11/06/2022
Below is a picture of the Fenton Seminary. According to the Nomination form filed with the National Register of Historic Places in 1982
“Fentonville distinguished itself early with a highly developed private and public school system. The Fentonville public system was, as of 1876, one of the five systems in the state on the University of Michigan’s accredited list. Unfortunately the private school system failed when financial difficulties, not unknown to such institutions, forced it to close its doors. In addition to primary and secondary schools , Fentonville had three instructions of higher learning, one of which was the private Fenton Seminary, founded by Rosina L. Dayfoot under the auspices of the Baptist Church.
A two-story frame building was the first to house the Fenton Seminary, which served as a feeder preparatory school for Kalamazoo College in the western part of the state. This structure was soon followed, circa 1867, by the extant monumental stone structure at 309 High Street. At the height of its success, the seminary boasted classes in business, languages, music and calisthenics. By 1886,however, the school’s trustees found it impossible to continue operation of the Fenton Seminary and offered the building and grounds to the Baptist Ministers Aid Society. From that time until very recently, it has been known as the Baptist Ministers Home and served as a retirement home for clerics.
The three-story sone structure was originally constructed in the Second Empire Style, complete with a mansard roof, dormers, and rounded arch windows. A severe fire in 1899, however, destroyed the entire interior, roof, and the original two-story veranda with its balustrades and divided front steps. During the building’s reconstruction in 1900, the porch was altered to feature two stone piers, the front stairway was built as a singke flight, and the third story was eliminated and replaced by a truncated hip roof. The new roof’s details included a centrally placed gable dormer flanked by fanciful metal dormers.
Fenton also had two Episcopal schools , Latimer Hall and Ridley Hall. Latimer Hall was the boys’ school and opened November 14, 1872. The headmaster was Rev. O. E. Fuller. Latimer Hall was located at the west end of Rockwell. It was destroyed by fire in 1907.
Ridley Hall was the Episcopal school for girls and opened 1876. Ridley Hall was on the north side of town at Thurber and First Street. It later became The Normal School.
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