Bolton School -- Jefferson County | Kansas One Room School House Project

Kansas One Room
School House Project
Bolton School #49 -- Jefferson County

The Kansas Heritage Server would like to thank Lucy Tichenor Benortham (leaves_us@yahoo.com) for contributing this information.

I [Lucy Tichenor Benortham] noticed that you do not have a picture of Bolton #49 school on your web site. I have a picture of the students who were attending the school in the mid 50s. We are standing on the front step. If you would like a picture I will e-mail you a copy.

Gene Dixon (genogen3@juno.com) shared "a little more information about this picture"...

Just thought I would let you know, that I was in the 6th grade at Bolton, so this picture had to be taken in Fall of 1951 or Spring of 1952. Most pictures were taken in the Fall shortly after school started. However, since our teacher is not in this picture, it was probably taken by her so its more difficult to guess exactly when the picture was taken. One thing for sure, it was the 1951/1952 school year. Teacher was Judy McCoy.

Students in the picture are:

Back row:

Lucille Tichenor, Gene Dixon, Laverne Stewart, Lonnie Booth,

Kaye Dixon, Patricia McClenny

Middle row:

Linda Dixon, Phillip McClenny, Terry Rice, Barbara Stewart,

Sandra McClenny, Galen Call, Nora Tichenor

Kneeling in front:

Gayle Botkin, Karla Tichenor

The Kansas Heritage Server would like to thank Lucy Tichenor Benortham for contributing this information.

Picture sent to me of the Bolton 1956 students. I believe 1956 was the last year the school was open.

Teacher: Mrs. Bilderback

Back row:

Gary Cook, Lucille Tichenor, Sandra McClenny, Karla Tichenor

Second row:

Galen Call, Phillip McClenny, Norman Stewart, Nora Tichenor, Steve Call

Front row:

Mary Tichenor, Sandra Stewart, Ted Bilderback

My Aunt, Rose Rolin Davis, sent these pictures of Bolton School and students in 1943. The students are Loren Tosh, Millard Tosh, Rose Rolin, Betty Rolin, Harold Tosh, Barbara Tosh and Patty Newell.

The Kansas Heritage Server would like to thank John Call (jcall@wamego.net) for contributing the following information.

I recently came across the one room school house project and saw that Lucy Benortham had sent a couple of pictures of students from Bolton School. Lucy and her family were neighbors of my family in the Bolton community for many years.
I attended Bolton School for my first and second grade years. I was the youngest student in the school during it's last two years and was the only student in the first and second grade. The school closed at the end of the 1956 school year and I then had to go to "town" school in Valley Falls. It was quite an adjustment going from the only student in my class, and one of about eight or nine total students in the school, to being one of about 30 in one class.
My great-great grandfather and grandmother settled on a farm near the location of Bolton School in the mid 1800's. My brothers, father, grandfather, aunt and uncle all attended Bolton School. I have a photo of my oldest brother, my father and grandfather standing in front of Bolton School. I'm not sure what year Bolton School opened but as far back as I know the area around the school was known as the Bolton community. The school was located approximately 4 1/2 miles southeast of Valley Falls on the Ferguson Road.
I'll see what photos I can find of the school. I have one photo from which I had an ink sketch made of the school several years ago. When I was searching for a photo from which to have the ink sketch made, I found that photos were scarce.
Even though I was able to attend a one room school for only two years, it is a memory that I cherish. Mrs. Bilderback was the teacher during my two years and she was a very special person. It was always a joy to see her at various functions around Valley Falls for many years after.
If I find some photos I'll pass them along to you.

Sunday, August 17, 2003 8:50 PM

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