The Manhattan High School Monitor from Manhattan, Kansas • 1

IN EIGH Vol. 1. MANHATTAN, KANSAS, NOVEMBER, 1873. 1. Grammar School of to-dav.

But THE MONITOR. OUR SCHOOLS AND BUILDINGS, 1856-1873. Rev. Mr. Blood, Ira Taylor, Geo.

Brown, Judge Pipher, Dr. J. Deni-son, J. W. Pipher, Sam.

G. Hoyt, C. Barnes. Benj. B.

Bundy, Stephen Barnes, Mr. Giles, Geo Miller, Williston, Tunis J. Roosa, Sam. Long, Horace Eells, Dr. J.

Mr. L. Essick, J. Essick, and J. Bas-sett, each did well for the good taste, directing skillful hands, has worked up the evergreens and crimson clusters, brought by the boys from the forests, into wreaths that entwine the rude posts and relieve the ruggedness of tho rough walls.

From without seventeen steps, weather beaten and uncouth, which may be mounted by the aid of the course hand-rail, rise steeply to the door-way that opens into a little entry that guards the upper room, occupied by the High School, at present under the care of Prof. J. J. McBride. The room is of the same dimensions aa the one below, minus the little entry, which seems to have been an after-thought of convenience, arranged for deposit of hats and extra garments.

The ceiling springs over from the walls, east and west, in a low arch, and an attempt has been made with buff calcimine, to cover some of the dilapidation of the walls. The room is not unpleasant in contour the seats are comfortable the location is airy there is a fair supply of lackboard and it would pass tolerably well for the use of a school in one of the average country districts; but for a thriving city like Manhattan, it is a very poor apology. And this is the room occupied by the City High School In the earlier days of the history of Manhattan the school facilities were, of course, meager. Mrs. Blood kept a private school in her resi dence on what is now the new col lege farm.

Miss Arnold also kept school in a small building near where Dr. Patee's office now is. These were the first schools in the vicinity. In 1856 efforts were made to have a regular school, and a building in which to hold it. There was little money in the country, and the plan adopted was to build by eontribu- ions of money, labor or material.

The Cincinnati and Kansas Land Company donated three lots for a site. The location was selected lar out on Poyntz Avenue, as we have shown, that the buildings might, the better accommodate families living out on the Wild Cat creek, and beyond tho present college building. The wisdom of the selection is not apparent to tho present residents of the district. Among tho contributors towards he building, wo mention tho follow ing, without the intention of doing injustice to any, for almost every body then here gave something The Cincinnati and Kansas Land Company, besides the site, gave about 150 in money; tho Boston Association gave about 8200; Levi 3. Woodman, Henry Ilessin, Wm.

Collins, C. F. Briggs, N. D. Horton, Devoted to the interests of the Manhat tan Public Schools.

Published Monthly by the Teachers and ocnoiars. TERMS. Six months, (Payable in advance) 50cts. iSingle copies, lOcts A limited number of advertisements will be re ceived. We trust our enterprise will merit and receive the approbation and support of our parents and patrons.

Officers and Teachers. fHE following is a list of the Offi cers and Teachers of the Manhat tan Public Schools BOARD OF EDUCATION. Rev. S. W.

Lloyd, Director. Wm. C. 0HNST0N, Clerk. William.

Dent, Treasurer. TEACH EUS. J. J. MgBride, LL.

jf Jupt. and Principal High School. Miss Martha Wihte. A. Principal Grammar Department.

Miss Eliza Davis, A. Principal Secondary Department. Miss Amanda Arnold, Principal First Primary. Miss Helen Robinson, Principal Second Primary. E.

D. Stewart, Principal Colored Schools. LITERARY SOCIETIES, EXCELSIOR, Albert Wisner, Pres. PHILOMATH, Clair Patee, Pres. BOARD OF EXAMINERS.

Hon. II. D. McCarty, State Supt. Hon.

F. Billings, County Supt. Mr. E. D.

Stewart, Mr. J. S. Slie. COURSE OF STUDIES, moil school, Spelling, Reading, Penmanship, Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, B-Keeping, Laws of Business, Gram, mar.

Composition, Rhetoric, English Literature, Botany, Natural Philosophy, Drawing and Music. GRAMMAR DEPARTMENT. Reading, Penmanship, Arithmetic Grammar, Geography, Composition, Declamation and Music, SECONDARY DEPARTMENT. Spelling, Reading, Penmanship, Geography, Arithmetic. Oral Lessons in Language, Composition and Music.

PRIMARY DEPARTMENT. Alphabet, Spelling, Reading, Object Lessons, and Oral Lessous in Numbers Langnnge and Music. 0 the old home first, with its occupants and memories, we love to look back in the later days of life to the school house and its surroundings, and the teachers and companions associated with us there, we turn with the next stronges impulse oi memory. The home is sacred and other eyes than those that lighted it with glances of love may not worship at its shrine, or review its scenes not so with the school; the public has a claim on it and the scenes and actors are, in a measure, the property of the public So we feel that the people, young and old, will pardon the review the school incidents, and the recal of actors in the school life of Man hattan if, indeed, they do not find a pleasure in the review thereof. From near the foot of Povntz Avenue, on the south side, where the west line of Wyandotte Avenue intersects Poyntz, take your way; westward, as Bishop Berkeley prophesied in verse that the Star of Empire" should take its way; past the Cottage Hotel and the Adams Houso Beverly Taylor's and Purcell's corner, the county ofH ces and Hisrinbotham's bank, the Presbyterian and the Episcopal church; thus far along the uneven stone walk, thence along the pJank westward from the starting point just twelve hundred and forty paces or three-fourths of a mile, and you reach the school building.

The edifice is of stone, about thirty-six by forty-five feet on the ground, and two stories high. Near the west end of the south wall a door opens immediately into the room oc cupied by the Grammar School, over which Miss Martha White at present presides. The room is roughly plastered on the sides, and ceiled with unpainted pine overhead. The windows and door casings are of black walnut, unoiledand unpainted. The seats are not comfortable, nor nice.

The room is not attractive finish, and there is a scanty supply of blackboard. A large box stove in the center of the room scorches those on the nearest seats, and sends but feeble rays of caloric to those farthest away. A slightly raised dais at the center of the north end of the room is the teacher's platform and the rostrum for juvenile declamations. The main entrance door was originally in the center of tho north end of tho building, and now that it is closed, there is a panel of fresh plastering in tho frame of tho old casing, making a background of new wall for the tablo on tho dais. Cur-tainless and barren, unpainted and uninviting, is tho room used by, the The walls were up, and the window sash in, as a result of these combined efforts in 1856-7, and a temporary floor was a levee held in Nov.

another at a later date. The ladies took hold of the matter, and the result was a success. About two hundred and fifty people assembled on tho first occasion There were edibles and tableaux, and all the known devices for raising money at such entertainments, and Terpsichore was there for the pleasure of her patrons. Two ring cakes were sold at -auction the pieces" being numbered. One of these cakes brought $30, the other $24.

The arrangement was such that a lady must come into possession of one ring, and a gentleman of the other, and the twain were to bo married by a ceruuuuy." A certain widower desired very much to possess the gentleman's ring, and he was equally anxious that a par ticularly lovely young widow should possess the lady's ring. Some of the managers entered into the joke, and pins were put into the numbers that contained the rings. Bidding went on, and the marked pieces were run up by competition into high figures and our anxious friend made to pay roundly for the pieces containing the pins. The sale ended. On examination, behold tho rings were elsewhere, and our friend had paid high for "pins" only.

In fact, Hon. F. N. Blake had been "sold," as well as the cake. Levi Woodman had slyly removed the pins from their original location.

L. M. Essick and Miss Cordelia Kimball, (nowMrs. Horace Eells) were the possessors of the rings, and D. A.

Butterfield, (express agent at the time) united them in a mock marriage. Tho first entertainment netted $275, and the second $125. With these sums flooring and a stove for the upper room were procured. There was an indebtedness incurred in seating the upper Hon. I.

S. Kalloch was induced to lecture for the benefit of the enterprise. He came, and held forth in tho incomplete building. Subject: "Progress of the West." It is spoken of as a good lecture, but tho attendance was small and the proceeds Thus by continued efforts the earlier in- habitants oi Alanhattan duiu anu furnished tho structure that serves us yet for tho Higher Depart ments of our public schools, mere are incidents, and items of interest connected raith the history of Man hattan that we may present in a future number..