History of Reno County, Kansas; its people, industries and institutions, Vol I, Part 20

Author: Ploughe, Sheridan, b. 1868
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind., B. F. Bowen & company, inc.
Number of Pages: 448

USA > Kansas > Reno County > History of Reno County, Kansas; its people, industries and institutions, Vol I > Part 20

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36

Route No. 334TI, Hutchinson to Iuka, 70 miles, three times a week, SI,o10 per annum, W. A. Stoddard, Camden, New York, contractor.

Contracts were entered into for the four-year term beginning July 1. 1886, as follows:

Route No. 33436. McPherson to Hutchinson, 40 miles, three times a week, $618 per annum, Vincent Boring, London, Kentucky, contractor ; service discontinued October 15, 1887.

Route No. 33444, Wichita to Hutchinson, 56 miles, three times a week. $727 per annum, Edgar H. Gaither, Harrodsburgh, Kentucky, contractor ; service discontinued November 4, 1886.

Route No. 33486, Stafford to Hutchinson, 47 miles, three times a week, $690 per annum, Vincent Boring, London, Kentucky, contractor; service discontinued August 10, 1886.

Route No. 33471. Hutchinson to Kingman, 3512 miles, three times a week. $493 per annum, H. W. Winslow, Fairmount. Indiana, contractor ; service discontinued February 22, 1890.

Route No. 33472, Hutchinson to Turon. 46 miles, three times a week. $649 per annum, A. M. Moore, Red Creek, New York, contractor : service discontinued October 26, 1887.

POSTMASTERS.

The following is the record of appointments of postmasters of the postoffices in Reno county, since their establishment to their discontinuance or to the present time :

217

RENO COUNTY, KANSAS.

Hutchinson (present salary, $3.300. )

John A. Clapp (established )

Edward Wilcox

N. C. Boles

Hiram Raff

R. M. Easley

1. F. Blackburn

Eli Mead

John B. Vincent

Henry M. Stewart

Samuel S. Graybill

April 8, 1875 January 21, 1873

April 29, 1875

January 14. 1876

February 23, 1883

July 20, 1885

January 30, 1890

February 27, 1894

January 10, 1898

February 4, 1914

May 12. 1876

October 1. 1884

December 21. 1885

April 23. 1887

April 23. 1887

-July 20. 1889

December 18, 1893

August 23. 1895

June 26, 1897

Nickerson (present salary. . $1.500. )

Amanda J. Sears ( established )

Lizzie Boggs

Lizzie M. Budd

I .. . A. Reeves

I. W. Elliott

George W. Sain

John W. Claypool

Sarah M. Arnold

Joseph E. Humphrey

George W. Sain, Jr.

Zenith ( present salary Sylvia, $1.500. )

Thomas J. Anderson ( established )

J. B. Wright H. S. Austin

Thomas J. Talbott

Thomas Litchfield

H. S. Austin

J. A. Whitehurst

C. W. Tipton

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November 12, 1878 February 27, 1877

January 2, 1883

May 14, 1890 January 19, 1887

.August 10, 1894

July 1, 1897

January 24, 1906

September 25. 1914

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Date of Appointment.

December 6, 1871

June 4, 1872

Sylvia ( name changed)

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Wilson NicCandless

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218

RENO COUNTY, KANSAS.

E. H. Smith

Amanda M. Baird

Frank Forney

Joseph E. Aldrich

1 .. G. Waggoner

H. S. Austin

E. M. Blachly William O. Severance John W. Campbell

Mary E. Wilson

Levi W. Blaisdell

Louis M. Ipson

J. D. Likens

Elias Palmatier W. W. Farrand

James McLean

Jennette Wyer

James McLean

Flora Oliverson

Kate Robertson

May 15, 1877 January 19, 1876 December 8, 1873

June 1, 1866 -June 1, 1866

June 11, 1889

August 11, 1893

August 2, 1897

Reno Center.

Thomas Harris ( established )

Henry C. O'Hara Samuel Dilley

M. 1 .. Jordan

December 12, 1873

June 12, 1882 April 30, 1875

May 24, 1886

May 24. 1886

January 5. 1887

May 17, 1889

Plevna.

August 4, 1886 March 11. 1884 October 25, 1877

June 27. 1888

September 29, 1894 -January 29, 1890

August 3. 1897

May 7. 1908

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Date of Appointment.

March 11. 1899

April 2, 1901

January 21. 1907 August 22, 1902

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Partridge ( name changed )

William Pilcher P. D. Shoemaker

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Salt Creek.

Nathaniel Dixon (established )

Abbyville ( name changed)

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Frankie Hazen ( established )

May 1, 1913

219

RENO COUNTY, KANSAS.

Date of Appointment.

June 3. 1912 April 15, 1901 December 1, 1897 September 17, 1894

August 17. 1888 January 30, 1888

December 20, 1889 October 20, 1888 October 20, 1888

May 8, 1902 April 15, 1897 March 14. 1894 August 4, 1890

August 7, 1902

March 4, 1911 December 11, 1902

Haven ( present salary $1, 100.)

Caleb Cupps (established )

F. W. Thorp

Charles W. Astle

George W. May

John R. Payne

Charles W. Astle

Elmer G. Erwin

M. E. Henderson

Samuel C. Gaston Eli M. Yoder

M. E. Hostetler

Annie B. McDermed

Ben Boxt

Annie Switzer

March 15, 1900

Yoder.

Henry C. O'llara William Pilcher

Henry C. Lusk Robenia E. Davis

Edwin R. Rogers (established )

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Theodore Krehbiel

Cornelius P. Froese James F. McMullen

Peter H. Adrian

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Hamburg.

Buhler (name changed)

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November 25. 1889

December 15. 1903 February 18, 1903 -January 17, 1902

November 26, 1904

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Dietrich Enns

Dietrich Enns

Frank F. Tows

Jacob M. Pletscher

John M. Enns John J. Dick

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May 3, 1886 April 10, 1873

April 19, 1889

August 5. 1897 September 19, 1893

August 26. 1901

June 17. 1913 October 24, 1907 February 19. 1903

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William J. Waterbury

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220

RENO COUNTY, KANSAS.

Cotton Grove (established.)

John B. Thatcher

John S. Bates

M. H. Potter

John Hinds

Calvin L. Ely

George B. Potter

O. S. Jenks

Florence Lowe

Mrs. John Catte

John J. Gaines

William A. Knorr

S. L. Bunch

J. D. Scott

John F. Lowe

Isaac S. Trembley J. C. Lowe

Isaac S. Trembley Anthony Roetzel

John Berry

John E. Ulmer ( established )

H. F. Evarts

Asa J. Judy

William I. Holland

Charles .\. Miller

William J. Holland

Whert W. Collings

Lucy J. Jones

Chester W. Wyatt

Austin B. Smith

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February 7, 1878

April 15, 1879

December 21, 1880 December 28, 1885

July 17, 1886 August 2, 1886

December 8, 1887

March 3, 1891

March 1, 1895

November 23. 1897

December 16, 1873

October 4, 1880

November 2, 1887

April 6, 1889

December 10, 1890

May 31. 1893 February 20, 1895

June 19, 1897

June 8. 19II

December 6, 1872

Arlington.

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July 20, 1891

November 25, 1893

June 10, 1897

January 10, 1902

August 3, 1905

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Date of Appointment.

September 19, 1877

December 28, 18So

Turon ( name changed. Present salary, $1,300) __ January 13, 1882

January 13, 1882

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Langdon.

11. H. Purdy ( established )

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221

RENO COUNTY, KANSAS.

Castleton.

Date of AAppointment.

December 27, 1872

August 25, 1884

-January 28, 1890

February 12, 1800

June 14, 1895

March 25. 1908

January 30, 1911

. May 9. 1916

January 26, 1873

July 11. 1878

July 29, 1879

January 17, 1884

November 24. 1897 December 18, 1893

January 9, 1905

January 25. 1907

March 29. 1890

April 10. 1899

October 2. 1900 October 2. 1900

February 5. 1914

March 16, 1874

May 11. 1880 January 31. 1876

November 17, 1882

August 16, 1887 August 16. 1887

Pretty Prairie.

Mary Collingwood (established ) William G. Graham

Thomas H. Smith

Stephen P. Sanders H. C. Gault

Samuel G. Demoret

Samuel E. Young

George D. Smith

John F. Smith

George W. Keedy

Ottilia Umstot

Ottilia Umstot

Floyd H. Moore

George W. Cooter

Jefferson Huston

Abraham Klopfenstein

Samuel S. Smith

John J. Dick

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Medora (name changed)

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Horace N. Holcomb

Ralph B. O. Leary

Newell E. Fountain

Maude E. Givens

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Booth.

William Wallace

Eliza Wallace

Thomas Fall

George T. Fall

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Darlowe (name changed)

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222

RENO COUNTY, KANSAS.

Date of Appointment.

July 27, 1896 March 6, 1894 February 12, 1890 January 25, 1888

December 23, 1898

October 24, 190I February 23, 1900

April 3, 1876 August 12, 1874

April 29, 1878

July 24, 1879

August 8, 1881

May 2, 1884

May 2, 1884

April 19, 1887 !

April 6, 1889

February 4, 1891

March 12, 1895 November 21, 1894

July 10. 1897 May 20, 1898

September 26, 1900

March 28, 1901

March 29, 1902

February 13, 1904

Netherland.

J. F. Martin ( established )

1. !!. Webb

Wylie Brown

Orlo S. Jenks C. L. Ely

Orlo S. Jenks

J. J. Jones

William P. Jones

William H. Cheatum

Matthew S. Elv

Rice N. Cheatum Abigail Frazier

Charles W. Dutton John F. Cheatum

J. Wesley Barr David J. Davis

Discontinued

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JI. C. Bear

William Poulton

Patrick W. Furlong

Mary Richards

Lovisa A. Harrison Jesse D. Weaver

Harvey J. Rickenbrode

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Lerado ( nome changed)

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FREE CITY DELIVERY.

The city delivery system was established at Hutchinson on October I.

1887. The carriers then appointed were Othello C. Furman, Charles W. Oswald and Grant W. Prather.

The records of the bureau of postoffice service of the postoffice depart-

May 1, 1900: two, June 1 and 15. 1919: one. November 24, 1913. One. September 10, 1889; one, January 1. 1904: two, October 1. 1906: two, ment show that additional carriers were appointed on the following dates :

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AAs the records at the present time show that fourteen carriers are

employed, additional carriers were appointed, probably on a date between

office which fails to show whether the new carriers were appointed to fill vacancies or to additional places.

POSTAL RECEIPTS.

The records either of the postoffice in Hutchinson or of the depart-

office at Hutchinson for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1884, to the fiscal

year ended June 30. 1914.

1884

1885

1886

1887

1888

1880

1800

1801

1802

1893

1894

1895

1896

1897

1868

1809

1000

Rural routes, outside of Hutchison, were established first in 1902.

There are thirty-three routes in the county at the present time. covering

practically the entire county. The first rural route in the county was es-

105.377.44

1901

1902

1903

1904

1905

1906

1007

1908

1900

19TO

1911

1912

1913

1914

1915

1916

$6,410.68

6,884.74

8,085.14

11,539.33

13,954.20

16,141.70

17.745.69

16,407.32

17.357.69

19,615.38

17.437.39

17.339.15

17.467.36

17.338.25

18,256.37

20.613.14

21,802,98

$24.014.20

25,939.15

28.165.22

31.235.04

34,696.99

40,907.88

48,150.66

52,477.66

62,208.31

71,977.21

76,824.41 75.225.62

79.680.10

79.163.60

89.048.04

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ment in Washington fail to show the receipts of the Hutchinson postoffice

prior to 1884. The following table shows the postal receipts of the post-

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RURAL FREE DELIVERY.

RENO COUNTY, KANSAS.

the establishment of the service and September 10, 1889. The only record prior to that date is a card record in the first assistant postmaster-general's

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RENO COUNTY, KANSAS.

tablished out of Hutchison on September 15. 1900. Below is a table of the dates of the establishment of all o fthe routes in the county made on those routes :

Abbeyville, No. I. December 1, 1902. Abbeyville, No. 2. November 15, 1904. Arlington. No. 1. December f. 1902. Arlington, No. 2, January 2, 1905. Buhler, No. 1. October 1, 1903. Buhler, No. 2. August 1. 1905.

Castleton, No. 1. April 1, 1907. Darlow, No. 1. November 15. 1904. Haven. No. 1. October 1. 1903. Haven, No. 2, October 1. 1903. Haven, No. 3. August 15. 1904.

Hutchinson. No. 1. September 15. 1900. Hutchinson. No. 2, December 1. 1902. Hutchinson, No. 3. December 1, 1902.

Hutchinson. No. 4. November 15. 1904.

Hutchinson. No. 5. November 15. 1904. Hutchinson, No. 6. August 1. 1905.

Langdon, No. 1. November 2, 1903. Langdon, No. 2. August 1, 1905.

Nickerson, No. 1. November 16, 1903.

Nickerson, No. 2. August 1. 1905.

Partridge, No. 1, October 1. 190I. Partridge No. 2. August 1, 1905. Plevna, No. 1, October 1, 1900. Plevna, No. 2. November 16, 1993.

Pretty Prairie, No. 1. July 1. 1904.

Pretty Prairie. No. 2, July 1. 1904.

Pretty Prairie. No. 3. August 1. 1905.

Sylvia. No. 1, October 15, 1903. Sylvia, No. 2. August 1. 1005. Sylvia, No. 3. August 1, 1905. Turon. No. 1. November 2. 1903. Turon, No. 2. November 1, 190.1.

حاد الجنس

Esther H. Richardson

CHAPTER XXXI.

SCHOOLS OF RENO COUNTY.

It is impossible to write a complete and accurate history of the schools of Reno county. The records are in such a condition that the information necessary cannot now be obtained, nor has the state superintendent of public instruction any adequate records of the schools of this county. Until recently, when the information was supplied from other records, the county superin- tendent's office had no records of the first three county superintendents of this county; the records of that office being corrected from the journals of the county commissioners. It is recalled by some of the old settlers that so little consideration was given this office that ten years after the organization of the county the county superintendent of that day kept all his school records in a gunny-sack, and pitched that sack in a corner of a coal and hide office, where it was the custom of the superintendent of that time to spend his leisure time playing chess; and when school matters were to be considered, the per- son desiring to deal with the county superintendent hunted up the hide house for the superintendent and his gunny-sack. There are no records of the organization of a single school district in the county. From appear- ance, those who had charge of the county's educational affairs divided part of the county up into spaces that would afterwards be settled up and school districts were informally organized; instead of organizing them as the stat- ute provides, by a petition from the patrons of the proposed school district to the county superintendent, who would, on hearing their statements, lay out and organize the district. So the present district boundaries have been whittled and cut to meet the demands of the patrons, but the dates of the cutting and whittling are gone. The nearest approach to that date is the date of the first' issue of bonds. It is very likely that this date is not far from the date of organization, as it was necessary in all of the districts to vote bonds to build the school house.

FIRST SCHOOL DISTRICT ORGANIZED IN 1872.

According to this method of fixing the dates of organization of the various districts, there was one district organized in 1872; in 1873 there

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RENO COUNTY, KANSAS.

were twenty-eight districts organized: in 1874 there were twenty organiza- tions' made. It was a notable fact that all but four of the districts organized in this latter year were in the earlier part of the year, ten in August and two later in the year. The grasshoppers had discouraged many persons from all thoughts of permanent improvement. However, new faith came with the spring of 1875, for ten new districts were organized that year. Nine were made in 1876, seven in each of the years 1877, 1878 and 1879. In 1880 only one district was formed; two in 1881; five in 1882; three in 1883: seven in 1884, while 1885 shows a marked increase in educational matters, eleven districts having been organized in that year. In 1886 seven new buildings were erected, eleven in 1887, three in 1888, two in 1889, one in 1890, four in 1891, three in 1892. The years 1893 and 1894 distinguished themselves as being the only years in the county's history when no new school houses were built until the county was completely organized. In the year 1895. 1896 and 1897 one district was organized in each year. The last year named closed the organization of new school districts. The following table shows the number of the districts and date and the amount of their first bond issues, together with a supplemental table showing the bonded indebtedness of the district at the close of the year 1916:

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BONDED INDEBTEDNESS OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

Dist-

Sale of First Bond

Amount of First Bonds.

Dist-

Sale of First Bond

Amount of First Bonds.

1

June 10, 1873

$15,000

21

August 1, 1873

400

March 13, 1873

1,000

22

August 9, 1873

500

3

June 10, 1873

500

23

June 19, 1873

1,250

4

April 24, 1873.

500

24

December 10, 1873

1,500

5 March 11, 1874

700

25

September 25, 1873.

1,000

6

March 1, 1873

1,200

26

December 1, 1873.

1,000

February 27, 1873

1,000

27

September 9, 1873

1,000

8

September 8, 1876

1,200

28

June 1, 1877

1,300

10

June 1, 1873

1,500

30

September 10, 1873

1,000

11

March 17, 1873

600

31

June 16, 1877

1,300

12

July 26, 1873

1,500

32

September 26. 1874

400

13

March 1, 1873

800

23

November 10, 1873

800

11

June 23, 1873

1,000

34

February 11, 1874

700

15

October 24, 1871

500

35

November 6, 1873

1,000

16

April 26, 1873

600

36

October 16, 1873

1,200

17 May 17. 1873

500

37

March 7, 1874

800

18 May 20, 1873

1,250

38

March 17, 1874

800

19

May 17, 1873

1,000

39 November 10, 1873

1,000

20

July 17, 1873

1,000

40 November 1, 1876

600

1

1

1

1

1

1

trict.

Issue.

trict.

Issue.

December 15, 1872

1,000

29

March 21, 1874

600

227

Dist- Sale of First Bond

Amount of

Dist- trict.

Issue.

Amount of First Bonds.

trict. 41

Issue.

First Bonds.

1,250

87

February 7, 1879

152

41

February 18, 1874

250

February 18, 1878

260

42 January 1, 1874

1,000

89

December 16, 1879 200

43 November 17, 1874

1,000

90

April 20, 1878

203

44

January 15, 1875

900

91

May 1, 1878.

325

44

.July 15, 1875_

663

92

August 17, 1878

295

45

December 15, 1875

137

93

July 1, 1879

225

16

January 16, 1874

200

94

November 2, 1878

600

47

January 8, 1874

800

95

March 10, 1874

100

48

November 15, 1875

600

96

49

October 1, 1875

800

97

50

November 10, 1874

600

98

August 4, 1882

September 13, 1879

575

August 1, 1881

475

August 8, 1881

475

55 October 1, 1875

380

103

56

March 19, 1874

400

104

March 16, 1883

57 58

June 1, 1876

399

106

November 1, 1883

830

59

November 26, 1884

600

107

January 5, 1884

200

60 61

August 1, 1874

550

109

August 25, 1884

700

62

October 22, 1883

500

110

February 1, 1886

187

63 March 3, 1875

362

111

March 2, 1885

700

64 65

May 17, 1876

800

113

December 22, 1884

1,000

66

August 10, 1882

550

114

December 9, 1885

300

67 68 69

une 6, 1877

300

117

August 2, 1886

260

70 71

February 1, 1876

555

119

March 15, 1887

600

72 73 74

November 15, 1875

600

120

August 1, 1885

600

November 27, 1879

100

121

October 31, 1885

350

March 3, 1879

125

122

September 12, 1885

500

75

September 30, 1876

455

123

October 20, 1885

900

76 April 16, 1877.

700

124

77

December 11, 1877

150

125

December 10, 1885

1,000

September 13, 1878

475

126

September 26, 1885

400

80 August 1, 1877

300

128

May 5, 1886.

450

81

March 7, 1879

73

129

March 14, 187

300

82

February 6, 1878

236

130

November 13, 1886

464

83 July 18, 1882

350

131

January 13, 1887

420

84 September 1, 1885

200

131

September 20, 1888

310

85 November 9, 1880

200

133

November 16. 1886

400

86 September 27, 1882

400

134

November 20, 1886

400

1

290

101

June 1, 1874

550

102

September 22, 1886

700

March 2, 1882

400

105

March 1, 188-

345

August 1, 1874.

1,500

108

July 5, 1884

200

January 3, 1876

270

112

December 27, 1884

400

November 30, 1875

425

115

October 24, 1877

300

116

February 18, 1885

300

April 1, 1875

150

118

August 21, 1886

400

78 79 August 1, 1885

800

127

December 10, 1885

51 52 53 54

June 2, 1874

1,000

100

October 1, 1875

400

99

February 1, 1875

1

1

1

RENO COUNTY, KANSAS.

Sale of First Bond

November 17, 1873

1

228

RENO COUNTY, KANSAS.

Dist- Sale of First Bond

Amount of

Dist- trict.

Issue.

First Bonds.

135

February 16, 1887

600

148

May 6, 1891

400

136

October 1, 1887

1,980

149

January 1, 1891

900

137

August 1, 1887

1,000

150

September 12, 1891

900

138

August 3, 1889

1,960

151

139

September 1, 1887

1,960

152

140

January 20, 1887

300

153

August 8, 1892

500

142

January 2, 1888.

650

155

September 15, 1892

400

143

November 30, 1887

600

156

November 22, 1895

500

144

December 2, 1887

500

157

145

July 25, 1888.

500

158

December 1, 1896

200

146

July 13, 1889

400

159

January 10, 1897

200

147 September 1, 1890.

600

160

LATER BOND ISSUES.

Present Bonded

Purpose of

District.

Indebtedness

Indebtedness.

I

$246,500

New buildings and grounds.

.

IO

1,700.

New building.

12

6,000

New building.

I3

3,000. New building.

2.1

5,000

Experimental land.

36

300 Improvements.

45

4,500 . New building.

57

600 New building.

62

5.500 New building.

73

6,200 New building.

74

500 Improvements.

99

9.275

New building.

IO2

2,200

New building.

II7

1.300 New building.

130

15,000 New building.

139

3,000. New building.

149

8.000 New building.

157

1,500

New building.

Sale of First Bond

Amount of

trict.

Issue.

First Bonds.

November 24, 1891

600

141

154

September 15, 1892

800

CONSOLIDATED RURAL, SCHOOLS.

The creation of school districts ended with district 160. A short time after the idea of the school system changed and instead of more districts it

220

RENO COUNTY, KANSAS.

was urged that better school teachers and better schools could be obtained by combining school districts. The county superintendent that was most insist- ent on this new feature of school district formation was I. L. Dayhoff. He wanted to carry out his idea, but was afraid to leave it to the districts that were affected. To gain his point he induced the members of the Legislature from Reno county to get a bill through the Legislature combining districts num- ber 4, 35, 108 and 139. They were merged by this act into one district, and the new district called "Union District No. 139." At the same time, and by the same act, districts 9, 25 and 150 were merged into one district and renamed "Union District No. 150." Considerable trouble was experienced by this act, but it soon became apparent that the new move was a good one, even though the method employed in obtaining it was questionable. The same Legislature passed a general law allowing school districts to combine, and on August 12. 1912, after a considerable time of discussion, districts 78 and 85 united under the name of "Union District No. 78." Likewise on June 6, 1913, district 70 was combined with district 73 at Turon, under the name of "The Turon Union School."

In 1909 districts number 123, 125, 124 and 60, all in Medford township. united under the name of "Union District No. 5."

RURAL HIGH SCHOOLS.

The last step in the development of the schools of the county and one of the most far-reaching that has ever been taken, was the passage of the law allowing rural high schools to be formed in order that the children of the rural schools might be given substantially the same educational facilities as are enjoyed by the children in the city schools. This law did not originate with the school teachers of the state, but with the Grange, an organization composed entirely of farmers. The anthors of the law insisted that the most economi- cal way to educate the boys and girls of the farm was to bring the school to the student, rather than send the student away from home to the school. They knew that the age at which boys and girls entered the high school was the most impressionable one of their lives and an age when the parents' influence should be most strongly exerted, and that to maintain this influ- ence it was necessary to have the schools close to their homes. So they sug- gested to the Legislature the advisability of passing a law that would allow the patrons to create such a district.

The first place in the county to organize under this law was Arlington. The Arlington rural high school was organized on June 22, 1915. It has a

230

RENO COUNTY, KANSAS.

full high school course and in the school year of 1916 it had thirty-four stu- dents.

The second rural high school to be organized was located at Partridge and was organized on the same date as the new school at Arlington, as was also the school at Plevna, which is styled "rural high school No. 3" but which, in fact, shares equally the honor of being the first with Arlington and Partridge. Abbyville, also, was organized on this date, but was given No. 4. These four districts were organized at the earliest moment after the law was passed and shows how well the authors of the law gauged public sentiment as to the needs of educating the children at home as far as possible. Langdon was the fifth to organize, June 29, 1915. The sixth school to organize under the law was Pretty Prairie, which district voted for a rural high school on April 4. 1916.

THE STANDARDIZED SCHOOL.

One of the advanced steps in education was the adoption of what is called "The Standard School." The state superintendent's office has had added to its force two rural school inspectors, whose work is to visit the various dis- tricts and work in connection with the county superintendents to bring about a higher standard for the schools ; bringing about a closer co-operation of par- ents and schools, and in a general way raising the grade of the schools of the state. They have adopted certain definite . requirements for the district before it can become a "standard" school. There must be at least an acre of school ground, which must be kept in good condition. There must be such trees and shrubs as the soil will grow. The outhouses and coal houses must be kept in good repair. The school house must be kept in good repair,

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