Senior U.S. District Judge from Haigler

Senior U.S. District Judge Scott O. Wright of Kansas City, Missouri spent Tuesday, July 10 in the Haigler area. He is an alumnus of country school 67 South and was excited to know it is being saved and restored. He enjoyed having lunch at Jakes' Place with the Carlock brothers and talking with Lester Adams--who was in elementary school with him at 67 South.

Clipping from the Benkelman Post:

Senior U.S. District Judge Scott O. Wright of Kansas City, Missouri, visited the Haigler/Benkelman area on Tuesday, July 10. He was en route to Vail, Colorado, for meetings, but wanted to re-visit Dundy County. Senior Judge Wright is an alumnus of the one-room country school District 67 South and was thrilled to learn of the preservation and restoration project of this old schoolhouse. He gladly added his name to the list of donors for the project, and said: "I look forward to returning to Haigler after the school is moved and will watch its progress on the Haigler Blog."

Born in a stone house on a farm west of Haigler to Jesse and Irline (Slaughter) Wright, he has wonderful memories of growing up in this area. His elementary school classmates included Lester Adams, Ward Wonder, Stanley Long and Harriet Long. Senior Judge Wright served as a Marine Corps aviator and member of a Dive Bomber Squadron during World War II before obtaining a law degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1950. His legal career alternated between private practice and stints as a prosecuting attorney. He was appointed to the federal bench by President Jimmy Carter in 1979 and served as chief judge from 1985-1990. He assumed senior judge status in 1991.
--The Benkelman Post & News-Chronicle, July 18, 2007

People went to school longer in the Old Days

Question:

In the box of things you loaned me last time I was there, is a memento from the Shady Nook school dated 1906. It has Mae, Georgia, Arthur, Pearl, Ruth and Leah Bartlett all as pupils. Wouldn’t Grandma have been 20 years old that year??? Did those country school go clear through high school? I am just curious about why Grandma 20 years old and Georgia 17 years old would have been in school.

Answer:
Yes, Back in those days the older students went to school after farm work was done in the fall. My mamma went to school some years after she was 20. Gramma Bartlett told me 25. In Jewell County. I know that she was taking algebra but some crank in the district complained about the teacher taking time to teach high school subjects so she didn't get to finish. The older students would help with the younger ones so I think that it was unreasonable for a complaint.

It was soon after that that they moved to Cheyenne County. She and Aunt Georgia didn't go to school anymore . And Uncle Art had to farm. Some of the younger ones went to Parks and/or Benkelman high school. And then when Frances was ready for high school, grandma moved to St. Francis with her and Harry. I will ask Margaret if Harry finished 8th grade there--those years. Frances got married before she graduated.
Also Aunt Georgia moved in to town too and the girls went to school there. Margaret remembers the school there. She tells about coming home and telling about a little boy named "Blowey" in her class. (Wyndon Hurlock)

1897-98 Prairie Flower School - Jewell County, Kansas

1902-03 Paradise School - Jewell County, Kansas

1906 Shady Nook School - Jewell County, Kansas

Jewell County, Kansas School

I'm not sure which school this is, but I found it amoung the pictures in "Grandma's Suitcase", so I'm sure it is a school in Jewell County Kansas. I think my grandmother, Bessie Mae (Bartlett) Crabtree is third from the left.

1898-1899 Prairie Flower School - Jewell County, KS

1906-1907 Shady Nook School - Jewell County, Kansas