This continues a series adapted from the book, “A Port Oneida Collection,” Volume 1 of the twopart set, “Oral History, Photographs, and Maps from the Sleeping Bear Region,” produced by Tom Van Zoeren in partnership with Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear. Here we take a look at the North Unity School, along M-22 on Lake Narada.
The North Unity School was constructed, and began operations, around 1879—part of a system of log schoolhouses in Cleveland Township. Laura Basch (and her father George Olsen) did all their schooling there. Laura went all the way through the eighth grade. To continue beyond that she would have had to find a way to go to Glen Arbor or another town where there was a high school. However, like many at that time, she began working full-time at that point.
Laura walked to and from school, about a mile & a half via shortcuts: “We went across the swamp sometimes to make it closer, if it wasn’t flooded; and if it was flooded, then we had to take the road. And then sometimes we had to walk in water; and we all had cloth overshoes and stuff like that, and it was a cordwood road there [built up by laying down logs as a foundation]. I think some of that cordwood still comes out once in a while. And Richard (Brunson) and I always walked home holding hands. We were always going to get married someday. But he’s long gone . . .
