The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1922-06-29
(By R. Kenneth Evans)

The city of Hays was founded in
the spring of 1867, and its industrial
and social interests were intimately
bound up with the life of the fort for
two decades.
Many stirring scenes of pioneer
days are associated with old Fort
Hays. The annals of the post con
tain the names of many men in mill
tary history of the country. Among
the more noted of these may be men
toned Sheridan, Custer, Corbin,
Hancock, Miles, Hazen, Forsythe,
Lawton and Wheaton.
These men have written stirring
history in action on the plains of Kan
sas, and their names and romance of
their period are the priceless tradi-
tions of this Normal school.
Fort Hays was abandoned as
military post in 1889. Various pro
posals We're made for the disposition
of the land comprising the reserva-
ton. Homesteaders were anxious
to file upon such choice land, but pub
lie spirited citizens felt it should be
devoted to public uses. The degisla-
ture of 1889 was induced to ask con-
gress for a cession of the land to the
state for soldiers home. Congress
did not make the grant. The legisla-
ture of 1895 passed resolution ask
ing congress for a cession of the land
to the state for the purpose of estab-
fishing upon it public park, and ex-
pertinent station, and branch of the
state normal school, but congress
failed to act. Finally, in March, 1900,
an act was passed by congress grant
ing the land TO the state to be used
for a state normal school, and expert
ment station and a public park. In
February, 1901, the legislature ac-
cepted the grant and created the two
Institutions.
Owing to the delays occasioned by
controversy over claims of squatters
upon the land, the normal school was
not started until 1902. The formal
opening occurred on June % of that
year, with thirty-four students and
two faculty members. School was
conducted in the old fort hospital
building until the autumn of 1904.
The new building provided by the
legislature of 1908, was erected just
west of the city of Hays on he campus
/ chosen as the site for the normal
school.
March 6, 1914, the name of the
school was changed from Western
State Normal School to Fort Hays
Kansas Normal school, and the head
official of the school was changed
from principal to president.
March 6, 1915, the state legislature
accepted the federal grant of August
27, 1914, which establishes this school
independent of and equally function
ing and rank of the other state nor
NAL schools.
Buildings and Equipment
When the state legislature, in ac-
cordance with the act of congress
granting the reservation to the state
established the experiment station
and normal school, the land was divid-
ed between the two institutions. The
normal school was allotted approx
nrately 1000 acres, comprising the
western or upper portion of the re-
servation. 1t is a fine body of land,
we'll adapted to the raising of wheat,
corn, forage and alfalfa. Practically
500 acres are suited to irrigation,
making truck gardening and fruit
raising possible on large scale.
The campus is a portion of the
above tract, and consists of about
eighty acres adjoining the townsite
of Hays on the west. It is bounded
on practically three sides by Big
Greek, a fine stream Of water, with