USA > Colorado > History of Colorado; Volume I > Part 66
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Conejos and Alamosa counties .- Both are counties segregated in later years. On January 1, 1916, there were enrolled in the Alamosa high school seventy-six pupils, with a total public school population in the county of 1,066. Conejos had
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fifty-seven in the La Jara consolidated school, and a total public school enroll- ment in the county of 2,185. In Alamosa there were twenty-seven schools, with forty-four rooms, and valued at $62,075. In Conejos there were thirty-two schools, with sixty-five rooms, and valued at $82,477.
Costilla County .- On January 1, 1916, there were thirteen districts, with thirty-three teachers in the county. The total school enrollment in the high school grades was twenty-seven; total public school enrollment in county, 1,047. There were in the county fifteen schools, with thirty-eight, rooms, and valued at $55,550.
Crowley County .- This was segregated in late years from Bent and Prowers. On January 1, 1916, there were twenty-six schools in the county, with approxi- mately thirty-eight rooms, and valued at $81,500. The high schools at Ordway and Sugar City have an enrollment of 110. The total enrollment in the county was 1,586.
Custer County .- The first public school taught in what is now Custer County was in School District No. 8, Fremont County, in Wet Mountain Valley, about four miles southwest from Silver Cliff. A five months' term was taught here in the winter of 1871-72, by Miss Louisa V. Verden. There was probably an average attendance of a dozen pupils.
On January 1, 1916, there were enrolled in the public schools of Custer County 428 pupils. These were housed in twenty-two school buildings, with twenty-eight rooms. School property is valued at $12,800.
Delta County .- The early school history of this county is told in that of the Western Slope counties, out of which it was segregated. On January 1, 1916, there were enrolled in the high schools of Delta, Hotchkiss and Paonia, 591 pupils. The total enrollment in the county was 3,966. There were fifty-three schoolhouses in the county with 132 rooms, and valued at $214,223. Delta County has twenty-seven school libraries.
Dolores County .- This also was segregated in later years. On January I, 1916, there were 147 pupils enrolled in its public schools. They were housed in six schoolhouses, with nine rooms, and a total valuation of $12,400.
Douglas County .- The early history of this county is that of its immediate county neighbors, from whom it was separated after statehood. On January I, 1916, there were seventy-seven pupils enrolled in the high school at Castle Rock. The total enrollment in the county was 726. The county has forty-six school- houses, with fifty-seven rooms, and valued at $77,410.
Eagle County .- This also is one of the later counties. On January 1, 1916, there were enrolled in the high school at Gypsum seventy-seven pupils. The total enrollment in the public schools of the county was 878. There were thirty- three public schools, with forty-six rooms, in the county, and these were valued at $63,400.
Elbert County .-- On January 1, 1916, there were enrolled in the high schools at Elizabeth and Simla eighty-three pupils, and the total enrollment in the public schools of the county was 1,565. Elbert County had January 1, 1916, a total of ninety-nine schoolhouses, with 109 rooms, and a valuation of $56,945.
El Paso County .- In 1868 there were in El Paso County six districts, and 235 persons of school age. The first school was opened at Colorado City. On January 1, 1916, there were enrolled in the high schools of Colorado Springs
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1,504 pupils, with a total enrollment in the public schools of the county of 9,301. There were on January 1, 1916, 143 public schools in the county, with 321 rooms. The valuation of school property was placed at $1,278,421.
Fremont County .- In 1869 there were seven districts in the county, and 180 persons of school age, and as the superintendent phrased it, "a general indif- ference in the matter of schools." On January 1, 1916, the enrollment in the high schools of Canon City, Florence and South Cañon was 483, with a total public school enrollment of 4,187. There were in the county sixty-two schools, with 147 rooms, and the school property was valued at $279,640.
Garfield County .- On January 1, 1916, there were in Garfield County fifty- four schoolhouses, with 101 rooms, and valued at $198,850. The enrollment in the high schools of Carbondale, Rifle, Grand Valley, Silt, New Castle and Glen- wood Springs, was 306; total enrollment in public schools of the county, 2,468.
Gilpin County .- Thomas Campbell reported in 1868, five school districts, with 639 persons of school age, nine teachers, salaries from $50 to $150 a month. The first school taught in this county was a private school, by Miss Ellen F. Kendall, in her father's house, in the fall of 1862. A public school was soon after opened, and Miss Kendall gave up her school to assist Thomas Campbell in its management. In this county were built, 1870, the first permanent schoolhouses in Colorado, Central City building a granite house at a cost of $20,000, and Blackhawk, a frame, costing $15,000.
On January 1, 1916, there were enrolled in the high school at Central City fifty-nine pupils. The total enrollment in the county was 455. There were eighteen schoolhouses, with thirty-six rooms, and valued at $89,490 in the . in the county.
Grand County .- On January 1, 1916, there were enrolled in the Union high school at Kremmling twenty pupils. The total enrollment in the county was 359. There were sixteen schoolhouses, with twenty-two rooms, and valued at $19,144, in the county.
Gunnison County .- The rush to Gunnison in 1879 and 1880 was followed immediately by the establishment of the school system. By 1890 the county had a school population of 844. There were twenty school districts and eighteen buildings, valued at $42,850. On January 1, 1916, there were enrolled in the high school at Gunnison 141 pupils. The total enrollment in the county was 1,323. There were in the county thirty-five schoolhouses, with sixty-five rooms, and valued at $89,473.
Hinsdale County .- The first school district was organized in 1876, and in a few months had pupils in ten grades. In 1890 there were 145 pupils enrolled in its four districts, and at school in its three schoolhouses. The schools then in existence were valued at $32,000. On January 1, 1916, there were eight school- houses, with fourteen rooms, in the county; valuation, $19,082. There was an enrollment of ten in the high school grades, and a total enrollment of 110 in the public schools of the county.
Huerfano County .- The first schoolhouse was built at St. Mary's, on the old Cate Patterson place, by the people of the community, in 1869, and in 1870 a man by the name of Harland taught school in it. Judge J. A. J. Valdez taught a school in Cucharas, and drew his pay from the county, $300. About 1871, Father Jose Piercevoux, a lay priest, taught a school in Walsenburg. The first
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records, in 1874, show that at that time there were eight school districts in the county, i. e .: Gardner, Badito, St. Mary's, Butte Valley, La Veta, Walsenburg, Santa Clara, and Cucharas.
The first schoolhouse in Walsenburg was built in 1875, and the deed was given in 1876. It was built on what is West Sixth Street on the lot now oc- cupied by the fire department. The first high school was that of Walsenburg, which was established in 1896. The La Veta Union high school was organized in 1905; it comprises five districts. The County high school was established in 1906.
On January 1, 1916, there were enrolled in the Walsenburg and La Veta high schools, 138 pupils. The total enrollment in the public schools of the county was 3,568. There were fifty-nine school buildings, with 106 rooms, valued at $146,743, in the county.
Jackson County .- The early school history of Larimer County covers the beginnings in this section. On January 1, 1916, there were nine schoolhouses, with twelve rooms, in the county, and the valuation of this property was $7,200. The enrollment on January 1, 1916, was nineteen in the high school at Walden, and a total of 164 in the public schools of the county.
Jefferson County .- M. C. Kirby, superintendent, reported in 1868 ten dis- tricts, with 429 persons of school age. The first school was taught at Golden City, in the winter of 1860, by J. Daugherty, with eighteen pupils in attendance. The first public school was opened in the same district in 1863, and taught by Miss Bell Dixon. In 1863 a one-story brick schoolhouse was built, which was used also by the governor as an office. It was burned, and another was built on the site.
In 1890 the South Golden schoolhouse, built in 1873, and the North Golden school, built in 1879, were pretentious structures. The school population in this year was 1,548. There were forty-five schoolhouses, nine of logs, twenty-eight frame and eight of brick and stone. The high school in 1890 had an enrollment of fifty-seven.
On January 1, 1916, there were 317 pupils in the high school, and 2,863 enrolled in the public schools of the county. The schoolhouses numbered sixty, with 116 rooms, and valued at $206,272.
Kiowa County .- This was part of Bent County until 1889. By the census of 1890 its school population was 4II. Its schoolhouses numbered seven, and were put up at a cost of about eleven thousand dollars.
On January 1, 1916, there were fifty-one schoolhouses in the county, with seventy-two rooms, and valued at $53,525. The enrollment in the high school grades was seventy-one; total enrollment in the public schools of the county, 1,240.
Kit Carson County .-- The first record of schools in Kit Carson County dates back to 1886, when the territory now embraced in Kit Carson County was a part of Elbert County. From this time to May Ist, 1889, thirty-one schools were established. The record shows the existence of two other schools, which must have been established previous to the above, but does not tell when they were established. They were districts 26, at Carlysle, and 39, at Tuttle, one of which must have been the first school established in this section.
From 1889 to 1895 new districts were established, boundaries were changed, Vol. 1-88
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and a few districts were annulled, until there were forty-six districts, representing as many schools, the largest number of districts, but not the largest number of schools, in the history of the county.
From 1895 to 1903 a great many people left the county, and ten districts were annulled.
The first graded school was taught in the Town of Burlington, in 1893-94.
From 1893 and 1894 to 1900 a school having but one, or, perhaps, two pupils enrolled, was not an unusual thing; now a great many of the country schools enroll thirty, forty, and as high as fifty-six pupils.
In 1916 there were 118 pupils enrolled in the high schools of the county, and a total enrollment of 2,048 in the county. In that year there were 100 school- houses, with 125 rooms, and valuation was placed at $76,063.
Lake County .- In February, 1879, Chaffee County was divided, and the portion now known as Lake County was organized into a new county. Previous to this division there were three organized school districts in the section now known as Lake County. The most reliable information obtainable fixes the date of the establishment of the first school, at Oro City, in 1876.
In 1878 the first school was established in Leadville, with an enrollment of thirty pupils. In 1879 the commencement of the "boom" days, six additional rented rooms and eight teachers were necessary to care for the four or five hun- dred pupils enrolled.
The annual report for 1908 shows that there were twenty school buildings in Lake County, with fifty-five teachers. The school buildings were valued at $133,900. The high school building erected, in 1907, in Leadville, was one of the best equipped in the state.
On January 1, 1916, there were twenty-one schools, with forty-nine rooms, and valued at $140,931.15. The enrollment in the high school was 250; total en- rollment in public schools of county, 1,521.
La Plata County .- In 1876 the first school district was organized, in what is now La Plata County ; the county superintendent was F. G. Hagan.
Durango, included in District No. 9, was organized February 9, 1881, with twenty-six children of school age on the census list. The county seat was then at Parrott. C. M. Hoge was then county superintendent. In 1888 there were twenty districts in the county. Not until 1905 was all the territory in the county organized into school districts.
By 1890 the total school population had grown to 1,056, with an enrollment of 745. There were sixteen schoolhouses in La Plata County, which were valued approximately at thirty-two thousand dollars. On January 1, 1916, there were in the county fifty-six schoolhouses, with 104 rooms, and valued at $152,300. The high school enrollment was 312, and the total number of pupils in the public schools of the county was 2,582.
Larimer County .- James M. Smith, superintendent, reported, in 1868, three school districts, with seventy-five persons of school age. The first school (pri- vate) was taught in 1864, near the present site of Loveland, by Mrs. A. L. Wash- burn; her patrons paid her $10 a month. The first public school was opened in the winter of 1865, near Loveland, and taught by Edward Smith. In 1868 a log schoolhouse was built by contributors of labor and material. La Porte also opened a public school in 1865.
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In 1890 the school population of the county was 2,757, and of these 2,272 were enrolled. There were fifty-six schoolhouses, valued at nearly ninety thou- sand dollars, and in Fort Collins the Franklin, built in 1886, and the Remington, in 1878, had cost respectively $20,000 and $10,000.
On January 1, 1916, there were 777 pupils enrolled in the several high schools of the county, the largest number in Loveland and Fort Collins. The total en- rollment in the public schools of the county was 6,810. There were seventy- three schoolhouses, with 204 rooms, in the county, with a valuation of $595,553.
Las Animas County .- Las Animas County was created by an act of the Legislature in 1866, and in the early part of the following year the first school district in the county was organized, in Trinidad, which was known as "School District No. I." This district embraced, originally, within its territory, what are now known as Starkville, Sopris, Jansen, Engleville, El Moro and Bowen. The first school was started in the new district in the fall of 1867, with George Boyles as teacher.
In 1867 Jefferson W. Lewelling was elected the first county superintendent, but had to resign, and Joseph Davis was appointed in his place.
The schools of Las Animas County developed rapidly. By 1890 there were in Trinidad three two-story brick schools, a private academy, the Tillotson, and a business college. In that year, 1,844 pupils were enrolled in the public schools, with an enrollment fully as large in the parochial schools, which most of the Mexican children attended. There were, however, thirty-three public schools.
On January 1, 1916, there were enrolled in the high school 449; and the total enrollment in the public schools of the county was 9,077. The public schools numbered eighty-nine, with 230 rooms, and a valuation of $561,805.
Lincoln County .- In 1890 there were seven schools in the county. In that year Hugo built an $8,000 school building. On January 1, 1916, there were in Lincoln County twenty-nine public schools, with 116 rooms, and valued at $130,- 877. In the high school at Hugo the enrollment was 119. The total public school enrollment in the county was 951.
Logan County .- The early school history of this county, created in 1887, is largely that of Weld County. By 1883 Sterling had a fine $6,000 school build- ing, the Franklin; and by 1888 the Broadway, costing $10,000, was built. By the census of 1890 Logan had 1, 104 of school age, of whom 900 were enrolled, thirty-seven in the Sterling high school. There were thirty schoolhouses, and the value of the school property was approximately thirty-three thousand dollars.
On January 1, 1916, there were four high schools in the county, the Industrial Arts high school at Sterling, and the Union high schools at Atwood, Merino and Crook. On January 1, 1916, there were 386 enrolled in the high schools, and the total public school enrollment was 3,610. There were ninety-three schoolhouses in the county, with 139 rooms, and a valuation of $300,080.
Mesa County .- The first schoolhouse on the site of Grand Junction was one made of pickets, about the period of the town's beginning in 1881. The first election held was for members of a school board, and W. M. McKelvey, O. D. Russell and Dr. H. E. Stroud were chosen to supervise the work of Miss Nannie Blair, the teacher. From that time on the growth of the schools was rapid.
In 1890 there were twelve school buildings, with fifteen pupils in the first high school. The total enrollment was nearly seven hundred. In January, 1916,
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there were Union high schools at Fruita and Collbran, a Senior high school and a Junior high school at Grand Junction, with high school grades at Pali- sade. There were 797 pupils in the high schools of the county, with a total public school enrollment of 5,165. The schoolhouses numbered sixty-five, with 239 rooms, and valued at $383,700.
Mineral County .- Mineral County was organized in April, 1893. Governor Waite appointed W. A. Gipson superintendent of schools of the new county. May 3rd three schools were established, at Weaver, Sunnyside and Spar City. June 6th school commenced at Bachelor and Creedmore. In 1894 the census was 364, a decrease of ninety-eight from the preceding year. In 1907 the census was 430, and enrollment 323. Nine teachers were employed.
On January 1, 1916, there were thirty-eight enrolled in the high school at North Creede. The total enrollment in the county was 210 .. The seven school buildings were valued at $13,800.
Moffat County. The early history of Routt County covers the first period of this region. On January 1, 1916, there were thirty schoolhouses in the county, with forty-three rooms, and valued at $40,840. There were fifty-one enrolled in high school grades, with a total public school enrollment in the county of 516.
Montezuma County .- The first school district was organized and the first school opened in Cortez on August 1, 1887. By 1890 a high school had been built at Mancos, and had forty pupils enrolled, and a two-story stone structure had been put up at Cortez.
The enrollment in the county in that year was 549. On January 1, 1916, there were forty-one schools in the county, with sixty-three rooms, and valued at $55,580. The high school enrollment was 107, and total public school enroll- ment 1,529.
Montrose County .- District No. 1, Montrose, was organized in 1883. The first building was a brick one of four rooms. The County high school was or- ganized in 1904, with three teachers.
School District No. 2, Montrose R. F. D. No. I, was formed in 1883, from a part of District No. I, and extending north from that.
School District No. 3, Montrose R. F. D. No. 2, was formed in 1883 from a part of District No. I, and extending north from that.
In 1890 there were nineteen public schoolhouses and 419 pupils enrolled. From that period on the schools of the county have grown rapidly until on Janu- ary I, 1916, there were a county high school at Montrose, an Olathe branch county high school, a Nucla branch county high school, and an Uncompahgre branch county high school. There are twenty-six school districts in the county. The high school enrollment is 425, and the total public school enrollment 3,332. There are forty-three school buildings, with 102 rooms, in the county, and these are valued at $201,745.
Morgan County .- W. E. Garver was the first county superintendent after the incorporation of the county in 1889. In 1890 the public school enrollment was 350. Nine school buildings, valued at $18,428, had been erected. On January I, 1916, there were in the high schools at Brush and Fort Morgan 473 pupils. The total public school enrollment in the county was 3,027. There were sixty- nine schoolhouses, with 127 rooms, in the county, and these were valued at $265,459.
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Otero County .- In 1877 the first school district was organized in La Junta. The first schoolroom was of cottonwood logs. In September, 1877, when the schools opened, the enrollment was thirteen, embracing all the school popula- tion save ten or twelve. The first school directors in this district were all women -Mrs. George Spane, Mrs. S. J. Anderson and Mrs. Cooper. Miss Ida Crit- tenden was the first teacher, and Miss Florence Brondage and Mrs. Hollings- worth her successors.
In the year 1879 the school population was thirty, and the adobe building, used later as a residence by Rev. Father Callahan, was built, costing $1,000. Mrs. Marshall taught in this for a little time, also J. E. Gauger, former county clerk of Otero County.
Messrs. Russell, Kilgore and Spane, in 1883, put up the stone building, No. I, costing $7,500. Two teachers were employed. In 1904 a five-room addition was completed at a cost of $12,000.
During the years 1884-85, 180 pupils were enrolled in La Junta and in 1890 this number had increased to 600.
The Columbian school was completed and occupied in December, 1890, and cost $15,000. Union District No. I county high school was organized in 1895, with about fifty pupils and three teachers.
In 1890 the enrollment in the public schools of the county was 497, and the nine schoolhouses were valued at $7,000. On January 1, 1916, there were high schools at Manzanola, Rocky Ford, La Junta and Fowler. The high school en- rollment was 629, the total public school county enrollment, 5,131. There were forty-five schools, with 154 rooms, and these were valued at $480,930.
Ouray County .- Rev. C. M. Hoge was the first county superintendent, elected in 1877, and schools were established at once. By 1890 there were ten districts and as many schoolhouses, built at a cost of $23,800. The enrollment was 586, and of these eight were in the high school grades. On January 1, 1916, there were IOI enrolled in the Ouray County high school, with a total enrollment of 715 in the county. Eighteen school houses, with forty-two rooms were valued at $64,850.
Park County .- Oliver P. Allen, superintendent in 1869, reported sixty-four pupils enrolled in the two schools of the county. On January 1, 1916, there were thirty schoolhouses in the county, and the public school enrollment in the county is several hundred. There are forty-three pupils in the high school at Hartsel.
Phillips County .- The first county superintendent of schools was Oscar Trego, elected in 1889. Holyoke had schools when the first settlers came, and long be- fore incorporation. In 1888, the year of the town's incorporation, one two-story brick school was erected at a cost of $8,000. In 1890 there were sixty-two school districts and thirty-five school buildings in the county, valued at $16,698. The enrollment was 777. On January 1, 1916, there were thirty-six school buildings, with forty-seven rooms, and valued at $42,000. Seventy-eight high school pupils were enrolled. The total enrollment was 910.
Pitkin County .- The first schools in Pitkin County were held in Tourtelotte Park and Aspen in the fall of 1881 and the spring of 1882. These were not organized districts until 1882. The first school opened with an enrollment of twenty-five pupils. The school, in a regular organized district, opened in the fall
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of 1882, and consisted of two rooms with an enrollment of twenty-five pupils in each room.
On January 1, 1916, there were 112 pupils enrolled in the Aspen high school. The total public school enrollment in the county was 798. There were twenty- one public schools, with forty-eight rooms, in the county ; valuation, $52,312.
Prowers County .- Lamar had its first school in 1886, the year before the date of its incorporation. Within the next three years it expended $14,000 on a fine two-story schoolhouse. In 1890 there were 535 pupils enrolled in the eleven schoolhouses in the county. On January 1, 1916, there were 392 pupils enrolled in the high schools of the county. The total enrollment in the public schools of the county was 3,125. There were sixty-three schools in the county, with 117 rooms ; valuation, $215,808.
Pueblo County .- In 1862 the first school in southern Colorado was opened in Pueblo. The building, a frame structure built near the center of the town, has long since disappeared. It was a school supported by subscription, and its teacher was a Miss Weston.
School District No. I was organized in 1866-67 and the members of the first school board were L. R. Graves, H. C. Thatcher and D. Sheets.
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