Lyons/Muir Area Schools – It’s Graduation Time!

Prior to the 1840s, there were no public schools in Michigan.  The first school to operate in the area was housed in a small log shanty constructed by H.V. Libhart, was located on Libhart Street on the west side of Lyons.

Like many rural areas, Lyons and Muir public schools began as a collection of country schools – Lyons had Crane, Keefer, Murphy, Kimball, Oak Grove, and Gorham schools and Muir had Hayes, Ross, and Schaeffer schools.  In a time when there were no school buses, it was important to have rural schools located throughout the area to accommodate walking students.  Parents of schoolchildren were billed for their attendance and required to provide firewood for the school building as well.

In the early 1870s, a building was purchased for the purpose of creating a public school in Lyons.  This was later named Lyons High School and sat on the west side of the Grand river.  The school served students from elementary through high school.  The 1880 US Census records showed that 275 students between the ages of 5 and 19 attended the school.  The school was in continuous operation from 1884 until 1964, under the names Lyons High School, Union School, and Lyons Township High School.

Muir High School was built in 1883 and was located on what is now Center Street in Muir.  The school operated from 1884 through 1941.

The Lyons and Muir schools operated separately until 1942, and were said to have been competitive rivals in sports and academics.  In 1942, Muir combined with Lyons and several other area rural schools to form Muir-Lyons School.  In 1964, all Lyons Township schools (including the Muir-Lyons School) became part of the Ionia Public Schools system.

Both the Lyons High School and Muir High School buildings have long since been demolished, the former making way for construction (at a cost of $120,000 cost) of what is now the Twin Rivers Elementary School.  It was completed in 1952 and dedicated in honor of the Grand and Maple rivers flowing nearby.

Upon entering the Lyons-Muir Historical Museum, visitors will see framed Lyons and Muir high school graduating class pictures adorning the walls.  Viewing the faces and observing the changing styles of hair and clothing over the years provides a wonderful snapshot of our area’s local history.  The museum houses school yearbooks, graduation papers, and school memorabilia as well.  Be sure to take an opportunity to visit the museum during its “open” hours this summer, which will be from 1 to 4 pm on the second Sundays of June, July, and August.  The museum is also open at other times by appointment (Ph. 989/855-2472 or 517/230-7730).  In addition, the museum and Lyons Township District Library are partnering to provide tours twice this summer – drop in to the museum anytime between 11:30 am and 1:30 pm on June 18 or July 23 to check out the museum’s many displays and learn more about the history of the Lyons and Muir public schools!