The March 11th “Stories from Yesteryear” post featured an article by Mrs. Bert Hay on the history of Baileyville, originally published in the May 22, 1952, issue of the Courier Tribune. Today, we continue that journey with the next chapter, as documented in the May 29, 1952, edition.
HISTORY OF BAILEYVILLE
SCHOOLS AND STORES
Mrs. Bert Hay Continues Report of the Community
In a recent paper, Mrs. Bert Hay of Holton began a history of the Baileyville community. This continues the narrative:
District 94
There are no records that I could find prior to 1893, but the first teacher was Lottie Balmer. Then there were Wm. Boylan, G. W. Shields, Frank Pleyn, and Mabel Connable. Beginning with 1893, Julia O’Neal; C. E. Hazen, 1894; Kate Bushnell, 1895-7; Robert Biggart, 1898; Daisy Martin, 1899-1900; Lillian Fisher, 1901; Ella Runft, 1902; D. K. Hayes and Ben Nibert, 1902-3; Flora Baker, 1903-5; Emma McBratney, 1905-6; Roy Coffin, 1906.
Then began a period with two teachers: Emma McBratney and Linnie Sams, 1906-10; Chester Vernon and Linnie Sams, 1910; Charles Nickols and Linnie Sams, 1912; G. E. Battin and Linnie Sams, 1913; Linnie Sams and Susie Hines, 1914-1917; Annie Dorman and Georgia Davis, 1917-19.
Then one teacher again, Susie Hines, 1919; Golda Donelly, 1919-24; Mrs. L. G. Moore, 1926; Golda Donnelly, 1926; Clara Rackel, 1927; Helen Loucks, 1928-30; Estella Taylor (Ayers) 1931-32; Nolah Price, 1933-34; Josephine Mulvany, 1935; Nolah Price, 1936; Pauline Bulick, 1937.
The school has been taught by Catholic Sisters since 1938. Sister M. Pancratia headed the Sisters from 1938 to 1947 with nine teachers under her; Sister M. Helena, 1948; Sister M. Stevens, 1949, with 10 teachers; Sister M. Fredoline, 1950-51 with 10 teachers.
A picture of the early Baileyville school, taken during the term of Mr. Pleyn, the fourth teacher, shows 36 pupils present with the teacher. Mr. Walters, who was register of deeds at the time, was a visitor and was in the picture. This must have been in 1877-78. The picture gives a fine view of the school house. The house set at one end of the picture, the girls all at the other.
Perhaps I should explain my own schooling. When I was just five, in 1886, I started to district No. 70, to a Miss Webster; the next fall a Miss Lambertson, but on account of distance and cold weather I went only until Nov., 1885, then the next two years to Baileyville school. We were about a mile from the school house and a mile and three-quarters to No. 70. But they decided to charge tuition at Baileyville, so back to No. 70 I went until the fall of 1895. I went one term to Kate Bushnell in Baileyville, the next fall, 1896 started to Seneca high school, attended six months, got my teacher’s certificate and then began teaching. How marvelous high school was, and the students there were so lovely to me.
In 1902 the new Baileyville school house was in readiness. D. K. Hayes resigned and Ben Nibert finished out the term. Flora Baker was the primary teacher. One year of high school was added to the grades.
I have a good record of Dist. No. 70 and a partial record of Graham No. 3 which I hope to have ready soon.
A “School Strike”
When George Shields, teacher No. 3, was teaching in Baileyville, he had to go to western Kansas to prove up on a claim, so he was granted a leave. Several big boys decided he should treat the school before he left. He went home for dinner and when he returned every child was in the school house and the doors locked, securely. He was one angry teacher. My father had come for me on horseback. After a little persuasion the boys decided to hand me out of a window to my father. “I am sorry—I don’t know how the whole affair turned out, but anyway I got home.”
I remember another time in a blizzard of 1888 my father came for me early, on horseback, as did most of the parents. The sleet cut our faces, and though we didn’t have much of a blizzard, how glad we were to get home.
A German girl who worked at the Baileys’ attended school when Mr. Shields taught, in order to learn to read and write in English. I went with her and many a time she would carry me. She was always anxious to be home the Baileys’ and do as much work as she could.
Some early day storekeepers were A. J. Crow, Tatlows, Connets, Melendy, Will Graham, John Clency, later the Weisenborns, Davis, Wilson, and Frank Gockel.
A. M. Billingsley had a sorghum mill just south of the depot and made the best sorghum; some farmers had barrels of it. The Billingsleys were a fine, large family.
Stock Buyers
Cattle and hogs were shipped to St. Joseph, Kansas City, and Chicago. The stock buyer came to the farm and offered so much per pound. Sometimes, to finish out a car, they would “build up.” They ran the risk of a rise or fall in prices. The stock, if possible, was driven to the stock yards and loaded into freight cars. The seller could get a pass one way for a load, round trip if he had two loads. E. N. Bailey, Frank Wickliff, and P. J. Scott were stock buyers.
More Stories to follow!
A link to the digital copies of the Seneca and Sabetha newspapers can be found on the GENEALOGY page of our website.