This is James Kenyon for the High Plains Radio Readers Book Summers Reading List. I am an active reader and writer. I authored Golden Rule Days. It is a history of the former high schools in all 105 counties in Kansas. Each town was visited, and the history was collected from the early settlement, the first schools, and then the years that the high schools were in existence before closing.
The interview sessions were in former school buildings, church basements, park benches, restaurants, convenient stores and libraries. Wherever one or two could, I found them. Some groups were as large as 15-20 community members and alumni of the schools. There were five counties: Wichita, Greeley, Stevens, Lane and Cheyenne which have never had a high school close. In these counties I wrote about the last country school to close.
Education of the high plains was extremely important to the first settlers. One of the first buildings in most settlements was a schoolhouse. The one room country schools dotted the landscape with at least a one-room-school for every four sections. High school started as early as the 1880’s in larger county seat towns. The small towns voted bonding to provide for their schools and their high schools were established from 1900 through the 1920’s.
These stories include the notable graduates, notable teachers, superintendents, bus drivers, cooks, music, sports, coaches, senior trips, and of course the pranks done in these schools.
My grandfather, John Gibbins was the first superintendent and started the high schools in Esbon, Russell Springs, and Bogue.
Each story closes when the last graduate crosses to get their diploma and the ‘Pomp and Circumstances’ march played by the band or piano has ended.
Talley of the total graduates from the school and the most prominent surnames of the graduates in each high school is recorded. Ethnic settlements of Germans, Czechs, Danes, and Dutch showed these collections of names of the graduates.
The rivalries between towns melted when consolidation of districts brought children by bus to a new school. Generations of graduates still meet for reunions to laugh, love and reminisce of their own Golden Rule Days.
The ‘dirty thirties’, World Wars. Korea and Vietnam shaped small towns of America. Those killed in action and POW’s in from every town and school story are recorded.
Those attracting polio have their own story.
I have had readers share that they read two stories each night before turning out the lights and they smile of those times of yesteryear and relate to the school times from their own youth.
Golden Rule Days brought teachers to the community who gave these high schools a flavor of the world. And yes! there was taught debate, orchestra, Shakespeare, along with math, science, reading, English, home economics, mechanical drawing, carpentry, auto mechanics, welding, art, foreign languages, and the mandatory Latin.
This collection may never be written again or at least in the first person by these elderly lovely people on the plains.
A dear lady in a nursing home in Dodge City answered my question on the telephone. I asked, “were there any notable graduates from your high School of Ensign? She quickly replied, “Well, I would like to think we were all notable graduated.”
Happy Trails.
