Bath Massacre: America's First School Bombing (38 page)

THE DEAD     

Bauerle, Arnold Victor,
8

Bergan, Henry,
14

Bergan, Herman,
11

Bromund, Robert,
12

Bromund, Emilie,
11

Burnett, Floyd Edwin,
11

Chapman, Russell,
8

Clayton, Cleo,
8

Cochran, Robert,
8

Cushman, Ralph Albert,
7

Ewing, Earl Edwin,
11

Foote, Katherine Onalee,
10
(died nine days before her tenth birthday, born May 29, 1917)

Fritz, Margory,
11

Geisenhaver, Carlyle Walter,
9

Gibbs, Beatrice,
10
(died August 23)

Hall, George, Jr.,
10

Hall, Willa Marie,
12

Hart, Iola Irene,
12
(died one month short of her thirteenth birthday, born June 19, 1914)

Hart, Percy Eugene,
11

Hart, Vivian Oletta,
9

Harte, Blanche Elizabeth, teacher

Harte, Galen Lyle,
12

Harte, LaVere Robert,
9

Harte, Stanley Horace,
12

Hoppener, Francis Otto,
13

Hunter, Cecial Lorn,
13

Huyck, Emory E., superintendent

Johns, Doris Elaine,
7

Kehoe, Andrew P.

Kehoe, Nellie

McFarren, Clarence Wendell,
13

McFarren, Nelson

McDonald, Thelma Irene,
7

Medcoff, J. Emerson,
9

Nickols, Emma Amelia,
13

Richardson, Richard Dibble,
12

Robb, Elsie Mildred,
12

Shirts, Pauline Mae,
9
(died one day before her ninth birthday, born May 19, 1916)

Smith, Glenn O., postmaster

Weatherby, Hazel Iva, teacher

Witchell, Elizabeth Jane,
10

Witchell, Lucile June,
9

Woodman, Harold LeMoyne,
8

Zimmerman, George Orval,
10

Zimmerman, Lloyd,
12

THE INJURED    

Babcock, Lloyd

Babcock, Norris

Babcock, Vera

Barnes, Ruth M.

Braska, Anna

Chapman, Earl

Delau, Arthur

Delau, Ida

Detluff, Ida

Dolton, Adabelle

Eschtruth, Iva

Eschtruth, Marian

Eschtruth, Raymond

England, Josephine

Foster, James

Frederick, Aletha

Fritz, Mr. F. M.

Fulton, Dorothy

Geisenhaver, Kenneth

Gubbins, Eva, teacher

Gutekunst, Leona, teacher

Hart, Elva

Hart, Perry

Hobert, Helen E.

Hobert, Ralph R.

Hollister, Carlton F.

Huffman, Donald J.

Huffman, June Rose

Hunter, Florence Edith

King, Lester

Komm, Florence

Komm, Helen

Mast, Lee Henry

Matson, Nina, teacher

McCoy, Pauline Mae

McCoy, Willis

McKenzie, Harold

Medcoff, Thelma

Nickols, Ottelia

Nickols, Ruth

Perrone, Mrs. J.

Proctor, Earl Fred

Proctor, Ralph Edmund

Reasoner, Lee

Reed, Lillian M.

Richardson, Martha Harriette

Richardson, Virginia Blanche

Riker, Oral

Rounds, Jack

Sage, Norman

Seeley, Ivan Freemont

Stebleton, Gail Edmund

Stivaviske, Steve

Stolls, Lester

Sweet, Ava Thelma

Sweet, Dean

Wilson, Ardis

Witchell, Kenneth

Zavistoski, Cecelia

When I initially learned about the Bath School bombing, it seemed like a great tale for any author. My first visit to Pleasant Hill Cemetery profoundly changed that perception. This was a tragic reality punctuated by the graves of so many children. I am humbled to chronicle the tragedy of May 18, 1927, and there are so many people to thank for helping me on this journey.

First are the people of Bath, who welcomed a stranger and trusted me with their heartbreak. Foremost is my angel, Michelle Allen, who not only chased down every obscure and time-consuming request I made, she also fed me and bought me apple cider. Michelle, they don’t make them better than you. This book simply would not have seen the light of day without your grace and hard work. I’m lucky to have you as a friend. The Bath School Museum Committee provided great support throughout; without the generous work of Elaine Barnard, James W. Hixson, Dean Sweet, Jr., and so many others this book just would not be the same. Gene Wilkins spent many hours sharing information and encouragement. Julie Teed is a great resource and a greater friend. Ronald D. Bauerle, 1977 Bath High School graduate, grandnephew of victim Arnold Bauerle, and creator of the Bath School Disaster Web site
(
http://freepages.history.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~bauerle/disaster.htm
) provided invaluable information. James Daggy is another great Web chronicler of the tragedy and gave me great help with his “Information about the Bath School Disaster” (
http://daggy.name/tbsd
). Thanks also to Heather Chadwick, Dr. R. G. Curtis, Roger Friend, Alice and Wayne Loomis, George Edward McConnell, John McGonigal, Florence Lowe Platt, and Patti Seehase.

Many of the photographs for this book were provided by the Bath School Museum. I am also indebted to two others who generously shared their family pictures: Timothy Howery; and Kent Curtis for photographs taken by Fred A. Stevens (1891–1978) of Perry, Michigan.

My agent, Barbara Braun, who understood the importance of this book far more than I did.

The good people at the University of Michigan Press: Ellen McCarthy, Mary Erwin, Marcia LaBrenz, Scott Ham, and all their crew.

Alan Jacobson for legal advice and all-around menschhood. I miss you every day.

David Votta of the Capital Area District Library in Lansing for answering so many questions and tracking down article after article whenever I asked. Librarians of your caliber must be praised far and wide; people like you are the reason I’m such a library geek.

Matt Martyn and Ahptic Film & Digital of Lansing for their generous support and sharing of information.

Hank Ellison (plus Rose and Sarah and Sean!) and Tom VanSwol for their expertise on technical issues.

Dana Lewandowski, who eloquently showed me the modern face of school tragedy.

For advice, support, and suggestions: Rick Kogan, friend and mentor; Randy Albers, teacher extraordinaire, and everyone at the Columbia College Fiction Department; Jay Bonansinga; Josh Culley-Foster of the Columbia College Alumni Office; Laura M. MacDonald; and Fern Schumer. Thanks to a pair of wonderful scribes in their own right, Leigh Anna Harken and Bethany Francisco, who graciously reviewed the manuscript in various forms and provided invaluable input. Sharon Wood-house and everyone at Lake Claremont Press: thanks for taking that gamble on me all those years ago. Two great bookstore owners: Allison Platt of Bookies Paperbacks and More and Constance Shabazz of Books Ink. Support your local independent bookstores, people! And, of course,
everyone at the Society of Midland Authors, America’s best authors’ association, bar none.