Beloit High School - Trojan Yearbook (Beloit, KS)

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The Beloit Schools In 1872, Beloit, the county seat of Mitchell county, was organized as a city of the third class. At the same time this was done, plans were made to promote the education of the town. Previous to the time stated above, Beloit had no regular established school, although a term of school had been taught by one Rev. O. N. Fletcher, a Baptist missionary, whose salary was raised by subscription. This term of school was held in an old cottonwood building, which was located on the west side of Mill street, adjoining on the south what is now the German National Bank. John D. Mitchell, the first county superintendent-elect, held the county institute on October 17, 1872, at the close of which the first county examination was held, and the following teachers were granted certificates to teach school: W. A. Reeder, N. B. Freeland, Lizzie M. Palmer, Belle M. Gilbert, Laura Reeder and Alverie Bourne. The first regularly appointed teacher of the Beloit schools was Ex-Congressman W. A. Reeder, who taught two consecutive terms, beginning in the fall of 1872 and ending in the spring of 1874. George W. Anderson taught a summer term during the year 1873. In the spring of 1872 there seemed to be a growing desire for a better school building. Bonds were voted for a school house, to be erected near the present site of the Central building. The erection of the school house was begun with the understanding that the building was to be completed, ready for school work, in the fall of 1873. Through some misunderstanding or mismanagement this was not fully carried out, and the building remained as a one-story structure for about a year, after which time a second story was added. The building, when completed, was a two-story brick structure, with one school room above and one below. A few years later both rooms were partitioned, making four rooms instead of two. Thus the school conditions gradually developed until in March 1879, Beloit became a city of the second class; and on May 5 of the same year the newly elected School Board of six members was organized, with W. H. Burke as president. In the following month Professor D. K. Thomas was elected the first superintendent. Mr. Thomas served one year and the names of his successors, with their tenure of office, are as follows: J. H. Middaugh, 1880-’81. Bion S. Hutchins, 1881-’83. Miss Carrie Bauman, 1883-’85. F. H. Clark, 1885-’88. Walter M. Jay, 18SS-’90. Samuel Ensminger, 1890-’92. G. M. Culver, lS92-’97. Harold Barnes, 1897-’02. C. A. Shively, 1902-’05. J. O. Hall, 1905-’09. A. P. Gregory, 1909-T2. R. L. Hamilton, 1912 ------ The present High School or Central building was erected in 1S84, at a cost of $20,000, taking the place of the old brick building which had been erected in 1873. It is a large, ten-room structure, centrally located, with wide halls and a large basement. Every room in the building, including the basement, is now used for school purposes. The building is thoroughly furnished with modern equipment, such as steam heat, drinking fountains, liquid soap receptacles and metal fire escapes. Four courses are maintained, each of four years’ duration, the College, Normal,

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 STAFF John Cavanaugh Editor in Chief Carl Walker Business Manager Reid Houghton Ass’t. Business Manager ASSOCIATE EDITORS Florence McCall Parthene Jermark Fern Bibler Earl Mercer Ward Shurtz Nellie Rogers

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Manual Training and Commercial Courses. The present enrollment in the High School is 243, including 34 Seniors, 40 Juniors, 58 Sophomores, 5 Special Students and Post-Graduates. The Board of Education now employs, aside from the superintendent, twenty-six teachers. There are ten teachers in the High School and sixteen in the Grades. In 1886 bonds to the extent of $9,000 were voted for the erection of a new school building, to be located in the Second ward. This is the present Rodgers building. It contained four large, well furnished rooms, two in each story. Since that time, however, the building has been doubled in capacity, containing now eight large, well furnished rooms, equipped with all modern fixtures. Besides these two large buildings there is in the west part of the city a beautiful brick structure, of ten rooms, called the Field School, also equipped with modern tix-tures, which was built in 1910. The building is situated on a block of ground just west and across the street from the old stone building. The schools of Beloit are widely and favorably known throughout the state, and the chief reason for this is the intelligent interest taken in their welfare by the citizens in general and the School Board in particular. Politics and religion have never been of any force in the School Board. Teachers are elected on their merits alone, which action in itself insures good schools. Dr. E. E. Brewer, the present president of the School Board, is a vigorous, wideawake executive officer and is ably seconded by his co-workers on the Board. Of those who have done much in the past for the upbuilding ot the schools, three names must take a prominent place—those of Hon. W. H. Mitchell, ex-mayor of the city; Hon. A. T. Rodgers, and Dr. E. E. Brewer, who is now president of the Board of Education. Each of these gentlemen have served many years as president of the School Board, and the result of their careful, conscientious handling of educational matters can scarcely be estimated. Beloit has been particularly fortunate in her educational advancement in the past, and everything points to a bright, progressive future. A. R. L.