South Salem Stone School

South Salem Stone School. . , Also known as the Jarvis School, this stone school was built in 1857 to replace an earlier log school across the street. This is the only surviving one-room stone school house in Washtenaw County. The building served the surrounding farm community as a public school for more than one hundred years until 1965 when it was annexed to the Plymouth-Canton Community School District. In 1978, it was given to the Salem Area Historical Society for restoration. The Society uses the school for local historical archives and for meetings. , , The structure is impressive in the detail given to the stone work and lack of any other decoration. The main stone structure has not been changed other than to break through the wall below a window to provide a rear entrance. The builder is unknown, probably local, and the stone locally gathered. , , In the early years there was a three- to four-month winter term with a male teacher, and a five-month summer term with a female teacher. In 1865, Carrie S. Thayer contracted to teach 13 weeks for $28.00 per month, and George P. Voorhies for 16 weeks for $40.00 per month. School Board records of 1870 show that George McCormick was paid $41.25 for boarding the teacher.