photograph
Catalog Number
2022.18.5Description
Photograph from a West Ottawa yearbook showing homecoming court, including class mayor Mike Jacobs, ca. 1968.History
Michael Jacobs was born on 7-10-1951 in Holland, MI to Robert Jacobs (1925-2006) and Faye Piers (1926-2005). The family lived at 666 Pinecrest Drive in Holland Charter Township, MI. Mike had three siblings: Robert Jacobs, Jr.; Thomas Jacobs; and, Barbara Jacobs Cajka.Mike attended Waukazoo School and, later, West Ottawa High School where he served as mayor and was a member of both the tennis and basketball teams. He passed away in Holland, MI on 1-24-1969 at the age of 17.
West Ottawa started as the Suburban Junior High School in 1958 in the Beechwood School No.1 building on Howard Avenue. There were 126 students in the first freshman class and room was made for them in the Beechwood school building by moving some elementary students to the nearby Beechwood Reformed Church. There were plans in place for a school district consolidation, but there was an immediate need for a placement for ninth grade students from 12-15 school districts in the area and the Beechwood district voted to provide a set up for the 9th graders for one year until the consolidation could take place. The 15 school districts involved in the committee for school consolidation were Waukazoo, Pine Creek, Beechwood, Waverly, Lakewood, Harlem, Ventura, North Holland, Robart, West Crisp, East Crisp, Olive Center, West Olive, Noordeloos and Connell.
In October 1958, thirteen school districts from four townships in Ottawa County voted to consolidate into one district under the name of Suburban Schools Consolidation. One of the first things to be determined was a new name for the district which eventually became West Ottawa School District. West Ottawa High School remained at the Howard Ave. building, adding a grade level up each year, until a new building was built at 136th Ave and Riley St. in 1960, with the school officially starting in 1961 with 1,107 students enrolling in the junior and senior high schools. Read More