One-Room, Country, & Historic Schools of Jefferson County

 

The desire to educate children and youth was strong among the permanent settlers in Jefferson County, Kansas. Private subscription schools sprang up even before towns were laid out. A.J. Greene taught at a school in Jacksonville in the winter of 1855-56. The first school on the Oskaloosa townsite was held in the spring of 1857, taught by Miss Mary Finnicum in a building in the East part of the town. The first school at Valley Falls was provided by Dr. Lorenzo Northrup and taught by Miss Libbie Pennock. Another subscription school was established in the summer of 1858 by D.H. Wright in a small box house. Subscription schools were usually operated in three-month terms.

The first public school district formed in the county was the Rothschild District, established upon a petition to J.H. Bennett, county superintendent, in February, 1859. It became known as District No. 1, the Center District, and its building was North of later Boyle. A small log cabin was secured, and a three-month term began with Esther A. Webb serving as teacher at a salary of $10 per month, with 17 students. She received the first teacher’s certificate ever granted in the county. During that year, J.H. Bennett organized nine districts.

By 1860, the number of schools increased to 18.

By 1865, there were 20 districts. After the war, all the old districts were reorganized, and 50 more were added before 1870. New, well-equipped District No. 7 and Mr. Betts ‘ schoolhouses replaced the log structures.

By the close of 1869, 72 districts had been organized. Elementary District No. 100, Dunavant, was organized in 1896. This number, the last, included eight town schools. The earliest town schools were generally of frame construction, but soon after the Civil War, two-story buildings—some of stone or brick—were erected.

In 1874, the Wincester Academy was established. The leading citizens of the village desired to found an academy that would exist for all time and, in time, add a college. Therefore, they formed a school company, established the school, and soon, under the careful selection of instructors, brought it to a high state of excellence. However, it was not a financial success and was discontinued in the spring of 1882. The building was blown down during a heavy storm on the night of June 16, leaving nothing but portions of its walls standing.

At Oskaloosa, the township voted bonds in 1865 to erect a schoolhouse; this had a varied career until 1878, when it was leased to the Methodist Episcopal Church South. Under that denomination, Marvin College was founded, and secondary and college schools were operated. An advertisement in the Independent in July of 1878 announced an opening term of 20 weeks at Marvin College for both male and female students, beginning on August 19, for the primary, preparatory, and collegiate departments. The tuition of $12.50 would cover enrollment for a primary student. The preparatory course at $17.50 would cover advanced instruction in arithmetic, grammar, geography, orthography, United States history, Greek, and Latin. The collegiate years—freshman through senior—required $25 in tuition, with an additional $20 for instrumental music.

In February 1879, a second term opened with 21 students. Marvin College finally failed financially and was turned back to the township.

 

Historic Schools of Atchison County

Name	District	Years of Operation	Location & Information
Bolton	49		4.5 miles southeast of Valley Falls on the Ferguson Road
Buck Creek	43	1878-1952	Buck Creek School This school is a one-story native limestone structure with a gable roof. The school’s interior comprises a central entry foyer flanked by two coatrooms, which lead into the primary classroom. Students of all ages attended. In 1883, 55 students, aged 5 to 18, attended classes. The length of the school year fluctuated between seven and nine months. Between 1873 and 1907, a teacher earned $30 to $50 per month. In 1952, the teacher’s salary was $225 per month. After 75 years as a center of education, public meetings, and social gatherings, the center was closed in 1952 following consolidation. It was sold to the Valley Ridge Homemakers Extension Unit in 1954 for use as a meeting hall. It is located at 15490 13th Street, Perry, Kansas, off US-24, two miles East of Williamstown.
Excelsior	12		North of Valley Falls
Nortonville	??	1937	Nortonville High School This old high school was built by the Works Progress Administration in 1937. Today, it is privately owned and appears to be used as a residence.
O’Neil	70	1870-1952	O’Neil School near McLouth, Kansas. O’Neil School in Sarcoxie Township was a one-story wood school. After the 1951-1952 school year, ownership reverted to private use, and the building was used for agricultural purposes. It is located at 2977 Union Road near McLouth.
Sunnyside	??	1880-1954	Sunnyside School. Sunnyside School is located on a one-acre rural parcel in Sarcoxie Township, southern Jefferson County. It is a one-and-a-half-story wood-frame, rectangular building with wood clapboard siding. The building has four rooms: two entry vestibules, a central closet/workspace, and a classroom. It once had two outhouses, one for boys and one for girls. Only one outhouse remains today. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the school is located at 1121 Republic Road near Perry.
Wellman	71	1887	Wellman School Wellman School Interior The school was built in about 1887 on the homestead of Harrison W. Wellman in southeastern Jefferson County. In 1970, the Wellman Schoolhouse was relocated from Sarcoxie Township in the southeast part of the county to its current location at the southeast corner of the Old Jefferson Town Museum. The one-story, rectangular, wood-frame building was designed in the Vernacular style with a gable roof and a bell tower over the West façade. It is located at the Old Jefferson Town at 703 Walnut Street in Oskaloosa, Kansas.
Williamstown	??		Williamstown Elementary The Williamstown Elementary School closed in 2007 due to financial constraints.

©Kathy Alexander/Legends of Kansas, July 2026.

Also See:

Jefferson County Extinct Towns

Jefferson County Photo Gallery

Kansas Ghost Towns

Kansas Main Page

Sources:

Blackmar, Frank W. Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, Vol. I. Standard Publishing Company, Chicago, IL, 1912.
Cutler, William G; History of Kansas; A.T. Andreas, Chicago, IL, 1883.
The First Hundred Years of Jefferson County