100 years ago
SEPTEMBER 5, 1902 — Chapter XIX of the Kansas General Laws of 1865 read as follows:
"An Act Defining the Boundary Lines of Marion County.
"Section 1. That the county of Marion shall be bounded as follows: Commencing at the northwest corner of Chase county, being the northwest corner of section number eighteen (18), range six (6) east; thence west, on township line between seventeen (17) and eighteen (18), to range line between four (4) and five (5), thence north on said range line to township line between sixteen (16) and seventeen (17), thence west, on said township line, to the west line of the State; thence south, along the State line, to the southwest corner of the State, thence east along the south line of the State, to the southwest corner of Butler county, being the point where the 6th principal meridian crosses the said State line; thence north on said meridian line to the township line between twenty-one (21) and twenty-two (22), thence east on said township line to range line between five (5) and six (6), thence north on said range line, to place of beginning.
"Sec. II. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its publication in the State Record. Approved Feb. 17, 1865. S.J. Crawford, Governor."
Do you realize the size of the territory described in that Act?
Original area of Marion county, 31,734 square miles — larger than the combined areas of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and the District of Columbia! And that was the size of Marion county from 1865 to 1870 — the year its oldest children, McPherson and Sedgwick counties, "set up housekeeping" for themselves. Since that time other children have left the parental home, so that Marion county's children and grandchildren now number thirty-six. It is the papa of the "Big Seventh." Most of these children Marion county is proud of, although some of them have at times forgotten the political precepts inculcated in the old home and wandered away after false political gods. But after awhile most of them have grown weary of the worship of sockless statesmanship and the husks of Populism, and like the Prodigal Son of Biblical Writ, have turned back to the father's faith. But this is aside.
Early in the year 1865, Marion School District No. 1 was organized, and the first school house in all this southwest Kansas territory was built. A cut of that school house accompanies this sketch. It was located about one mile north of the City of Marion, on the east bank of Mud creek. The school district was a little over three times as large as the State of Vermont! The old Santa Fe Trail angled southwest through the district, passing through the towns of Lost Springs and Lehigh in this county, as it now is. As the reader doubtless knows, stations or inns had been established along the trail years before, the government having reserved a quarter section of land every twenty miles along the trail for that purpose. For the support of this first school in District No.1, the tax assessor traveled over the trail and collected school taxes all along the way to the west line of Marion county — or in other words, to the west line of the State! Perhaps the children of the sturdy pioneers thought it a rather wearisome journey as they came trudging in to school from Larned and Ft. Dodge, but like the necessity which has confronted their great State there was no way "as astra" except "per aspera."
The first term of school was conducted in the winter of '65-'66, and Dr. J.N. Rogers, of this city, was the first teacher. The school term was four months, and there were about forty pupils the first year. Dr. Rogers tells us that he had pupils from as far away places as Texas, and that many of them came to school with knives in their belts and revolvers at their sides. As they entered the school house they were compelled to lay aside their weapons and the corner of the room soon assumed the appearance of a young arsenal. Mr. W.S. Moulton was the second teacher in the district. Mr. W.S. Moulton, Mr. A.E. Case, Dr. Rogers, and a Mr. Rockfield were County Superintendents in those early days. If our information is correct, Mr. Case was once the County Superintendent and the teacher at the same time. We understand that at that time the teaching force of the district was in perfect harmony with the educational policy formulated by the County Superintendent! Mr. Case held frequent consultations with himself upon matters of school concern and managed to reach decisions that were satisfactory to both. Indeed, in such matters, Mr. Case was generally unanimous.
The pioneer days with their picturesque life are forever past. The pioneers are camping close upon the sunset slope. The old Santa Fe Trail is but a thrilling memory. The stage coach is a reminiscence. The old log school house stands only in picture, and "Dist. No. 1" has suffered manifold division with the passing years. Within the territory of "Dist. No. 1" there are now two thousand three hundred and twenty-one school houses — and the end is not yet. Railroad and plow have wrought marvelous change. The western land has been touched with civilization's pulse. And yet when viewed in the perspective of years gone by, there is a fascination in the scenes of pioneer life that present times do not possess. Around the story of the early days will ever hang a halo of romance. Unpretentious as it was, the old log school house was the prophecy and promise of a magnificent educational system. It held the germ of larger things. Hats off to its memory!
— — —
A one-armed tramp printer struck this office this week. His right arm was off at the shoulder, yet he claimed to be able to set several thousand ems per day!
The matinee Tuesday afternoon was favored with fine weather and conditions and quite a large company of people. The Marion Band enlivened the occasion with some of its choice music. The race contests were brought off without delay and were closely enough contested generally to entertain the visitors. The first contest was between gentlemen's roadsters. Harry McFadden's Joe Young mare won first in two straight heats; Elmer Healea's Wilkes Gammon taking second place in the second heat and Mr. Wible's Miss Wible taking second in the first heat. In the three minute class, the horse Jester T., owned by H.C. Thompson, Brainard, won in two straight heats, L.C. Wymer's three-year-old by Silverthorn, 2:15, being his only contestant. The heats were half miles; time, 1:27 and 1:26. In the 2:40 class, Robert Baker's horse, County Robert, won first in both starts over his sire, Clay Wilkes. Time, 1:26 and 1:24, half miles. The last event was a free-for-all, in which Joe Young Jr., owned by Howard Truax, started against R. Williams' Karnival. The former won in straight heats, half miles; time, 1:13 and 1:15. The hour growing late, the contestants in the quick hitch contest decided not to have the contest, and the crowd left, feeling that it was a successful afternoon's sport, with nothing whatever to mar the pleasure of the occasion.
Mr. John Powers was exhibiting the other day a radish which he pulled from his wife's garden. It was twenty inches long and sixteen inches in circumference.
Marion is to be honored Sept. 16, 17, and 18 with the seventeenth annual convention of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union of the Fourth Congressional district. The convention will be held in the Methodist church. The programme is interesting and will appear next week.
Mrs. Will Hannaford and little son returned last Monday from a ten day visit at Emporia.
(Copied by Joan Meyer from the 1902 microfilm files of the Marion Record.)
