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

Moving District 67 South

Fund drives & tours are being planned for Haigler alumni weekend, grants are being written, and initial work is being done on the school --getting it ready for the move in early August. The one room country school house was in a cornfield owned by Steven and Jody Crouse. They have donated the building, Stan and I are paying for the move to Haigler, the Carlock brothers (Stan and Marv) have been doing all the cleanup work inside the school and will lay a new subflooring for the move. We have already received some donations of dollars, materials, and labor. Stay tuned for more news as the project continues to develop.
-- LeNeta Carlock

District 67 South - Dundy County

I was so excited when I saw this picture and insert in the "Haigler Happenings" today!

It says:

"Have you seen the big sign with red bows on Porter Avenue? It says "Future Home of Country School District 67 South." Plans are under way to save the one-room country schoolhouse, move the school from the country to town and do a complete restoration. Stay tuned for more information as the project develops. One-room schoolhouses were important in the development of our country and local citizens are happy that South 67 is to be moved from its lonely corner in Steve's cornfield to a place of prominence in the village. Stan and LaNeta Carlock are spearheading the project." -- The Benkelman Post & News-Chronicle - April 25, 2007

The saving of this building is something I wish we would see more of. Every time one of the old buildings are demolished, I feel sad that they are gone. The fact that Steve, Stan & LaNeta are willing to go to the expense and effort to move this building is an awsome thing! Many of the old country schools have been moved to other property or destroyed because the land needs to be folded into the field where it sits. And this is as it should be. There is no reason to leave the buildings there to decay because they will never be used again as a school.

I'm not sure what the plans are for this building, but a restored country school will be a great place to set up a museum and/or gift shop to store "memories" for us old folks who like to remember what it was like in "the old days." (I know I'm not the only one who feels this way)

-- Editor

I was so excited when I saw this picture and insert in the "Haigler Happenings" today!

It says:

"Have you seen the big sign with red bows on Porter Avenue? It says "Future Home of Country School District 67 South." Plans are under way to save the one-room country schoolhouse, move the school from the country to town and do a complete restoration. Stay tuned for more information as the project develops. One-room schoolhouses were important in the development of our country and local citizens are happy that South 67 is to be moved from its lonely corner in Steve's cornfield to a place of prominence in the village. Stan and LaNeta Carlock are spearheading the project." -- The Benkelman Post & News-Chronicle - April 25, 2007

The saving of this building is something I wish we would see more of. Every time one of the old buildings are demolished, I feel sad that they are gone. The fact that Steve, Stan & LaNeta are willing to go to the expense and effort to move this building is an awsome thing! Many of the old country schools have been moved to other property or destroyed because the land needs to be folded into the field where it sits. And this is as it should be. There is no reason to leave the buildings there to decay because they will never be used again as a school.

I'm not sure what the plans are for this building, but a restored country school will be a great place to set up a museum and/or gift shop to store "memories" for us old folks who like to remember what it was like in "the old days." (I know I'm not the only one who feels this way)

-- Editor

Teacher Applicant

After being interviewed by the school administration, the eager teaching prospect said:

"Let me see if I've got this right.

You want me to go into that room with all those kids,

And

Fill their every waking moment with a love for learning,

And

I'm supposed to instill a sense of pride in their ethnicity, modify their disruptive behavior, observe them for signs of abuse and even censor their T-shirt messages and dress habits.

You want me to wage a war on drugs and sexually transmitted diseases, check their backpacks for weapons of mass destruction, and raise their self esteem.

You want me to teach them patriotism, good citizenship, sportsmanship, fair play, how to register to vote, how to balance a checkbook,

And

How to apply for a job.

I am to check their heads for lice, maintain a safe environment, recognize signs of anti-social behavior, make sure all students pass the state exams, even those who don't come to school regularly or complete any of their assignments.

Plus,

I am to make sure that all of the students with handicaps get an equal education regardless of the extent of their mental or physical handicap.

I am to communicate regularly with the parents by letter, telephone, newsletter and report card.

All of this I am to do with just a piece of chalk, a computer, a few books, a bulletin board, a big smile.

AND

On a starting salary that qualifies my family for food stamps!

You want me to do all of this

And

Then you tell me...

I CAN'T PRAY?"

1918 Examination for Common Schools

Examination for Common-School Diplomas.

RURAL SCHOOLS.

--------------

Saturday, April 6, 1918.

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These questions are to be used only on the above date. The questions for each day must be opened in the presence of a majority of the examining committee as required by law.

An average of 80 per cent with no grade below 60 per cent is required for graduation. Grades of 80 per cent or more may be carried for two years.

Credit may be given on school work to the amount of 60 per cent in each subject.

The Subjects for Saturday, April 13, will be; a. m., Writing, Classics, United States History; p. m., Spelling, Grammar, Agriculture.

7 2642

W. D. ROSS,

State Superintendent of Public Instruction.

---

This test was given to students who were graduating from the eig hth grade from county schools in Kansas.

To see the actual questions, just follow this link: 1918 Examiniation for Common Schools

Here is a picture of Alice Gregory's Common School Diploma. She took a similar examination in the summer of 1928.

Alice tells:
"Back then we had to take our eighth grade exam on Saturdays in town and I didn't do it the first year. My folks just didn't take me. I wasn't very big. I wasn't HUGE like I am now…hehehe I was only 12. I didn't think anything about it and just went to school again the next year and took the eighth grade again. They didn't want me to go to high school because I was so young and so small."

-- Alice (Crabtree) Gregory
Editor's note: Alice is currently 92 years old and living in Arizona. She is barely 5 ft. tall.

My first school year

On the first day of school in 1919, I was not 5 years old yet, but I remember daddy picking me up in the car. I had gotten my clothes all dirty. And I got scolded.

Vada Sapp was the teacher that year and the other students that I remember were May Smith, LethaBelle Sheeder, Sylvia Freemyer and myself and part of the year was Louise Gunderman.

Louise Gunderman came to stay with us for a while to walk with me to school. She was there also to finish the year at our school. Her family had moved from the Kirshmer place to that Rouselle house. The Kirshsmer name was later on, it was the Crabtree place my first home where Ethel and I were born and the place where Aunt Mary homesteaded. At the first part of the year May Smith walked up the draw with me to and from school. Fido met us at the bend. I would put my hand on his back and walk home that way. Every day Fido would watch the road and meet me at the right time. May must have had to walk at least four miles. In later years I mentioned in this too her, but I don’t know if she remembered it too.

--Alice (Crabtree) Gregory

November 22, 1963 - I was in a one-room School

And, who was in a one-room school the day that President J.F. Kennedy was shot???

I hate to feel this old, but I remember that day so clearly! I was in school at the District 10 country school and Thelma West was our teacher. It was the first year that our school even had a telephone. It was one of those very old ones.

It was a rare thing in that day and age to call off school (even in the middle of a blizzard), the they did that day! It was a very somber day, and for several days afterward. I can still see the black and white TV broadcasting this awful event.

I bet you all remember the exact moment of that event and many of you were also in a one-room school?

-- Submitted by Eunice Richard

Sanborn School

July 2003 Visit to Pleasant Hill School - District 21 - Jaqua

The Schoolhouse has been moved twice. We located the site where the school stood when I attend school there back in the 1920s. There is a historical marker there, but the building sits about a mile or so south of the original site. We walked around and took some pictures.

Jaqua--Hardly anyone remembers that name any more. It used to be a town (before my time even). When we were there, it was a well known name of the community and school. but I don't remember any businesses there any more

One-Room-School in Dundy County

Here is a photo of Wayne Goodell's uncle Ernest who was teaching school at a country school. Wayne says he thinks it was in Dundy County.

They had a Goodell Reunion in Idaho this summer and said Ernest's daughter, who is Wayne's cousin was looking for a copy of this photo.

Lo and behold I came up with it via Ray Heer in California.

-- Calvin Freehling

Prairie Belle School - District 52- 1937

About 1937 - Picture at Prairie Belle School - South east of Haigler in Kansas.
The teacher was Mabel Merklin

Back row left to right Roy Zuege, Edward Wall, Floy Crabtree, Marjorie Todd, Clara Zuege.
Front Row: Osa Todd, Rodney White, Glen Dale Zuege, Doralene White, Deloris Zuege.

Roy and Glen Dale Zuege are sons of Fred Zuege
Clara and Deloris Zuege are daughters of Paul Zuege

-- Submitted by Floy Ruggles (Crabtree) (Fisher)

Prairie Belle - District 52

Teacher - Mable Merklin