Woodson County Public Schools Many thanks to Woodson County Commissioner, Bill Linde for transcribing and contributing this. -------------------------------------------------- KSGENWEB INTERNET GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY COPYRIGHT NOTICE: In keeping with the KSGenWeb policy of providing free information on the Internet, this data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other gain. Copying of the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. --------------------------------------------------- WOODSON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS 1 8 5 7 HISTORY OF Allen and Woodson Counties KANSAS ILLUSTRATED 1901 The early history of the schools of Woodson County is very similar to that of scores of other counties in the Eastern half of Kansas. The pioneers were men and women who came to make homes. The great majority were men and women of good education and, next to the making of homes they were interested in the education of their children. In 1857 the common school system was in the first stage of its evolution even in the states east of the Mississippi. The Kansas pioneer tried to begin the education of his children at the point where it was broken off when he moved from the East. Under the territorial law there was an attempt at the organization of a public school system. The free state legislature of 1858 took some steps in this direction and created the office of Territorial Superintendent of Schools, though the first incumbent of that office, James N. Noteware, has left on record no report of the condition of the schools during his administration. His successor, S. W. Greer, did much towards organizing the schools into a system, as did his successor, J. C. Douglas, the last of the territorial superintendents. W. R. Griffith was the first state superintendent and died soon after his election. His successor, S. M. Thorp, was killed in the sacking of Lawrence. Then came Isaac T. Goodnow, a man of great force of character and fine executive ability. To his recommendation the passage of many wise school laws of the earlier days is due. He organized the state school system as it stood until the year 1876. The school laws were revised in that year, and the Hon. D. W. Finney, of Woodson County, then a state senator, was chairman of the committee on revision. The first school taught in the county was taught at Neosho Falls. It was taught in the summer of 1858 by Miss Emma Coulter. Early settlers say she was a very pretty, stylish young lady and was well liked. (A standard, by the way, that seems to have been maintained throughout the district's history.) Following the close of this term, Ebenezer H. Curtis opened a private school in the in the building which now stands south of Mrs. Tydeman's and back from the street in Neosho Falls. Mr. Curtis was a man of good education and was a popular teacher. When the war broke out he entered the Union Army and subsequently became the colonel of a colored regiment. When last heard from, some eight years ago, he was living near Baxter Springs, Kansas. In the winter of 1860-61 George Waite taught a private school in the Viteto building just east of Highbargin's hotel. During the next winter Mrs. Brengle taught a school in her home, the house now known as the John Bryant house, and had an enrollment of twenty-five pupils. In January, 1863, the new County Superintendent, E. J. Brown began the organization of the county into school districts. They were numbered consecutively in each township. Number One, Owl Creek township, was organized January 17th, of that year. Number One, Neosho Falls township, was organized January 15th, as was Number One, Belmont township, Number One, Liberty township, was created January 24th, and Number One Liberty township, was created January 24th, and Number One, Toronto township, was organized April 25th, all of the same year. Thomas Holland taught the first public school in Neosho Falls. About this time lumber was obtained for a new school house, but I am told the greater portion of it was "jayhawked" by a wagon maker who had a shop near by. The law of recompense was vindicated, however, in a peculiar way. At that time there was a small building two lot north of Dulinsky's store that was used as a cooper shop. Early in the war the proprietor stole away and later the news came bach that he had joined the Rebel Army and was killed in battle. No relatives appeared to claim his property, and the cooper shop was appropriated and made use of as a school house. The first "new" school house was built in Neosho Falls in 1869. A second room was added in 1871, and in 1872 the district purchased the old land office building just south at a cost of $1,000. This served as the high school building until January, 1900, when it was abandoned for school purposes, sold, and the new building, just then completed, was occupied. The new building has six rooms, is built of brick and is of modern architecture. Among those who once taught in the Neosho Falls schools I find the names of A. F. Palmer, later a county superintendent; J. N. Shannon, now a prosperous merchant of Vernon; J. J. McBride, a brilliant scholarly man who came to his death in a tragic manner at Toronto in 1886; J. N. Stout, ex-editor of the Post: A .J. Jones, later probate judge and county attorney; A. H. Newton, of the Humboldt schools, and J. W. D. Anderson, a man of brilliant attainments and literary aspirations, who died at Omaha, Nebraska. Operating under a new law, in 1865, Mr. W. B. Stines, then county superintendent, proceeded to number the school districts of the county in consecutive order. There was a rivalry among the various districts in the position of "Number One." Neosho Falls especially pushed her claims for that place. The coveted number was conferred on a Liberty township district near Mr. Stines' home. Neosho Falls was Numbered Eight, which number she still bears, but the district squared matters with Mr. Stines at the next election by casting a heavy vote against him and securing his defeat. The official records show that a school was taught in Toronto in the summer of 1864 by R. W. Richardson, that forty-nine pupils were enrolled, of which only twenty-three were residents of the district. for the term of three months. E. Kellogg was the district clerk. The next year Mr. Richardson again taught the school, receiving $20. per month. The clerk reports that the school house was built with money raised by levying a district tax. The house so built served its purpose until 1882, when a house of four rooms was erected and A. J. Jones was the first principal. In 1899 it was found necessary to build two more rooms to meet the growing needs of the school. G. H. Lamb was principal for a number of years, as was E. E. Kelley. Mrs. Ella Crockett served twelve years in the primary room.