Beloit High School - Trojan Yearbook (Beloit, KS)

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THE ORANGE AND THE BLACK PUBLISHED BY THE SENIOR CLASS OF BELOIT HIGH SCHOOL 1914

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Beloit High School History of its Establishment and Development 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 Alvene 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 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 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 .K. Burke as president. In the following month