From “the hitching post…” column in the Ottawa Herald, a series of articles about early Franklin County schools researched by Bruce Fleming and written by Herald Editor and Publisher Jim Hitch. This article appeared –date not found.
Centropolis had the first “public school” in Franklin County in 1855, which was taught by a man whose last name was Cator, for a period of approximately four months.
The first schoolhouse for what became Centropolis School, District 5, was believed to be built of stone, in 1857, and used until 1877, when it was replaced with a frame building that could accommodate 80 students.
Area church congregations also met in that schoolhouse until they could erect their own buildings. Centropolis was settled in 1855 and aspired to be the capitol of Kansas Territory. It prospered for about five years.
Perry Fuller established a store in 1855, to trade with the Indians. A town company was formed in 1856, and several businesses and homes built. In 1857, a large, steam-powered sawmill began operation.
The decline of Centropolis began in 1858 with the organization of a nearby community known as Minneola.
This bit of Centropolis history was excerpted from the Kansas State Gazeteer of 1882-83:
“Centropolis, a village on Eight Mile Creek…11 miles northwest of Ottawa, it being the the nearest bank location, and six miles west of Norwood, its nearest shipping point for grain and livestock. Methodist, Episcopal, Dunkard (presently Old German Baptist) , Christian and Baptist Churches and a district school are sustained by a population of 110. Improved land commands from $15 to $30 per acre. A tri-weekly mail stage from Ottawa to Burlingame passes through here.”
Centropolis was surrounded with settlements in the early days: Coburn, four miles west; Minneola, a mile east; St. Bernard to the east, and Hacket to the southeast.
Velma (Clark) McMaster of Soquel, Calif., writes, My great grandfather homesteaded in Centropolis in 1854. The Clark family always had a great interest in education and my father had 60 pupils when he taught Centropolis in 1903.
Mabel (Robbins) Gilliland of Centropolis, is a former Centropolis teacher. Her husband, Bud, attended all eight years of school at Centropolis.
On the last day of school, one year, Gilliland came down with the mumps and had to spend the day in the teacher’s car so other students would not be exposed.
There was a succession of at least three schoolhouses at Centropolis, and possibly four. Mrs. Lucille Carpenter was the teacher when the Centropolis School was closed in the spring of 1966. The following year the schoolhouse was auctioned off by Claude Myers.
Today the last school building, since remodeled, is located on the west side of town and is the home of Paul and Claudia Williamson.
The last students to attend the school were Steve Clark, Alan Myers, Everett Wray, Mike Lanier, Bonnie Steward and Nancy Newman.
Other known teachers include Julia (McFadden) Heidner, Wayne McMasters, Beth (Briles) Gentry, Richard Powers, Agnes Waterbury, Lucille Carpenter and Ike Cearfoss.
Former students known still living in Franklin County are Birdie (Stewart) Dyer, Lourine (Stewart) Waterbury, Florence (Stewart) Valentine,