Tuesday, September 1, 2015
As the new school year approaches the 365 Project will feature the stories of the elementary, middle and high schools in Troy, including how the buildings were named.
Smith Middle School was named for Dr. Rex B. Smith a school administrator, who was born on March 24, 1918 near St. Joseph, Michigan in Berrien County. His early career included service as the principal of Wisner Elementary School in Pontiac and the Superintendent of the Holt School District. Dr. Smith served as the Superintendent of Troy Schools from 1957 to 1969. During his administration, he was credited with purchasing school sites in advance of rapid residential development in the new City of Troy. Dr. Smith was also active in local service organizations including the Troy Rotary Club, Kiwanis, and the Lions Club as well as the state chapter of the Michigan Association of Retired School Personnel.
Dr. Smith and his wife Geraldine had two children. Following his death on January 9, 1996, the family established the Rex B. Smith Memorial Music Scholarship Fund in care of Smith Middle School.
Sources:
Troy Historic Village Obituary files
Pathways of History Through Troy, Lois Lance, 1976
To commemorate the City of Troy’s 60th Anniversary in 2015, we will publish a different story each day that highlights a person, discovery, or event that occurred locally, regionally, nationally, or even globally between 1955 and 2015 and that helped shape our lives and our community. We will try to post stories on important anniversary dates, but we also realize that dates are less critical than content and context. We will include the facts related to controversial stories, allowing our readers to form their own opinions. We invite you to read and comment on the stories. Your suggestions for topics are also welcome and can be posted on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/TroyHistoricVillage. You can also email stories or ideas to the 365 Story Editor at ed@thvmail.org.
