Miller School

This wood frame building is a replica of the Miller School, of which Henry Ford attended from 1872 to 1874. The original stood in Springwells Township on Chicago Road (now Michigan Avenue or US 12) - more than two miles from his home - where Ford's instructor at the Scotch Settlement School, John Brainard Chapman, was transferred. Mr. Ford changed schools at the same time to remain with his favorite teacher.
It was here that Ford and his classmates constructed a steam turbine, a waterwheel, and a forge to make castings.
And the time period this school represents were of the days of paddles, dunce caps, and wood stoves.
This replica is actually a copy of the second Miller School. The first was a log cabin built in the 1830's. I am not sure when the building that Ford attended was built, but all accounts say it was torn down around the turn of the 20th century.
This replica was built inside of Greenfield Village in 1943.
Unfortunately, the school is not open to the general public, but teachers can request its usage for field trips to teach to their students in the old fashioned way - without the paddling, I'm sure!



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