From Heaters to Hallways: The Manufacturing Journey of Smith System

August 19, 2025

Long before Smith System became a trusted name in school furniture, we were solving more fundamental needs like keeping classrooms warm and students hydrated. Our manufacturing roots stretch back to the early 1900s, when the American traditional schoolhouse looked vastly different, but the mission was the same: support better learning by improving the environment around it.

A Warm Beginning: Heating the One-Room Schoolhouse

Founded in 1905, Smith System began by manufacturing heating stoves for one-room schoolhouses. These were critical tools at a time when rural schools relied on wood or coal-burning stoves to keep students warm during long winters. Smith System’s early products helped bring comfort and safety to early American education, one school at a time.

Quenching Thirst: Smith System Bubblers

As school buildings expanded and modernized in the early 20th century, so did their infrastructure needs. Smith System answered with another essential product: bubblers or what many know today as drinking fountains. Designed and built with the same care and practicality as our stoves, Smith System’s bubblers provided clean, accessible drinking water in schools across the country.

This era marked a key transition from heating to health and wellness while still serving students, but now in more holistic ways. The bubblers became a fixture in schools, reflecting the company’s ongoing commitment to improving the day-to-day student experience.

A Shift to School Furniture

By the mid-20th century, as HVAC systems and municipal water lines became more common, the need for individual heaters and bubblers began to fade. But Smith System saw a new opportunity; emerging furniture for learning. With deep manufacturing knowledge and a growing reputation for reliability, the company shifted focus to crafting school desks, chairs, and storage solutions.

This was more than a change in product, it was a strategic move that would redefine Smith System’s future.

Building the Foundations of the Modern Classroom

Through the 1960s and beyond, Smith System manufactured furniture built to last with durable steel frames, functional designs, and student-focused ergonomics. Schools across the U.S. trusted Smith System to deliver classroom essentials that supported both teaching and learning.

The company’s early experience with practical, everyday needs (like warmth and hydration) translated into furniture solutions that were equally grounded in functionality, comfort, and care.

Manufacturing for 21st-Century Learning

Today, Smith System manufactures a full spectrum of furniture for Pre-K through Higher Ed, with a focus on collaboration, mobility, and flexibility. Our products are still proudly built in the U.S., using sustainable materials and processes that reflect our ongoing commitment to innovation in learning environments.

Whether it's a Flowform® Learn Lounge piece that promotes social-emotional learning, a Planner® Studio Table designed for CTE programs, or a Flavors® stackable student chair—every product is an evolution of that original promise: support learning by meeting real needs.

From Bubblers to Breakthroughs

Looking back, the journey from heaters and bubblers to cutting-edge learning environments may seem unexpected but at Smith System, it was always about students. We’ve grown alongside schools, adapting our manufacturing to meet new needs at every turn.

Because no matter the era, when schools need support, Smith System builds solutions.