From the “Scratcher” or notebook of Superintendent of Public Instruction Philetus Fales:
Mar. 24, 1868: “Examined teacher for dist. 20, Mr. Grant. 1st class certificate.”
Mar. 27, 1868: “P.M. visited School in Dist. 20. Mr. J.W. Grant teacher. Successful teacher.”
June 23, 1868: “Afterward visited district 20 and conferred with the school board.”
Jan 26, 1869: “Visited school in dist. 20. Mr. Grant teacher. Succeeds well. Taught same school last winter.”
Feb 2, 1870: “[Term began] Nov. 15. J.W. Grant, Teacher. Visited Feb. 2. Mr. G. teaches a good school. Qualifications good. Lectured in the evening to a good audience.”
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. No date listed.
Lane School, District 20, in southeast Franklin County, was organized sometime prior to 1864. The first school mentioned in Franklin County was located about three miles southwest of Lane on the Pottawatomie Creek in 1840 and taught mostly Indian pupils.
Lane’s first school was built of rock and measured 20 by 30 feet. It was first mentioned on the tax rolls in 1864, but is thought to have been built in 1861. It was used as a chicken house before it was torn down.
The second school was also built of rock and it still stands, today used by Jarit Industries.
According to the “History of Lane, Kansas,” published in 1928 by Mildred (Carter) Higdon, Pomona, the town was platted in 1880 and a two-story stone school house (the last), built of wrought “Coralline marble” at a cost of $3,000. The stone came from the local Hanway Quarries.
According to the Kansas State Gazetteer, “In 1855, a post office was established and named Shermanville. It was also known as ‘Dutch Henry’s Crossing.’ Next, the town was named Lane, about the same time an adjoining town was laid out and called Emerson. Later an attempt was made to change Lane’s name to Avondale, but to no avail.”
Also from the Gazeteer, in 1890: “Lane has a population of 200, who support two churches, a district school and a paper. The Lane Advance, and 17 businesses. Land sells for $8 to $30 per acre.”