History of
AuGres-Sims School 

The first school in AuGres, as described by an early settler, "was a one-story building which was destroyed by fire."  Another two-story building was built soon afterwards.  Some of the first teachers were a Mr. Greg, W. H. Sanburn, Mr. Yost, Mae Peters, Frank Noggle, Mrs. Alvria Grimore, Emily Perkins, Miss Cannon, and E. G. Cole.  This school burned and was replaced by a more modern building in 1902.  Later on elementary Ward I school was built and additional grades were added to care for the increasing enrollment.  In 1937, the people built a grade school and organized a 12 grade school.  Calvin Ennes was superintendent.

AuGres' first school was given the nickname "Cheese Box."  For six years William Pomerville drove the bus and did the janitor work at the school for $30 per month.

A Township Unit School was organized about the year 1941.  The Point AuGres, Pine Grove, and the AuGres School Ward I were consolidated into a Township School Unit.  Upon consolidation four busses were put in operation to transport the children to and from the school.

In 1942, Tonkey Road School in Sims Township transported the pupils to AuGres.  Two years later the Township Units consolidated to form what is now the AuGres-Sims Township Unit.

Riverside School District and a portion of Whitney Township along the lake shore joined soon afterwards.

With the influx of students from consolidation of outlying districts, it was necessary to build a new modern school.  Today, the high school building and gymnasium cares for seven through twelve, and a new elementary building has been erected for the primary and later elementary.

 
* We would like to thank Annabelle Goodman for allowing us to reprint portions of "AuGres Centennial, From Timber to Tourists, History of AuGres Area." 



Physical Plant Building History

The building that is now the junior/senior high school was built in 1948 and was the only school building of the district. Eight classrooms, two bathrooms and a district office were built. These rooms contained the elementary, junior, and senior high school grades. A steam heating system that burned coal was installed at that time. In 1949, gymnasium and three additional classrooms were built.  One of the classrooms was originally built as the food services room; it still has the utility connections.

A separate elementary school, which was comprised of eight classrooms, two bathroom, office, kitchen, boiler room, and multi-purpose room, was built in 1960.  In 1967, a wing of seven classrooms, teachers' lounge, and library was added.  This completed the elementary school's configuration as it stands today.  The steam boiler heating system being used today in the 1960 portion of the building dates from the original 1960 construction; the remaining heating equipment in use today is the original heating system installed when construction of the 1967 addition took place.

The coal-fired boiler in the 1948-49 building, which became the junior/senior high school when the elementary school was built, was converted in 1959 to an oil-fired boiler, and later converted to gas.  The remaining heating equipment dates to the original 1948-49 construction. A new west wing was added in 1980, which was comprised of four classrooms, a band room, and wood shop.  A steam-to-water heat exchanger was added to the building steam system to supply hot water to heat the new wing.  The library was added in 1987.

The next building was the installation of a portable classroom, currently located next to the elementary school in 1996.  Today it serves as a Head Start classroom.

In September of 1999 the voters approved a millage proposal allowing construction to begin in the spring of 2000.  The project included six new classrooms, new administration office, renovations of some existing classrooms in both the high school and elementary and the gymnasium, a new heating system in all of the buildings, a new multipurpose room, and an enclosed walkway between the high school and elementary school.


 

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