The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-03-04
"A GOOD SHOWING.
Annual Report of School
Board Is Exhaustive.
Covers Period of Twenty Years
Shows Marked Progress.
WHAT A CONTRAST!
Retrospective Glance Gives an
Interesting Comparison.
Story of the Founding of the
Topeka Schools.


A profusely illustrated annual re-
port OF the city schools covering a pc
Rod OF twenty years, which has been
prepared by superintendent L. D.
Whittemore, will probably be ready for
distribution Monday evening when the
board of education will hold its regu-
lar March meeting. The report will
show that marked progress has been
made since the last annual report was
issued twenty years ago. and that the
development of the schools has been
little short of marvellous since 1854,
soon after the town was founded, when
few families united for the purpose
of discussing the question of the edu-
ton of the children and decided to
employ Miss Sarah C. Harlan, after
wards Mrs. J. f. Cummings, to teach
the members of the younger genera
ton.
An Excellent Record.
The report now in the hands of the
printer shows that the total enroll
ment in the city schools. at the end
of the year was 1856, with teaching
force of 232. The enrolment in the
high school alone is now 1000, the
force of instructors numbering 43.
The monthly payroll is over $4,000,
or nearly $26o,OOo year and accord
ing to Superintendent L. d. White
more the total valuation of all build
ings, equipment and grounds is nearly
$S00,000, the valuation of the build
ings, including the new Van Buren,
school, being in the neighborhood of
100000.
The -eport which has been prepared
by Mr.. Whittemore contains cuts IL
Illustrative of the work which is being
done in the manual training and 9TH
er departments, and is in marked con-
trast to a report which was published
for the school year of 1S70-77, when
the announcement was made of the
first high school graduation class of
four The list of graduates at that
time consisted of these names: Elva
May Hammond.
A Decided Contrast.
w H. Butterfeld was superinten-
dent of city schools when this report
was published. The enrolment was
2.5s2-1,150 boys and 1.432 girls
payroll $4,000 a year, and the number
of teachers employed 25. The report
contains a brief historical sketch pre-
pared by F. w. Giles which makes
possible an interesting retrospective
glance
"The founders of Topeka were i'm
pressed with the Importance of early
and we1l-grounded provisions for COM
mon school, reads the sketch. 1.-THE
subject was before the Topeka asso-
citation on the eighth of February,
1856, and on the goth of that month
the association appointed Mr.. Amos
Trott to the work of making plan for
a school house, and to solicit subscrip-
lions to the extent of 5000 towards
building 1t. The association also levied
an assessment of SIS upon each of the
hundred city interests for the same
purpose.
Some Historical Facts.
ION the 21st of March the associa-
fod &c FRI two
lots in the vicinity of Topeka and
Sixth avenue, to be set aside for a
school house site. Political troubles
thickened upon the little free state
town so rapidly that attention to build
ing houses and establishing schools
was necessarily left in allegiance for
the time, and all energies were direct
ed to the procurement of substance
and the defense of the families.
Something had been done towards
educating the few children, however,
at even an earlier date than the events
related. Within eight or nine months
from the founding of the town-De-
cember 4, 1864 few families united
for the purpose and employed Miss
Sarah C. Harlan, now Mrs. J. F. Cum
mings, to teach their children. A lit
tie shanty standing at about lot No.
80 Madison street, was secured for
holding the school, and there the ses-
sions continued until the SHOWS of
unwarmed shanty, rendered its con-
tinuance impossible.
An Exciting Period.
''The year 1856 is very memorable
with people at that time living in Kan
sas as one of continuous excitement,
sadness and alarm, and we think that
no attempt at maintaining school
was made in the autumn o. that year.
In the summer of 1857 the Massa-
chusetts Aid company erected a brick
building, about eighteen by twenty
four feet, and two stories. on the rear
of lots 145, 147 and 149 Harrison
street fronting on Fifth street. The
completion of this little house was an
event of interest and an occasion for
rejoicing. From that time forward the
schools were maintained with some
regularity, though altogether depend
ent for pecuniary support upon vol
untary contributions till the year 1862.
The machinery of territorial govern
ment never worked with sufficient
smoothness TO produce revenue at
Topeka.
''In 1865 the Harrison street school
house was erected. being the first
school building erected at the expense
of the city. It comprised the front
only of that building as it low stands
the site being the same as donated
nv 1ccooiaffnY in