Emporia Schools history

The town of Emporia was located in February, 1857, its proprietors being P. B. Plumb, of Emporia, and Gen.

The Kansas State Normal School was opened February 15, 1865, in the Old Stone Schoolhouse, located on the northeast corner of the Senior High School grounds.

The first building on the present campus was erected on the site of the present flagpole, in 1867, at a cost of $10,000.00.

In April, 1870, it was created under the laws of the State a city of the second class.

In 1872, he resumed his studies, attending, successively, the Kansas Agricultural College, the Kansas State Normal School, and the Aurora (Ill.) Normal School.

Robert Milliken resigned the county surveyorship to take charge of the city schools, as superintendent, in 1875.

In August, 1877, John A. Reynolds was elected to the office for two years.

In January, 1880, he accepted the chair of director in training and gymnastics in the Kansas State Normal School, and held the two offices until the expiration of his term as superintendent of the Emporia schools.

He taught school at Neosho Rapids for about five years, and in 1881 was appointed to the position of principal of the Emporia high school.

He held that position until the fall of 1882, when he was elected superintendent of public instruction for Lyon county.

In September, 1886, he took charge of the Great Bend, Kas., schools, and remained there as superintendent until elected to succeed Superintendent Klock, who had been called to Leavenworth.

At a Columbian entertainment, given October 21, 1892, over $350 was raised for exhibit fund.

C. E. D. Parker in 1896 acquired Mr.

The old power house, formerly located at the southwest corner of Plumb Hall, was erected in 1905.

Morse Hall, a dormitory for women, was built in 1924, and the steel and concrete stand on the west side of Stadium Field, in 1925. It was located at that time in the third story of the old Peters hardware store, Fifth and Commercial, and was moved to the second story of the Watson-Ballweg Lumber Company's building, Sixth and Mechanic, September, 1906.

These buildings were moved about three hundred feet north of their original locations, and remained at a place immediately south of the old power house until 1917, when they were moved to their present location.

The Lyon County Teachers' Association was organized in 1922 and meets the last Saturday in each month during the school year.

The name of the Kansas State Normal School was changed to Teachers College February 20, 1923, for the reason that the name normal school designates an institution which gives a two year course, whereas the school at Emporia long had maintained a four year course.

The school board members of the county organized the Lyon County School Board Association in September, 1927, and five semi annual meetings have been held since that time.

O. M. Wilhite says he attended the Emporia Business College in 1880 or 1881, Mason McCarty was a student in 1885 or 1886, and Bert Johnson attended it in 1894. Its location at 724 1/2 Commercial, the second floor of the Burnap Brothers' plumbing establishment, into which it moved in 1928, is roomy, convenient and well equipped.

Some of the schools in Lyon County, Kansas From: History of Emporia and Lyon County Kansas By: Laura M. French Emporia Gazette Print Emporia, Kansas 1929

In 1951, the Department of Library Science gained approval of and began its master’s program.

100 students were awarded the Master of Science degree, which changed names to the Master of Librarianship degree in 1967.

In 1974, the Kansas State Teachers College (which used to be Kansas State Normal School) became Emporia Kansas State College.

In 1981, Robert Grover took over leadership of the School of Library Science, becoming its first Dean.