Beckwith School is one of many schools in Flint, Michigan that have been forgotten and faded away with time. The Beckwith School itself served as one of the many early educational institutions of Flint, Michigan along with many others. Not much is known about the Beckwith School itself.
Beckwith School began its life in Flint, Michigan in 1896 as a single story house. This single story house was a one-room school where 1st grade through 6th grade were taught. At that time, Beckwith School was a 1-6 school. (7th grade was added later.) After students completed 6th grade, students were bussed into Flint to attend Flint Community Schools. Westwood Heights School District (Westwood Heights Schools) operated the school from 1896 to 2001.
Beckwith School had its own school district called Beckwith School District which it operated on. The school district was never well off financially. So they relied on Westwood Heights School District and Flint Community Schools for help.
1920 is Beckwith School moved to location on Clio Avenue between Carpenter Road and Pierson Road. 7th grade was added in 1920. School was taught in a two story house this time as opposed to a one story house. After students completed 6th grade and 7th grade, students transferred over to Flint Community Schools to attend Flint Central High School.
During the 1931 is when Westwood Heights School District, Beckwith School District, and Flint Community Schools had an agreement to pay the tuition of the students attending high school at Flint Central High School. Not many school districts could not pay the tuition of their high school students. Especially the rural school districts. That had meant many students didn’t get a chance to go to high school,
In 1947, Beckwith School moved to a different location on Ridgeway Avenue near the intersection of Doran Street & Ridgeway Avenue. This building was a single story red and brown brick building with a black and brown roof. For the most part, the color of the roof was black. 1950 is when Beckwith School became a K-8 school. Beckwith School became Beckwith Elementary School.
Students began attending Beecher High School operated by the Beecher Community School District in Beecher, Michigan in 1952. After 8th grade is when students transferred over to Beecher Schools to attend Beecher High School.
Beckwith School and its school district merged into Westwood Heights School District in 1957. This left Westwood Heights School District to operate Beckwith School as an elementary school for students in grades 1 through 6.
For whatever reason, 1974 is the year when Beckwith School closed. This left the school to be abandoned. Westwood Heights School District began searching for tenants they could lease from. Luck came their way in 1976. Genesee Christian School became the first tenant to lease from Beckwith School. Genesee Christian School leased quarters in the former Beckwith School in 1976. At that time, the 2-year-old school had about 100 students.
In 1987, Genesee Christian School had relocated to a bigger space thus leaving the school vacant again for the second time. Westwood Heights School District made no improvements to the building during that time.
In 1989 during the 1988-1989 fiscal year, Beckwith School burned down in a fire. The cause of the fire left just a part of the building standing and the basement was left open. That fire left the basement exposed. However the exact cause of the fire remains unknown.
1991 is when Beckwith School was demolished. The parking lot was repaved over with cement. The asphalt has since been covered up.
Beckwith School was located at Ridgeway Avenue, Flint, Michigan, US 48504.
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