Carried By Surprise: An Update on the School Property

Oh, to live like a river flows, carried by the surprise of its own unfolding. (John O’Donohue)

The school property continues to surprise us. First, by unveiling gifts that were hidden on the land when we first began to clear it and then, by shaping our response to these gifts.

When Glen Lake Community School Board decided to put the small land triangle up for sale in Dec 2017, we weren’t exactly happy about it. We were in process of building our home on the adjacent 2.5 acres and never imagined the school property would go up for sale and actually be buildable! We purchased the half acre immediately, stretching our finances beyond comfort, because we wanted to ensure a privacy buffer for our original land purchase. We didn’t really want the school property and had no plans for it.

As we cleared the land, we discovered the school property had a personality of its own. It gave us unexpected gifts, like the concrete front steps and partial foundation remains of a one-room schoolhouse, connection with our new community, and a felt presence of those who lived before us. And it partnered with us one step at a time, by silently showing us how to care for these gifts. We decided to befriend this unique character, to trust the process by simply following the trajectory as it emerged. The school project, as we began to call it, was not calculated with the usual questions: What are we doing? Why are we doing it? What are we doing it for? How are we going to do it? When does it need to be done? What should the outcome be?  It felt easy, playful, free, and resulted with the historical site that now exists on the property.

Here’s a quick summary and photos of specific actions taken since initial clean-up of the land last spring:

After discovering the initial foundation of Miller Hill School, we removed alot of dirt one wheelbarrow at a time, to expose the full concrete front steps and partial foundation remains of Miller Hill School.

 

While digging in the dirt, we discovered a variety of buried treasures: metal tools, an ink bottle, pieces of ornate school desk legs, metal tools, a large serving spoon, a door knob, a metal toy gun, a small animal trap and more. Some of our grandchildren are eager to dig for additional treasures next time they visit.

After finding three pictures and collecting bits and pieces of historical information about this little known school, we worked with IMAGE360 of Traverse City MI to create a weather-proof sign. Lloyd built the frame by using cedar that was leftover from our home building project.

We purchased a Little Free Library with a Christmas cash gift from Vicki’s parents (had been saving it for just the right occasion), named it Miller Hill School Library and attached it to a tree stump near the front steps of the school. It is appropriately shaped like a one room schoolhouse, to honor six decades of teachers and students at Miller Hill School. The Little Free Library is registered with www.LittleFreeLibrary.org  and can be found on their world map by searching zipcode 49664.

We cleared and tilled a small garden area near the school with plans to plant three apple trees this spring. We planted red and yellow tulip bulbs in the front corner of this area. Hopefully, they’ll  bloom this spring before the deer eat them.

We created paths throughout the school yard property, signs for where the well and privy used to be, and installed a fire pit in the school yard for possible future neighborhood gatherings.

We hosted a small on-site covid-style gathering in early October to thank local historians and a few neighbors who helped with the school project.

And last of all, we set  up a Landmark and Historical Site facebook page for Miller Hill School. This page, Miller Hill School, provides a collection of historical information about the school and invites others to share additional information, pictures or stories.

We never expected the school property to evolve to more than just a privacy buffer for us. We’re glad we allowed ourselves to be carried by the surprise of its unfolding and that others continue to share in the process. Just recently, someone offered to give us a cast iron school bell that had been sitting on their property for years. They thought it would be a fun addition to the historical site and we agree. Next time there are children playing school at the site, they will have a bell to ring!

 

 

 

 

Vicki Vanderkwaak On December 2, 2020   /   A Journey