Atchison county further increased its educational advantages in June, 1915, by establishing at Potter, a rural high school, in accordance with a law passed by the legislature in 1915. This district is known as Rural High School, District No. 1, and comprises 26½ square miles, including portions of nine school districts, five of which lie wholly in Atchison county, and the four others jointly in Atchison, Jefferson and Leavenworth counties.
August 9, 1915, the first school meeting in this district was held, and J. E. Remsburg was elected director, T. F. Hall, treasurer and D. H. Strong, Jr., clerk. It was not necessary for this district to vote bonds for a building, because Union District No. 1, which includes Potter, and is a part of the new high school district, already had a beautiful modern four-room structure, which was leased to the newly organized high school district. A. T. Foster was elected first president, and Miss Sarah Armstrong, assistant. The school opened September 6, 1915, with an enrollment of eighteen pupils. The course of study is that prescribed by the State, board of education, and covers four years.
The year 1915–16 has been a year of progress for the schools of Atchison county. The State department of education, by virtue of authority given them by the State legislature in 1915, established a definite standard of efficiency for the rural schools of the State, and formulated plans for standardizing rural schools. As a result, two rural school supervisors were added to the State department. J. A. Shoemaker, county superintendent of this county, was appointed as one of those supervisors, and was succeeded in office by Miss D. Anna Speer, who is making one of the most earnest and efficient county superintendents this county has ever had. It is universally conceded that the board of county commissioners made no mistake when they selected Miss Speer as a successor to Mr. Shoemaker. Miss Speer is making an earnest effort to bring our schools up to the standard set by the State department of education, in which she is receiving the cordial coöperation on the part of the school officers, parents and children of the county. The work that is being accomplished here has been highly commended by Miss Julia Stone, one of the new State supervisors, and three schools, approved by the supervisor, have the honor of the first three “Standard Schools” in northeastern Kansas. These are: New Malden District No. 45, H. S. Mahan and Eugene Crawford, teachers; Lancaster District No. 10, O. E. Seeber and Miss Ione Gibson, teachers, and White Clay District No. 6, J. M. Pennington, teacher. In 1915 the County Normal Institute was combined with Midland College Institute, at Midland College. A six weeks’ session was held, June 15 to July 28. Besides thorough reviews of all subjects required for county teachers’ certificates, numerous courses for college credit were offered. The corps of instructors consisted of county superintendent, Miss D. Anna Speer: professors, W. E. Tilberg. E. M. Stahl, S. L. Soper, D. W. Crouse. C. F. Malmberg and Bruno Meinecke.
The following is a list of county superintendents of public instruction of Atchison county from the beginning of our history to the present time:
- Philip D. Plattenburg, served September, 1858, to May, 1861.
- Orlando Sawyer, served July, 1830, to January, 1867.
- Norman Dunsher, served January, 1867, to January, 1869.
- Thomas F. Cook, served January, 1869, to January, 1873.
- J. E. Remsburg, served January, 1873, to January, 1877.
- Mr. Martin, served January, 1877, to January, 1879.
- W. H. Tucker, served January, 1879, to January, 1883.
- A. G. Drew, served January, 1883, to January, 1885.
- J. F. Class, served January, 1885, to January, 1887.
- George A. Ward, served January, 1887, to January, 1889.
- John Klopfenstein, served January, 1889, to January, 1893.
- Samuel Ernst, served January, 1893, to January, 1895.
- C. E. Reynolds, served January, 1895, to January, 1899.
- John Klopfenstein, served January, 1899, to January, 1901.
- E. E. Campbell, served January, 1901, to May, 1901.
The Kansas legislature of 1901 changed the date of beginning of superintendent’s term from the second Monday in January to the second Monday in May, thus creating a vacancy in the office for four months. Mr. Campbell was appointed by the county commissioners to serve during that period.
- John Klopfenstein, served May, 1901, to May, 1903.
- O. O. Hastings, served May, 1903, to May, 1907.
- J. W. Campbell, served May, 1907, to March 18, 1909, when he died.
- J. A. Shoemaker, served March 23, 1909, to July 1, 1915.
- D. Anna Speer, served July 1, 1915, and still remains superintendent.
ATCHISON CITY SCHOOLS.
It was lamentable, but, nevertheless true, that there were many residents of the city of Atchison of the early period in its history who doubted the justice of supporting free schools. In 1860 the school board refused to levy a tax for school purposes in the city of Atchison. Following this, however, a more progressive spirit prevailed, and free schools were regularly supported by annual tax levies. For ten years the schools occupied rented quarters, excepting two frame buildings in South Atchison. The basement of the Congregational church, the lower floor of the old Masonic building that stood near the corner of Eighth and Commercial streets, the upper floor of the Auld building on Commercial street, near Sixth, Price’s Hall and probably other buildings were used during those years.
There was little or no general supervision of the work of the schools up to 1866, little or no system, and little distinction between public and private schools.