State Public School at Coldwater

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State Public School at Coldwater
State Public School at Coldwater.jpg
State Public School at Coldwater
General information
Location520 Marshall Rd.,
Coldwater, Michigan
Coordinates 41°57′40″N84°59′55″W / 41.961070°N 84.998602°W / 41.961070; -84.998602
Completed1874
DesignatedMay 13, 1981

Michigan's State Public School at Coldwater was an model institution at Coldwater, Michigan. It was established by the state legislature in 1871, but was not formally opened until 1874. This institution paralleled a trend of state governments founding nonsectarian schools to provide for the education and support of dependent and ill-treated children from poorhouses. The goal of the institution was to accept, care for, educate, and place children aged four to sixteen who either came from county poorhouses, were abandoned, are orphans, or are those whose parents were convicted of crime in order to help them become independent. [1] The board of control, however, had the discretionary power vested in it of admitting children under two where circumstances warranted such an exception. [2] At least ten states later adopted Michigan's state "school" system to care for public wards, including Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, Rhode Island, Texas, and Wisconsin. [3]

In 1902 there were 155 inmates in the school. The school was located on a farm of 160 acres, covered partly by orchards, ornamental trees, and gardens. The buildings consisted of an administration building, schoolhouse proper, and nine cottages among which the inmates are distributed. Under the superintendence of matrons who were specially qualified for that work, this system of cottages attempted to foster a love for home life. Michigan was the first in establishing this type of school. Similar institutions were later established in Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas, Montana, Colorado, Wisconsin, Texas, Nebraska, Alabama, Rhode Island, and Nevada. [2]

In 1935, State Public School was renamed to Michigan Children's Village and began restricting admission to children with mild mental impairments. [4]

The buildings and grounds became part of the Florence Crane Correctional Facility in 1985. The facilities closed in 2011, [5] and in 2019 several buildings were torn down. [6]

References

  1. ↑ Katz, Elizabeth D. "Fostering Faith: Religion and Inequality in the History of Child Welfare Placements". Fordham Law Review. 92: 2115. SSRN   4566892.
  2. 1 2 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain :  "State Public School"  . New International Encyclopedia . 1905.
  3. ↑ Katz, Elizabeth D. "Fostering Faith: Religion and Inequality in the History of Child Welfare Placements". Fordham Law Review. 92: 2117. SSRN   4566892.
  4. ↑ "State Public School at Coldwater / Coldwater Regional Center". Michigan Historical Markers. Waymarking.com. May 31, 2007. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
  5. ↑ "Announcement of the Closing of Florence Crane Correctional Facility". michigan.gov (Press release). State of Michigan. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  6. ↑ Reid, Don (August 6, 2019). "Old 'State Home' buildings come down". The Daily Report. Retrieved October 5, 2019.


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