The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-01-28

/ for the new district anu d OOdIQ WaS
felected to put into operation the new
plan. This new board was composed
| of +. L. Giddings,sJ. L. Crawford and
/ b w Murphy. Bonds to the extent
! of 5000 were voted to erect new
brick school building to contain nine
rooms Ground was broken at once be-
cause there vas no building in town
! large enough to house the new pupils
that would come to Burns in Septem-
| Der for the opening of the fall term.
| The new building cost $1,000 ana the
Remaining $500 was the surplus fund"
| to equip, secure a faculty, and main
| tain the school for the year. The sale
| of four old district school buildings
| and a school site in the town supple
mented these funds somewhat. but the
necessity for strict economy was still
! very apparent.
! Connor Was First superintendent.
| The first superintendent. Mr.. Con-
| nor, very bravely started the ye~ Il
by distributing the various
| TIE upper rooms of store .>-inss,
land in vacant houses and az afted with
anxiety the opportunity to move into
4 the new building. Then the plot thick
ened for no sooner had things gotten
well under way when a minority
group opposed to the whole movement
saw their chance and they did not
| hesitate to throw cog in the ma
! chinery." At this juncture one mem
/ Der OF the DOdEu got COlQ 46SI anu
| resigned rather than act when the
community was choosing sides. Mr. E.
| NJ. Strong was elected to fill the un-
! expired term of Mr.. Murphy and the
issue was to be met
| The minority group had gone to the
district court and had secured an in
| junction against the new district and
| this put a stop in the building program
| for the winter
The issue was decidedly two sided
donations were made on both sides
| TO secure legal talent to aid in reach
| ing the final decision. Mr.. w. H. Car
penter. of Marion, was secured Dy
| those. opposed to the new school while
the other group marshalled their
forces and centered their interests in
Topeka where the state legislature was
then in session. Here they hoped to
secure some favorable law by means
Of a special act that would annul the
Injunction and allow them to continue
their project Rev Durham, the Meth
odist minister, was sent to Topeka TO
spend the winter, if necessary, to
lobby for the new consolidated
school. His previous service as a min
lister in other parts of the conference
gave him a wide circle of friends,
both in the legislature and the state
at large, and he Immediately set out
to secure the passage of a bill that
would iegalize the proceedings of the
district and thus make the case pend
ing in the district court a dead issue,
BY sending out hundreds of personal
letters to his friends, and by the, per-
sonaI touch with his friends in the
legislature, he finally had the bill
brought up before the lay making
body. 1t passed the first and second
reading and was finally placed on the
calendar for final vote but it was far
down the list and bid fair to never get
to surface in remaining days of the
session. Steps were then taken to get
it moved up and again Tuck was with
him. and the bill actually came to the
house the day before the case was
called in the district court at Marion;
In the intense period of the case and
fearing that the legislature would not
complete their action in time to avert
the trial at Marion, Mr.. J. i. Crawford
was sent to the county seat to follow
the case to its death or completion.
On the morning the injunction suit
was called Topeka daily came out
with the flaring headline Burns
would complete their new building
and the fight was won. The only
comment of significant remembrance
was one made by one of the lawyers
for the opposition, who, when he read
the report, said, damn that Metho-
dist preacher"
After the smoke had cleared away.
the building was rushed to completion.
Many communities were watching
with interest the success of the ven
iture. The legislature not only Legal
lied the action of the new district
board but they gave in addition the
power to add a four year high school
course beyond the elementary grades.
The first graduating class from con-
solldated high school in Kansas was
in Burns in 1908.
Has Shown Big Growth.
The next fall another district Joined
and these five have comprised the
union district thru a period of almost
twenty years, save for the addition OF
a few adjoining half-sections.
The school has grown~from a four
teacher school to one now employing
eleven. 1t has always been easy to
secure good teachers and the splendi5
community spirit has made it possible
to maintain an excellent standard of
work. People from many states have
made personal visits and have sent in
quiries by mail, asking for detailed in
formation about the school, and few
schools enjoyed a greater season of
publicity.
Seven busses transport the pupils to
and from the school and number OF
pupils come from outside the district
to take advantage of the educational
opportunities here. This past year the
district has completed a new $4,000
building and the school is reorgaR-
lied under the six-three-three plan.
The community is thoroly converted
to the merits of Consolidation and
very few dissenting votes could be
found in the entire area comprising
the forty-two square miles district.
Land has increased in value and the
school has brought people to the COM
munity who appreciate education. All
these factors have combined to make
this an ideal community center.
Open Six Nights Each Week.
The present school building is open
six nights in the week and serves the
school and the community for recrea-
tiOnal and social purposes. An eight
number lecture course is being Of
fered to the people this winter. The
school is equipped with fine stage
and a full set of scenery, which makes
possible the putting on of various
stage productions. The high school is
now working on an operetta to be
given the latter part of January
The school is irving TO serve the