School children in Morris County, Kansas, 1888. Colorized.
The first white school in Morris County, Kansas, was established in Council Grove in 1857, with Miss Sarah Stevenson as the teacher. Mr. T.S. Huffaker, however, had been employed as early as 1850 to teach the Kanza Indians in the Mission building, and while thus employed, several white children attended his school.
In 1871, there was a school in Parkerville; in 1873, one in White City and one in Skiddy.
The people of Morris County were not behind in their attention to the education of youth and in providing ample facilities for its advancement. School taxes were high but always paid cheerfully, and hence, the prairie was dotted with many schoolhouses.
In 1882, the county’s population between the ages of five and 21 was 3,482. At that time, 2,509 students were enrolled, with an average daily attendance of 1,539. There were 70 teachers employed during the year, of whom 31 were male and 39 were female. The average monthly salary for teachers was $32.15 for males and $28.75 for females. The amount expended was $18,338.09. There were 63 school districts and 62 schoolhouses in the county, seven of which were built of stone, 53 of which were frame, and one of which was built of logs.
The County Superintendent reported that the school rooms were well supplied with maps, charts, dictionaries, globes, and all other apparatus necessary to advance the pupils, assist them in their studies, and give them a clearer understanding of the subjects covered in their lessons.
Today, students in Morris County are served by two school districts.
Morris County USD 417, headquartered in Council Grove, operates the Council Grove Elementary School, Prairie Heights Elementary School, and the Council Grove Junior-Senior High School. The district includes much of Morris County and extends into Lyon and Wabaunsee Counties. The district includes the communities of Alta Vista, Council Grove, Diamond Spring, Dunlap, Dwight, Wilsey, Delavan, and nearby rural areas.
Rural Vista USD 481, headquartered in White City, operates the White City Elementary School and White City High School in White City and the Hope Elementary School and Hope High School in Hope, Kansas. The district includes the communities of Hope, White City, Woodbine, Latimer, Parkerville, Skiddy, Dillon, Shady Brook, and nearby rural areas of Dickinson and Morris Counties.
Historic Schools of Morris County
| Name | District | Years of Operation |
Location and Information
|
| Baxter | 10 | 1876-?? |
 Baxter School This wood-frame school is located at the northwest corner of MacKenzie and Main Streets in White City, Kansas. The original cupola has been removed. The interior has its original wood floor, light fixtures, chalkboards, plaster walls, and wood trim. It was relocated six miles west of town. There is an outhouse northeast of the school and a Merry-go-round to the southeast. |
| Dunlap | ?? |
 Dunlap School Gym This red brick gymnasium, with a brick addition on the northeast corner, is on the south side of 5th Street in Dunlap, Kansas. |
|
| Fairview | 33 |
 Fairview School This wood-frame building has a hip roof and a cupola. Fairview School is located at 200 East Main Street in Council Grove, Kansas. |
|
| Field | 54 | ??-1946 |
 Field School This school was initially located eight miles south of Council Grove and moved to its current site in 1999. It has remained virtually unchanged since its construction in 1902, except for the 1939 enclosure of a portion of the porch. It stands at the Trail Days Historic Site at 803 W. Main Street in Council Grove. |
| Four Mile | ?? | 1913-1965 |
 Four Mile School The Four Mile Schoolhouse is a wood-frame building with a hip porch. It is located at 1407 Four Mile Road, Council Grove, Kansas. |
| Garner | ?? | 1880-1962 |
 Garnder School This one-story, square wood-frame building with weathered clapboard siding was designed in the vernacular style and features a hip roof. This deteriorating vacant building is located on M Ave and P Ave on K-149, about five miles south of White City, Kansas. |
| Kaw Mission | None | 1851-1854 |
 Kaw Methodist Mission. Built in 1851, the mission served as a school for the children of the Kanza Indian tribe. The historic church mission in Council Grove, Kansas, served as home, school, and church for 30 Kanza boys from 1851 to 1854. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. The site is now administered by the Kansas Historical Society as Kaw Mission State Historic Site. |
| Latimer | 36 | ?? |
 Latimer School This old wood-frame school stands at the corner of Kasten Avenue and L Avenue, three miles east of Highway 77 on L Avenue. It is in the extinct town of Latimer, Kansas. |
| Marion Hill | 31 | ||
| Morris County | ?? | 1937-?? |
 Old school in Council Grove This one-and-a-half-story T-shaped building, featuring a cross-gable roof, was designed in the National Folk style. It is located at 212 W. Hays Street in Council Grove, Kansas, and was relocated from rural Morris County.
|
| Pleasant Valley | 86 | Northwest36-T14-R5E | |
| Swartz, Slough Creek | 52 | 1872-1962 |
 Swartz School This one-story, rectangular wood-frame school was designed in the vernacular style, featuring a gable roof and a wood-frame gable entry. It was relocated to its current site, adjacent to the City Library, at the corner of 7th and Main Streets in Dwight, Kansas. |
| Wilsey High School | 6 | 1920-?? |
 Wilsey High School. The old Wilsey High School is located at 410 North Street in Wilsey, Kansas. A large metal building with a vaulted roof to the west is a gymnasium. A playground and ball court are in the rear. The building now serves as the Neot Ephratah Academy. |
©Kathy Alexander/Legends of Kansas, updated January 2026.
Also See:
One-Room, Country, & Historic Schools of Kansas
Sources:
Cutler, William G.; History of Kansas; A. T. Andreas, Chicago, IL, 1883.