PHILLIPS COUNTY

Colorado

 

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Last updated December 2018

 

 Broadway District 77

 

 Broadway was the first district organized in Phillips County in 1886. The school was a large sod building, it had 6 windows, the walls were plastered and a blackboard 6x 8 feet was attached to a wall. The desks were homemade and the school open with nothing more than a few books, 35 students and one teacher, James L Wood.

 As the years pasted 2 more building were built, each of them made from wood. The first wooden building was a small one room structure which was later moved to Haxtun, the second school, built in 1942 had one large room a small library and a hall.

In 1945 this district closed, the school was sold and the building was moved to a nearby farm.

 

Location: 3 miles south, 1mile west of Paoli

PLEASANT HILL

October 3 - School began September 29th, Miss Works, teacher.

Pleasant Hill school house is located on the northeast of sec 4-6-

44.

 

 

Lone Star District 78

 

This district first was organized in 1888.  Since there was no electricity to the school kerosene lamps were used when needed.  As a way for students to earn money and for the school to get water, students were paid a small fee to bring a cream can of water to the school. Occasionally students would bring a large pail of soup to school which would be heated on the stove for lunch.

 At the end of the year a large picnic and softball game was held and the students from Evergreen school were always invited.

 

Location: 3 miles east of Holyoke on Hwy 6 on the north side of the road.

 

 Lakeside District 81

 

Lakeside district was first organized in 1888.  In 1917 the west part of this district was annexed and that district became McKelvey.  Lakeside school was a favorite spot for skunks and as everyone knows a skunk problem can be rather “smelly.” In an attempt to “sweeten” the air around the school, the board members crawled under the school with the intention of clubbing the unwanted guests. Later when they emerged, the “scent” of defeat was quite evident.

 Later that night one of these men made a rather odorous appearance at the hospital, when he and his wife arrived for the birth of their daughter.

 

Location: located 5 miles west and 8 miles south of Holyoke

 

Haxtun District 84

 

This district was officially organized in 1889. School was held in a dugout owned by Alice Strohm, which is now where the Haxtun Hospital is located.

Between the years of 1889 and 1905 a framed school house was built. It too has a colorful history, first the building was built south of town, later it was moved into town where it remained a school, It has served as a post office and even a restaurant.

 In 1909 a 2 story block building was erected on land given by the Lincoln Land Company and another block was purchased from Walter Scott, giving a 2 block playground.  Each floor had 2 rooms and there was a small office on the second floor. But the school was soon outgrown so two bungalows were built and were used for the primary grades.

A new brick building was built for all eight grades and the high school in 1919, serving 339 students.

 

 

North Star District 91

 

This district was carved from districts 81 and 27 and a district in Yuma County. Because this district was included in two counties, the counties alternated paying the bills. One year Yuma County ran out of money and could not pay for the coal, so the teacher, Dr. Moss and his family picked out cow chips to burn in the stove. Dr. Moss lived in the basement of the school. The district was dissolved in 1957 because it failed to comply with the law. The land in Phillips County went to district 39.

 

 

Phillips County High School and Posegate Hall

 

In 1901 the first high school board was organized. The first high school was held in a classroom at the grade school.  High school was free to all county residents, but non county residents were charged $3.00 a month. In 1910 the high school classes were held in the courthouse till a school could be built. Mr. S.S. Worley donated the land and a school was built. But there was one restrictions, Mr. Worley stipulated that no dances could be held at the school. In 1918 and addition was added to the east end of the building, a gym was added in 1949 and as band room in 1956.

Posegate Hall was built in 1919. The dormitory was used to house students during the week that lived on farms. The high school superintendent supervised the hall, his wife planned the meals and the janitor’s wife prepared them. The students were supervised by the teachers, with the men caring for the boy’s, who lived in the basement and the women the girl’s who lived on the top floor.

 

 

 

 

PLEASANT HILL

 

Unknown District

 

October 3 - School began September 29th, Miss Works, teacher. Pleasant Hill school house is located on the northeast of sec 4-6-44.