brick one room Johnnycake school that had to be removed for the expansion of US-131 from two to four lanes.  That red brick school was located approximately where the Advance Auto Parts is at 320 US-131, Three Rivers, MI.  On the east and north sides of last (two room) Johnnycake school were US Department of Agriculture grain storage buildings.  The Johnnycake school building was removed in approximately 2010 for better access to the new Wal-Mart store.

Hopkins School was school district 9 of Fabius Township and on Gleason Road, Three Rivers, MI.  It merged with Johnnycake school (district 1 Fabius Township) in 1959 and the resulting Johnnycake-Hopkins merged with Three Rivers schools in 1966.

Prepared by R. Peter Rice, 11 November 2015 with assistance of Bob Sills, Anita (Sills) Hagenbuch, Marshall Prange, and Rosemary (Rice) Rudd.  Please provide updates to Email RiceRPFP@msn.com 

Johnnycake-Hopkins Elementary School, upper grades – 1959-60

From top to bottom, left to right, with grade noted:  Bob Mayer 7^th, John Gleason 7^th, Lynda Cunkle 7^th, Mike Ely 7^th, R. Peter Rice 7^th, Mike Anthony 7^th, Hazel Hagerman 7^th, Marshall Prange 6^th, Claudia (Kitty) Burpee 7^th, John Manning 6^th, Pam Stevens 6^th, Dan Sattlemeier 5^th, Connie Beal 5^th, Rosemary Rice 5^th, Miss Mallo, Ken Karsen 5^th, Dan Manning, Jim Peirce 6^th, David Hagerman 4^th, Stanley Burkett 4^th  Note: Johnnycake and Hopkinsschool districts merged in 1959
Recorded in the September 1958 Hopkins school records and not LISTED in the photograph above: Penny Dennis 9, Vickie Hagenbuch 6, Sandra Kent 12, Denise Kent 6, Michael Kettles 10, Kathy Kettles 5, Charles Kettles 7, William Laukes 12, Allan Liby 12, Barbara Liby 7, Penny Lovejoy 6, Robert Lovejoy 9, John O’Dell 6, Lee O’Dell 9, James Perry 7, Timothy Perry 8, Jerry Raymond 10, Julies Roberts 5, Douglas Roberts 7, Donald Rumsey 6, Judy Rumsey 10, Charlene Steininger 4, and Dick Stuckey 8.

Johnnycake Elementary School, upper grades – 1958-59

From top to bottom, left to right:   Rosemary Rice, Mike Dunn, Connie Beal, Bob Sills, Mike Anthony, Doug Beckle, Kathy Kroll, Audrey (Bunny) Burpee, Vickie Bethrum, Hazel Hagerman, Claudia (Kitty) Burpee, Bob Lovejoy, R. Peter Rice, Lynda Cunkle, Gary Kozik, Pam Stevens, Johnny Irwin, Jon Curtis, Jim Pierce, Marshall Prange; Teachers:  Mrs. Hilma Houts and Mrs. Anna Johansen

Johnnycake Elementary School, upper grades – October 17, 1957

From top to bottom, left to right:  Back Row:  Doug Beckle, Mike Anthony, Tom Beal, Jim Bishop, Johnny Irwin, Jim Burkett, Gary Kozik, Paul Burkett, Mrs. Houts.  Front Row:  Hazel Hagerman, Jim Pierce, R. Peter Rice, Pam Stevens, Jon Curtis, Robert Lovejoy, Marshall Prange, Bob Sills

4th Grade:  Jim Pierce, Pam Stevens, Marshall Prange
5th Grade:  Hazel Hagerman, R. Peter Rice, Jon Curtis, Mike Anthony, Jim Bishop, Lynda Cunkle
6th Grade:  Bob Sills, Gary Kozik, Paul Burkett, Doug Beckle
7th Grade:  Johnny Irwin, Jim Burkett, Tom Beal

Recorded in the September-October 1957 Johnnycake school records and not LISTED in the photograph above: Linda Cunkle (age 10), Kathleen Kroll (age 10), Lawrence Kroll (age 12), and Jon Lee Snyder (age 9).  Records in the April 1958 Johnnycake school records and not listed in the photograph above: Vicki Bethuram (age13), Michelle Bethuram (age 14), Laurence Kroll (age13), Kathleen Kroll (age 11), and Kay Marie Wall (age 9).

Johnnycake Elementary School, all students – May 1955

Top Row:  Mike Dunlap, Teacher Mrs. Miller, Pat Dunn, Marilyn M. Reed, Johnny Irwin, Sharon Eastwood, Jo Ann Keith, Shannon Lee Reed, Gail Beckle, Teacher Mrs. Hayes; Middle Row (a bit difficult to follow): Jeff Houldsworth, Doug Beckle, Tom Beal, Richard Anthony, Ruth Hoshel, Mona Miller, Bradley Meyers, Gary Kozik, Nancy Pierce, Pam Stevens, Myrna Sills, Mike Anthony, Jimmy Bishop; Front Row:  Linda Russell, Connie Beal, Susan Parker, girl unknown, Rosemary Rice, Cameron Miller, Jim Pierce, Bob Sills, Kenny Karsen, John Weatherwax, Mike Dunn, R. Peter Rice

Recorded in the September 1954 Johnnycake school records and not LISTED in the photograph above: Mary Lancastor (age 5), Teresa Lancastor (age 5), Shirley Wysong (age 11), Violet Wysong (age 9) and Bonnie Wysong age 8.  Recorded in May 1955 school records and not LISTED in the photograph above: Becky Parker (age 5), Susan Parker (age 5), and Linda Russell (age 5).  One of the five girls listed immediately above of age 5 is most likely the girl unknown in the front row.

At Hopkins School 1959-60

Connie Blum on Krull Rd

Christine Bullock

Garth Bullock on Drummond Rd

Sandi Cochran

Stuart Cochran

Jimmy Cocharn

Penny Dennis

Vickie Hagenbuch

Denise Kent

Sandra Kent

Charles Kettles

Kathy Kettles

Michael Kettles

William Laukes

Allan Liby

Barbara Liby

Penny Lovejoy

Robert Lovejoy

John O’Dell

Lee O’Dell

Joy Meyer on Roberts Rd

James Perry

Timothy Perry

Jerry Raymond

Douglas Roberts

Julie Roberts

Donald Rumsey

Judy Rumsey

Charlene Steininger

Dick Stuckey

At Johnnycake 1952 to 60

Mike Anthony

Richard Anthony

Connie Beal

Tom Beal

Doug Beckle

Gail Beckle

Michelle Bethuram

Vicki Bethuram

Vaughn Bethuram

Jimmy Bishop

Jim Burkett

Paul Burkett

Stanley Burkett

Audrey (Bunny) Burpee

Claudia (Kitty) Burpee

Linda Carlson

Gayle Cunkle

Lynda Cunkle

Jon Curtis

Mike Dunlap

Mike Dunn

Pat Dunn

Sharon Eastwood

Mike Ely

John Gleason

David Hagerman

Hazel Hagerman

Ruth Hoshel

Dennis Hotrum

Jeff Houldsworth

Johnny Irwin

Jim Johnson

Gordon (Bo) Karsen

Kenny Karsen

Jo Ann Keith

Gary Kozik

Lindsey Kozik

Kathleen Kroll

Lawrence Kroll

Robert Lovejoy

Dan Manning

John Manning

Bob Mayer

Bradley Meyers

Cameron Miller

Mona Miller

Susan Parker

Jim Pierce

Nancy Pierce

Marshall Prange

Carla Prange

Marilyn M. Reed

Shannon Lee Reed

Robert Peter Rice

Rosemary Rice

Linda Russell

Dan Sattlemeier

Bob Sills

Marlene Sills

Myrna Sills

Terry Smith

Timm Smith

Jon Lee Snyder

Gary Stephenson on Millard Rd.

Pam Stevens

Kay Marie Wall

John Weatherwax

Peter Wolgamood