Green Valley District 11
The one room Green Valley School was designed and built by the men of the community in 1904. It was taught by a much loved teacher, Miss Belle Stewart. She rode on a side saddle when she didn’t drive her buggy with her pony, a distance of 4 miles. Previous to this, classes was taught by Wilbur Rushton in 1903 in a private home.
W. R. Rushton was Sunday School Superintendent for 17 years, Kelly Askew played his violin for social events. Mrs. Otis Lee and Nora Rushton Cook played the organ for most of the church services and community singings.It served not only as a school, but Sunday School, Church services, box and pie suppers, school programs, spelling and ciphering matches, school board and meetings for community improvement.
When population increased, a second room was added in 1915, making it a 2 room, 2 teacher accredited school. Better qualified teachers were available and many students finished the 8th grade to on to higher education. After consolidation, the school was moved away.
Mount Moriah District 13
Mount Moriah School was located on the Walter Truelove farm one mile north and 3 miles east of Cooperton. It is thought a prior school building had been built one half mile east and that it had burned. The last year of school was 1936, when it consolidated with Cooperton.
Pleasant Ridge District 16
Pleasant Ridge was located NW of Hobart, 2 miles west and 4 ½
miles north. It was a one room school and had one teacher from 1902 through
1935-1936. In 1949 it was annexed to Hobart and Sentinel. Like other schools
of the time, it served as
a meeting place for box suppers programs and Christmas Programs.
Valley View School, District 18
Built in 1902, Valley View School was located 7 miles north of Lone Wolf. The one room school was built in the fall of 1902 on land given by Charlie Edwards and Buck Ballew. It was built in a valley between 2 ridges which gave a beautiful view of the country. It was a one teacher school, all 8 grades being taught until 1911. Due to a large enrollment another room was built on the north side and two more teachers hired. There were 60-65 students in the early years.
For several years, drinking water was hauled from a spring about one-half mile away on the Woods farm. coal and kindling were carried in for heating in the big pot belly stove in the middle of the building. It was a thrill for the boys to be chosen for these tasks. Later a big cistern was built to provide water, and a concrete cellar for protection from the storms.
There was no playground equipment those days so the children played games such as baseball, jump the rope, hide and seek, and the smaller boys played marbles. Ciphering and spelling matches were held on Friday afternoons after last recess.
The building served as a community center as well as a school. In the early days there was an Anti-Horsethief Society organized. This organization was very popular in America in those days and is still in existence in some states today. Social events were held at the school as were church services. Due to dwindling attendance, the school was disbanded in 1947 and students transferred to Lone Wolf or Port.
Union School, District 19
In the Northeast part of Kiowa County, 3 miles east of Simpler School, was another Union School, but the patrons who named District 19 did not know of District 59. They were some distance apart, so there was no conflict. This school was consolidated with Lone Wolf.
George E. Mitchell had drawn a farm ½ mile from the school. He hauled the first load of lumber for the school building, which later became a voting precinct called Mitchell Precinct.
After consolidation with Lone Wolf , the school building was taken over by the B-U-Busy club (members from Bethel and Union Districts) who painted it and maintained it. The building was used for club meetings, showers, family dinners, and was the center for social activities for the 2 districts.
Russell School, District 22
Russell School was the center of activities for the neighborhood with Sunday School held each week by ministers from Hobart and Lone Wolf alternating, revivals, literary societies, and Christmas programs.
When money was needed, box and pie suppers were held. Drinking water was carried from the house south of the school, the teacher appointed someone to do it. It was a great privilege to be “water monitor” and they walked as slowly as possible with the water. A coal stove in the middle of the room provided heat, and it had to be kept “red hot” on winter days, those setting next to it “burned” to keep the others from freezing. Coal oil lanterns hung on the walls provided light. Everyone brought their lunches in buckets, baskets, or sacks.
The school was blown away in a tornado Easter Sunday, 1944 and the school term was finished in a chicken house on the Watkin's farm.
Sunnyside School # 23
Sunnyside was located 3 miles north of Lone Wolf and 3 miles west of Russell School, on the east side of Lone Wolf. The one room building was located on the SW corner of Nick Snyder's farm. It was consolidated into Lone Wolf in 1929.
Mount Zion, District 30
Mount Zion School was two miles west and one mile north of Hobart. It was a one room school through 1906-1907.