In 1836 there were no free schools such as we know them now. People formed groups and raised the money by subscription and then hired someone to instruct their children for a few months in the year.
Scripture reading and prayer opened each day's session, which closed with roll call, after which a bill was made out for each scholar.

Hannah Beardsley, the first teacher in Crystal Lake, taught her class in 1838 in the first schoolhouse, which was a log cabin 20 feet square with a shake roof, puncheon floor, and a large stone chimney. The desks were made of split logs, smooth side up, fastened to the wall. Benches for the advanced scholars were also of split logs. The primary seats extended across the center of the room. The school was located on the John Buehler corner lot at McHenry and Virginia Street. If the pupils ceased writing with their goose quill pens to gaze out the
window, they often saw deer.

Frederick Joselyn was the second teacher. Warren Jackman taught there in the winter of 1841-42 and also the next winter at $18 per month and board. Louise Pomeroy was another early day teacher. Church services and a singing school were also held in the school house.

In 1843 a frame school house was erected on King Street, near the location of the former Libbie Duffy Reynolds playground, now the site of St. Thomas School. Dr. E. Ballou taught there for a time before 1850. Immediately after the passing of the Free School Act in 1855, taxes were levied and a two story brick building replaced the frame one on the same 6th Grade crystal lake 1911 site. Public funds financed the first floor, and the second story was paId for by a group of public citizens.

Also in 1843 a school was built in Nunda of oak lumber, and 
Its first teacher was Miss A. McOmber, who was paid $1.75., per week for five pupils.
 
About 1846, the establishment of an academy might have been proposed as the Congregational Church group considered selling the church they were building for use as an academy. Just when the Crystal Lake Academy was started is not clearly shown, but it is thought to have been about 1850.
It was known that the young people of most of the prominent early families attended this school. Many of them became teachers, some lawyers and one, Ira Chase, became the Governor of Indiana.
 
As soon as the Free School -Law became effective, the Crystal Lake Academy failed financially and the building and grounds fell into the the hands of S.S. Gates, who made it his home. Now it is the Parish House (Tarpley House) of St. Mary's Episcopal Church.
The Congregational Church maintained a select school in the chapel of the church grounds. Mrs. Clara Dike told of another private school which she attended in the hall of the Marlowe-Fitch block on Virginia Street. Also for a time, in the mid-1930's, the building which is now the American Legion Home on Woodstock St., housed a
private school.

In 1936 the death of H.A Dean, superintendent of both the
elementary and high school, marked the beginning of a new era in education for Crystal Lake. Leon Lundahl became superintendent of the elementary school district, known as Community Consolidated School District 47, and Dean Ewing became superintendent of High School District 155. Each district had its own board of education. District 47 encompassed several rural school districts, absorbing several in the 1940's and 1950's, including Haligus, Holcombville, Munshawville, and Terra Cotta. These schools were closed and students transported each day to and from
 Crystal Lake.

The last school to be consolidated into District
47 was Ridgefield in 1973. Although classes continued to be held there for several years, it was finally closed and the building sold in 1981.
High School District 155 overlapped District 47, but also included Cary and Fox River Grove. Those students were transported each day to Crystal Lake until 1961, when the Cary-Grove High School was constructed on Three Oaks Road in Cary. Further growth in Crystal Lake necessitated the Building of South High School in 1978 and growth continues to this day.

The district has the largest student enrollment in McHenry County with over 9,000 students.
These students are housed in 12 buildings consisting of nine elementary schools and three middle schools. We also have an early childhood center adjacent to an elementary school that houses approximately 100 special preschool students.

Throughout the years the schools of Crystal Lake have maintained a tradition for academic excellence. Boards of Education have always provided superior facilities and equipment for the community.

Compiled by John Husmann and the Crystal lake Sesquicentennial history committee