Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1903-01-29
UNITED RURAL DtsrRrCTs.


rOf inc kenoctOr
RINEHART, Jan. ga little NOR
than year ago. J. A. Heller and tn
writer CHANGED to talk on the subjec
OF school consolidation In the rura
districts. Each found the other Ii
entire sympathy with this new idea
and promised to sound the patrons II
thei. respective districts as to the ad
visibility Of consolidating, In thi'
division OF Rinehart township, Dist
Nc. 81, there were found but four per
sons, two men and two women, who
favored the project. The remaining
patrons Of the school were either GO
opposed or Indifferent to the PROPOSE.
ton that for the time icing the sub
ject was dropped as far as Rinehart
was concerned. But not SO In Dist.
No. 1903, better known as the Taylor
district. MIR. Heller went to work
with such a vim and "stick-to- tive
ness" that he soon had several fam
lilies very much interested. The pa
irons Of the above mentioned district
were very anxious to build more
commodious school house and 1t was
found that the Pearl school, Dist. No.
81, adjoining on the southwest, was
also very much in need Of the same
Improvement.
Here then was the nucleus Of q
years hard work for the citizens
favoring this new departure in school
history and in February Of 1902 q few
Of the more progressive patrons In
these two districts began agitating
the question Of rural consolidation Of
schools under the laws Of 1901 as rec.
commended by State Superintendent
Frank Nelson.
Messrs. Clarence Taylor, John A.
Heller, J. Hiram Taylor and W. N.
Taylor were the war horses belonging
to the consolidation faction in Dist.
1903 and in No. 81, among the en-
should be mentioned Thos.
E. Taylor, J. G. Hatfield and W. @.
Taylor. These energetic gentlemen
perfected their arrangements for
revolution in district schools and on
the 2Sth Of March meetings were held
in their respective school houses to
vote on the question Of combining
forces. In No. 81 the votes were
found to have been cast unanimously
in favor Of consolidating, but in No.
1903 the opposing forces gained the
victory by small majority, SO in this
district the battle had to be fought all
over again. BY this time all the pa
irons of this school were thoroughly
alive to the subject, SO when in April
the next meeting was called to recon-
slider the question, votes we're gained
by the progressive party and the con-
test ended in victory for the union
faction. Supt. Dyer then declared
these two districts disorganized and
in May they were reorganized as
Union Dist. No. l. At aljoint school
meeting the following officers were
elected to serve as the first school
board OF the first rural consolidated
school in Kansas: Director, J. K. An.
derson; clerk, John A. Heller; treas
urer, Thos. E. Taylor. These gentle
men are justly proud Of the honor con-
ierred upon them. Then came the
meeting Of June 10th at which time
the "newly consolidated" unanimous.
" voted bonds to the amount Of a.
BOO wherewith to erect their new
OF course every one
was now very anxious to have the
work Of building pushed as rapidly as
possible to completion, SO plans were
Immediately made, work begun and
IT the little railroad station Of Pearl
III was hustle and hurry and good
sheer. The people Of the new district
ent willing hands on all possible oc-
,asions and now Dickinson county has
/ beautiful, large, roomy. we'll planned
,tone building that any city would be
proud Of. The dimensions Of the
school house are 2Sx4Sit. two stories
md q basement. The building Is
situated near the railroad at Pearl
IN small knoll facing the east. The
entrance hall is l6xS0it with q stair.
way on either side ascending to the