History

ROYAL OAK SCHOOLS HISTORY

Royal Oak Schools has a rich and rooted history in the Royal Oak community.

The first school was Union School, it opened its doors in 1902.

Since then over 50 more schools have come and gone with the growth and needs of the city.

In a Superintendent's memo from 1957, then Superintendent James C. Covert wrote: "the total population of the school district has increased from 33,000 in 1947 to 71,400 in 1957, while the student population has risen from 6,847 in 1947 to 15,893 in the present school year."

Eight new buildings were built in the early '50s:

  • Jane Addams Elementary, Junior High School, and Shop
  • Thomas Jefferson Elementary School
  • Royal Oak Clarence M. Kimball High School
  • Abraham Lincoln Elementary School
  • Lockman Elementary School
  • Mark Twain Elementary School
  • Oak Ridge Elementary School
  • and Alfred E. Upton Elementary School

Other schools open during this time were:

  • Clara Barton Junior High School
  • Royal Oak George Dondero High School
  • Benjamin Franklin Elementary School
  • Ulysses S. Grant Elementary School
  • Mary Lyon Junior High School
  • Oakland Elementary School
  • Parker Elementary School
  • Starr Elementary School
  • George Washington Elementary School

MORE ON OUR HISTORY

Use this link to see the old buildings and read about the history of each school, when it opened and when it closed, and view photo archives.

Also, read about the 100 Years Celebration and see pictures from then and now.

Read about "the Murals," and how they were discovered after being in storage for over 25 years.

View the opening of the Lincoln Elementary Time Capsule - learn about its discovery and hear from students about what was inside it.

And look back at the many teachers that have won "Teacher of the Year" for Royal Oak Schools.