Their High School - Redford High School

First a short summary on relevant history to provide background info, short and sweet.

Michigan was part of the Northwest Territory back in 1787. The Territory underwent divisions into states and then counties that started as broad swaths of the Michigan area. Wayne County went from the Detroit River to the other side of the area. As settlers came in and there were enough residents to provide a minimal government structure the counties increasing became smaller in the southern tier of Michigan. Then the land survey of 1818 took place in order to divide the land into parcels that could be sold primarily to pay of war debt from 1812. The township range system is a very practical method of dividing counties into township of 36 square miles. They each get a unique identifier, such as T1S, R10E for Redford. Redford was founded in 1833; the state established in 1835.

The First Redford Township High School

Each township was authorized to determine whether to maintain a local school. Redford soon had 10 separate school districts. There was no high school and any student who wanted to continue after grammar school went to Detroit with the Township covering the fee. In 1913 Detroit raised the fee to discourage non-residents; that year the Township had to pay for 13 high school applications. So in 1914 they constructed a two story building on Grand River at Six Mile Rd., the first Burt School. But it was so large, people thought. By 1921 it was too small and a new school was built across the street, the first section of Redford High School. This area around the school was the heart of the township, Sand Hill. It was the commercial hub, had the upscale neighborhoods, movers and shakers lived here  and was centered on Grand River Ave, a major thoroughfare. It grew quickly while the rest of the township remained rural. South Redford School District didn’t even have a high school until 1957. 

1921



But residents of the fast growing Sand Hill and Rosedale neighborhoods lamented the poor roads and cash strapped school system. They envied the wonderful improvements in Detroit next door. So the citizens in 1926 voted in favor and 2/3 of the township was annexed by Detroit, including the schools located there. The township lost the high school and several elementary schools which became part of the Detroit Public School system. Even the president of the Redford Union district Board of Education left with the schools.

So for several years Township students again had to go to high school in Detroit. It was 1931 before the township had a temporary high school combined in an elementary school.  A new Township high school was finally constructed 1941.



Pewabic Tile Drinking fountain

Meanwhile Redford school underwent several additions and improvements over the years to accommodate the fast growing populace. Oddly placed staircases had to accommodate sections from different construction periods. And some corners of the school were just plain weird to get to. The school was located on a main bus route (there was no public bussing – they walked). For much of its history it was a premier Detroit school. Students came from wealthy Rosedale Park, blue collar Brightmoor, and all the neighborhoods in between. There were college prep classes, ROTC, and vocational instruction.

RHS 1948

 

The information is taken from the book “Redford Township, Michigan an Early History in Photos” which provides a detailed account of the township history. An entire chapter focuses on schools.

 

The New Memorial Plaque



Unclear is what geographic area the school covered and whether students could easily attend high schools outside their neighborhood. Some of the Memorial Plaque students seemed to live in far areas of Detroit.  As for nearby high schools: MacKenzie 1928-demolished 2012, Cooley 1928-closed 2010.

Another situation evident when researching these students was an assumption made that everyone graduated so had a senior photo in the yearbook. This is based on modern day thinking. In actuality prior to WWII completion of high school was a bit of a luxury. Consider that during the 1930’s Depression many chose employment over school as evidenced in the census data. Also prior to WWII Detroit was quite a boom town with all those new factories expanding offering jobs and steady pay; those same factories 40 years later contributed to its decline.

Redford was closed 2007. Demolished 2012. Today a Meijer complex is on the site. Truthfully, current Detroit is better served with a retail store rather than a school.