By KAREN MADORIN
While Ellis and area communities experienced swift changes during previous years, 1885 and 86 offered some stability for this and other developing prairie communities. Take a moment to examine what changed and what remained the same in the Ellis education system during that time.
1885 faculty numbers held steady at four with Professor Halleck, Mrs. Deutsch, Miss Dennis, and Miss Meade staffing the new building. Student enrollment remained steady with approximately 200 students filling the classroom seats in the new stone building on the south hill.
While curriculum and practice proceeded as it had in past years, someone added fund raising to the school activities. Apparently, the mill levy didn’t budget enough cash for desired equipment so teachers and students sponsored money-making events.
One of the first mentioned involved a community sociable that showcased student recitations. Imagine residents putting on their best duds to attend and encourage their children. Funds earned at this program purchased books or apparatus for the school, according to the Ellis Headlight.
Apparently, that first successful fundraiser spurred students and teachers to hold a second that same year to fund an organ for the school. They planned a school entertainment followed by supper for a crowd of 500. Each attendee paid admission of 35 cents (EWH 12-15-1885). Reading between the lines, it appears community members had enough liquid cash they could support these events.
In 1886, the Headlight notes a Friday in-service. Students enjoyed a day out of school while teachers traveled to Hays to attend a day long county teacher association meeting. Topics included How to Teach English; Make the Children Talk; The Sciences—How Much, How Little; Need of Visible Illustration and the Proper Use of Apparatus; The Relation between Speling [sic], Reading, Writing, and Definition; What Are the Corect [sic] Habits of Study and How Can We Aid Pupils in Forming Them; and Adoption of a County Course of Study. There was no reference to how teachers traveled to and from this meeting.
In addition to professional development during the school year, teachers also attended the county normal school held each summer in Hays. They studied such subjects as music, philosophy, geography, arithmetic, didactics (art or science of teaching), calisthenics, physiology, constitution, penmanship, history, orthography, grammar, and reading. All Ellis teachers attended the 1886 normal school (EWH 8-6-86).
A year later in fall of 1887, Mr. Holcomb assumed principal duties, and the district hired another teacher. The school board directed the finishing of one room in the basement for an additional classroom. They also ordered additional desks and chairs out of Chicago (EWH 12-13-87). The growing enrollment reflected the expanding community.
The community must have puffed their chests with pride looking at its stone school house filled with new desks, books, equipment and apparatus, and a brand-new organ. The October 4 Headlight shares that Ellis hosted that year’s county teacher association organization meeting. The school board offered public thanks to Ellis citizens for their “hearty contribution” to the successful gathering.
Modern readers can only envision that period’s growing business district and neighborhoods that drew more students to the Ellis school. Obviously, this thriving railroad town and its community members wanted the best education they could offer their offspring.