Kansas History and Heritage Project-Sedgwick County Schools

Sedgwick County Schools
"Columbian History of Kansas Schools," 1892, Wichita


Wichita Schools —In 1868, the first cabin was built where the city of Wichita now stands. In 1870, the town was founded. In 1871, the first church and first schoolhouse were built. In 1872, the first railroad was constructed, the first bank opened, and the first newspaper started. The population increased from the occupants of one cabin, in 1868, to 50, as indicated by the census of 1870; 4,911, by the census of 1880; 23,835, by the census of 1890, and 28,000, the estimate in 1892.

Following the first cabins came the first school-house, with William Finn, now a resident of Sedgwick, as schoolmaster. Mr. Finn's school commenced November 1, 1869, and continued three months. His average attendance was 17. His salary was to be $45 per month, and was to be raised by subscription. Mr. Finn sent to Topeka for the books for his school, paying for them out of his own pocket. Not half of the money subscribed was raised, and Mr. Finn, at the end of the term, was $50 in debt, although he had a little money of his own when he started. Through the kindly assistance of Hon. J. R. Mead, who was one of his patrons and friends, Mr. Finn purchased a surveying outfit, and left the profession of teaching.

Mr. Finn was an excellent young man, and his school a success. He has furnished us with a cut of the dugout which was his schoolhouse. It stood at the north of the present site of the city. It was about 13 feet square, had a dormer window, and was covered with a dirt roof.

Miss Jessie Hunter taught a private school, in the spring of 1870, in a building north of the present courthouse. She also taught, in the spring of 1871, in the Presbyterian Church building, near the present site of the Missouri Pacific depot, on Wichita street. Mrs. William West taught in the fall of 1871. In 1871, school bonds to the extent of $5,000 were voted, and a wooden building was erected on the present site of the high-school building, on Emporia avenue. The ground was donated by Hon. J. R. Mead, who also gave the school a bell, costing $75 in St. Louis. This was the first bell to ring out over school or church in the Arkansas valley, in Kansas. Mrs. Snover, from Michigan, and Mrs. Robert West taught the first school in the new building.

The following is a list of the officers of the board of education:

1871
Mr. Beggs – Superintendent
John Martin – President
H. H. Oakley – Clerk


1872
John Tucker – Superintendent
A. H. Fabrique – President
E. B. Allen – Clerk


1873
B. C. Ward – Superintendent
W. S. Woodman – President
W. E. Stanley. – Clerk


1874
B. C. Ward – Superintendent
R. L. West – President
W. E. Stanley – Clerk


1875
J. F. Gowdy – Superintendent
H. J. Hills – President
W. E. Stanley. – Clerk


1876
O. F. McKim – Superintendent
W. B. Smith – President
W. E. Stanley – Clerk


1877
O. F. McKim – Superintendent
W. B. Smith – President
O. F. McKim – Clerk

1878
G. H. Woodward – Superintendent
M. W. Levy – President
C. A. Walker – Clerk


1879-1881
L. G. A. Copley – Superintendent
M. W. Levy – President
C. A. Walker – Clerk


1882-1883
E. L. Halleck – Superintendent
M. W. Levy – President
C. A. Walker – Clerk


1884
G. E. Campbell – Superintendent
Kos Harris – President
C. A. Walker – Clerk


1885
G. E. Campbell – Superintendent
M. W. Levy – President
C. A. Walker – Clerk


1886
M. Chidester – Superintendent
M. W. Levy, H. W. Abbott, H. L. Taylor – President
A. C. Burwell – Clerk


1887
M. Chidester – Superintendent
E. J. Brown – President
A. C. Burwell – Clerk


1888
M. Chidester – Superintendent
M. W. Levy – President
A. C. Burwell – Clerk


1889
R. W. Stevenson – Superintendent
M. W. Levy – President
A. C. Burwell – Clerk


1890
R. W. Stevenson – Superintendent
M. W. Levy – President
J. J. Fegtly – Clerk


1891
A. H. Ward – Superintendent
J. D. Van Nuys – President
T. J. Irwin – Clerk


1892
W. Richardson – Superintendent
J. D. Van Nuys – President
T. J. Irwin. – Clerk

The high school principals have been: 1878, B. D. Hammond; 1879, T. J. Fuller; 1880, L. K. Webb; 1881-'83, E. A. Wood; 1884, J. G. Steffee; 1885-'93, U. P. Shull.

The curriculum of the high school embraces: (1) A university course, including Latin and Greek, whence graduates are received without examination at the State University. (2) An English course. (3) A business course, including practical stenography. Each course requires four years for completion. The number of graduates of the high school is 132. The present senior class numbers 32, and the enrollment is 320.

The normal school was opened in 1890, under the management of Miss Mary E. Rowe, late of Washington, D. C. Miss Rowe is assisted by two critic teachers and the supervisors.

Twenty-seven young ladies have graduated from this school. Of this number, 20 are employed in the city schools, one is teaching in Indianapolis, and one in St. Louis.

The board of education for 1892 is constituted as follows: J. D. Van Nuys, president; A. H. Ward, L. M. Cox, Geo. Van Werden, Geo. E. Campbell, V. K. Stanley, E. R. Powell, John H. Fazel, James Allison, Giles Davis, F. A. Davis, L. R. Cole, Thos. J. Irwin, secretary; C. S. Caldwell, treasurer; F. W. Wibkin, superintendent buildings and grounds; and William Richardson, superintendent of instruction.

Supervisors are employed in the subjects of drawing, penmanship, and music.

A teachers' meeting is held on the third Saturday of each month, from 9 till 12 o'clock. These meetings are conducted by the superintendent. Teachers are appointed to present papers on various subjects. A discussion follows each paper, attended with free interchange of thought. The meetings are popular with both board and teachers.

Grade meetings are called by the superintendent and supervisors, at which grade matters are discussed, and the work of the different departments is laid out.

A record of the scholarship of every pupil is kept. This is made from daily recitations, and from tests given from time to time by teachers or superintendent. In order to gain promotion, pupils are required to rank 75 in taking the average of teacher's estimate and examination. The work is broader than the text-books studied, and the questions are drawn partly from subjects presented in addition to the text-book. The unusually-large ratio of pupils in the high school bears testimony both to the value and popularity of the school, and to the work done below.

The discipline of the schools is mild, but firm, the pupils being taught that "self-government is the essence of all government," and that to be a lady or a gentleman satisfies every demand.





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This website created Dec. 2012 by Sheryl McClure.
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