Troy High School - Trojan Yearbook (Troy, KS)

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Excerpt From 1922 The Troy School was one of the earliest schools found- ed in this part of Kansas. . . Believing in education with all their hearts the people have supported the school to the very limit of their ability, realizing full well that whatever they spend on education would be returned to them a hundredfold in the better citizen- ship of the future. As early as 1866, $4,000 in bonds was voted to erect the first substantial brick building. This served the community well until 1902 when $40,000 was voted and a handsome and up-to-date building replaced the old one. This new building was found to be inadequate to the school and in 1914 a $15,000 addition was built. The first high school was organized when Prof. U. S. Busch was superintendent of schools. The first class to be graduated was the class of '94 which consisted of the following three members: Miss Mabel Ellis, Miss D. Swiggett, and Miss Bertie Castle. Since that time the number of graduates in each succeeding class has steadily increased until the class of the present year numbers twenty-eight. The total number of graduates including the present class is 322. — taken from the 1922 TROJAN Destroyed By Fire January 23, 1926, the building which served as both the grade school and high school burned. The fire which destroyed the building started on Saturday morn- ing when the janitor, Charles Morehead, was using kerosene to clean the toilets in the building. Troy at that time was not served by any sanitary sewer service. In some fashion the kerosene ignited, and the building was set on fire. At that time Troy had no central water supply system, nor any adequate fire-fighting equipment, and as a result, the building was destroyed. The St. Joseph Fire Department came to Troy to assist, and a pumper truck was stationed at the old Hayton's pond, which is south of the railroad tracks, arid hose was laid from the pond to the school building, but by the time this water was put on the fire, it was too late. The build- ing was insured by the Common School District 21 for $63,000, and Rural High School District No. 7 had $3, 500 insurance on equipment. Plans were undertaken by the boards to reconstruct, and at that time it was decided that two school build- ings would be built, a separate high school and a grade school. In the meantime, classes were scattered about the town. The files of the Chief state that the first grade would be at the home of Miss Mae Babcock, the teacher. Construction began on the buildings in 1926, and they were put in service January 10, 1927. The grade school was not occupied until February, 1927. The building after the fire in January of 1926. The present high school during the construction. Note the billboards advertising the Bamum and Baily Circus in St. Joseph the week of September 1. 4 School History

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Troy School System Growing Since 1866 This being the Bicentennial year and our school's fif- tieth anniversary, we, the Trojan staff, have attempt- ed to produce as good and as historical an issue of the yearbook as time and money would allow. In this year's book we have combined the important activities of the present . . . 1976, and some of the memorable ones of the past. In doing this we have added short histories of our school, its organizations and sports; our town, its churches and clubs. It's our hope that the 1976 yearbook will promote in- terest and pride in our school, town, and the people of our community. Contributors to the histories contained in this book are Mr. Butch Ashworth, Mr. Tom Van Bebber, Mr. Fran- cis Burbridge, Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Cain, Mrs. Audrey (Smith) Clark, Mrs. Virginia (Speaks) Clary, Mrs. Letha Dillenbach, Mr. John Stanbrough, Mr. Loroff Dittemore, Mr. and Mrs. Waller Lee Dittemore, Mr. James Goss, Mr. Hillman Hull, Mr. Richard Larzelere, Mrs. Lyle Rockey, Sr., Mrs. John F. Smith, Sr., Mr. Richard Stahl, Mrs. Rilla Volker, and others too nu- merous to mention who helped make this historic is- sue of the TROJAN possible. FRONT ROW: Forrest Albright, Marjorie Himes Schul- er, Mintie Monroe Parker, Josephine Kloeppel Gibson, Rosa Dubach Criss, Theresa McKeman Kirkman, Frankie Marsh Davies, Esther Earhart Barnett. ROW 2: Freda Merrick Herendeen, Walter Triplett, Douglas Burbridge, Billy Abel, Mr. J. A. Jones, Supt.; Frank Turpin, Maple Fuller, Doris Welliver McEwen, Archie Fenley, Sr. ROW 3: Fred Thorton, Wayne Simpson, Cecil Cain, Ruth Miller Cain, Annie Culp Jacobs, Lela Abel Hilligoss, Myrtle Culp Riplinger, Maude Nitz Cosgrove, Mabel Howland Bird, Georgia Euler Croh. —May 27, 1927. The high school was on the present grade school site before it burned down.

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The present grade school while under construction. The high school shortly after completion, 1927. $ Gymnasium Dedicated The dedication of the C. W. Oliver gymnasium was held Sunday, November 23, at 2:30 p.m. in the new facility. The ceremonies began with the playing of the National Anthem by the THS band. Grant E. Speaks, school board president, gave the greeting and the introduction of guests. Several musical selections were played by the band. G. T. Van Bebber, the chairman of the Kansas Corporation Commission, gave the principal address. Recognition of C. W. Oliver and the Citizens Committee, who headed the bond drive, followed. Jay Oliver, the son of C. W. Oliver, pre- sented a vocal solo. The program closed with informa- tion on the building construction and an open house tour by Superintendent W. F. Wilson. Refreshments were prepared by the Home Ec. depart- ment and were served by the school board members' wives in the gym lobby following the program. Prof. Oliver, for whom the new gym was named.