The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-02-24
HOW THEY
BUILT THEM
SCHOOLHOUSE
Characteristic Story of Okla
homa's Development.
BACHELORS ALL RIGHT
Turned in and Did Their
Share Calamity.

Guthrie. 0. T, Feb. 1.-oklahoma is
already becoming reminiscent 50 great
has been the progress that an Oklahoman
speaks Of the conditions seven years ago
as though It were fifty years past
" II. OInghouse in the Glenco Mirror
has been telling about the growth Of
Liberty school district Its experience is
Ike that fmany others. School was
originally held in tent. That went be-
fore a gale. The historian then con-
tineus:
cat the time Of the blowing away Of
our school tent, we had naverage at
tendance of eighteen pupils. This morn
ing as they began TO gather at the school
house, they saw that it had been blown
to atoms. The teacher became discOur-
aged and It looked to her as though she
would have to give up her school The
teacher and pupils are viewing the ruined
and wrecked school house gathered uP
what books they could find. and. out on
the open prairie, went through the form
atty Of dismissfng school. The pupils re-
turned home. lamenting the loss of
school. and related the news to their
parents. who had not heard of the ruined
school house.
THE writer being one Of the school
board at that time. mounted a horse and
went to see the other two directors TO
see what could he done in regard to
getting another school house. We came
TO the conclusion that we would build
dug-out for school house. And again
started on horseback to ride over the dis
trsct to see how many would volunteer
to help build q dug-out school house I
could not find one in the district who had
ever heard of such a thing as a dugout
for a school house. But all 7 had to do
was to just mention Billiards and Otoe
reservation and they would soon come 10
the conclusion that a dugout was just
what was needed. for we knew that the
winds might come and the snow might
drift and cyclones could pass over and
we in our little dugouts would be uncon-
scious Of the danger going on. Most
every ma min this district was willing to
do anything to get a school house. and
here want to speak a word of praise
in behalf of the bachelors We only had
twelve Of them in our district at that
time and I don't think there was one
but who was willing to lend a helping
hand to build a school house. It was a.
very good indication that they did not
always intend to be bacvhelors. As we
had no time to lose, we met where the
school house now stands, some with
road scrapers and plows. shovels and
picks. and the dirt and rocks soon began
to move. place 14x1S and four foot
deep was soon thrown out. In the mean
time there was teams getting logs which
we're purchased from f. Critics to lay
around ntoD Of the ground, as we
struck rock and thought it would Zoe the
quickest to lay thrse logs high around the
dugouts That gave us a ceiling seven
feet high. I think we ha dit completed
in two days cash paid out for material
amounted to Sl3 And now we had no
desks. It was decided that each family
that sent children should furnish their
own desk, and within a week from the
time the time the tent blew down, we
were having school in our new dugout.
and Miss Clara Ingham finished her three /
months term that spring in the dugout
''AIr. T. Br0adus taught in the winter Of /
'95 and Sc AS the country began to inn /
prove and families move into the dis
trict our dugout soon got too small to /
accumulate the number in attendance.
In the summer Of '96 we began to talk /
voting bonds. so we could get rospect- /
able place to send our children to school /
It was the senUent Of this district and /
our election was called to vote for or
against" When the vote was counted /.
in the evening it was found. 70 our sur
prise. that only one vote was against
bonds and 1t showed that there was yer
one man who was satisfied TO remain
Under the ground. Bonds were voted 70
the amount Of son. They were soon dis
posed ~ and building 2fx96 was erect
ed, most Of f. being donation work. and
school furniture was placed n it 70 the
amount of fl9f { is now furnished with
maps. charts. and everything that Is
leeded in a common school
'.Taro1eh all orr tr3uiatiens We have
succeeded 50 wen thar ws row have
enough money TO pay or al ~ orr indeht-
s1ness ard still have 8 cash reserve or
bands And Z wlI venture 70 say that
there IS not a taxpayer iH the district To-
Jaw who can realize that he has had 70
pay or those bonds"