The Fort Scott Collegiate Institute

Fort Scott, Kansas, 1902-1917

     In 1888 Charles Manchester suggested to the Board of Missions of the General Eldership of The Church of God that an academy be established at Fort Scott.  His suggestion was approved, but it was not until 1901 when the Rev. O.A. Newlin was sent to Fort Scott as a missionary that any actual progress was made towards the proposed school.

     An organizational meeting of brethren of the church, citizens of Fort Scott and vicinity was called on October 17, 1902, at 2:30 p.m.  A property on the northeast corner of Wall and Broadway, the old Reynolds' home, had been bought and paid for by citizens of Fort Scott for $1700.  The main building was 50 feet by 40 feet, with an addition that was 25 feet by 30 feet.

     By vote of those assembled, the school was named Fort Scott Collegiate Institute.  It was chartered November 19, 1902, at a cost of $2.60.

     On June 21, 1906, the Rev. Manchester, who had first suggested the founding of an academy in Fort Scott, and former president of Findlay College in Findlay, Ohio, was elected president for the ensuing year at a salary of $800 plus moving expenses from Columbia, Pennsylvania.  Upon approval of the board, Manchester started publication of the 'The Collegiate Institute Record' which he edited.

     The enrollment during the 1910-1911 term was 39 students.  In President Manchester's report to the board in April, he recommended that a new building be erected east of the Institute, building to include a large audience room which would serve not only school purposes, but also serve as a church.  He said that such a building could be erected for about $10,000.  (Such a building was never erected.)

     The financial statement of C.I. in 1910-1911 noted that C. Gunn had become a benefactor of the school with a gift of $2000 or property worth $2000.  The minutes of July 26, 1911, acknowledged a gift of 14 acres of land and several houses situated on the land.

     Gunn again became a benefactor in 1912 when he offered to give them the hotel at Harding if they could raise $1000 for the good of the school.  On May 30, cash and pledges amounting to $220 had already been received.  Gunn also donated beds, tables, chairs, stoves, and a washing machine to the school.

     During the summer of 1912 the Gunn house was moved from Mapleton and rebuilt immediately east of the institute building at a cost of about $1500 to serve as a boys' dormitory.

     On April 2, 1913, the executive committee voted to rent to the City School Board three rooms in the institute building for two months at a fee of $40 a month.  Students from the Margrave School would use the chapel, the other room upstairs and the north room downstairs.  The children would be allowed to play on the campus east of the walk on the south side of the building.  Citizens of Fort Scott had passed a bond issue on August 3, 1912, for $14,400 to remodel and add four classrooms.

     W.C. Gunn also donated blocks four and nine in Cameron's Addition, located on a hill on East Wall, east of the institute.  'Hill House' was located on the southeast corner of what is now Brown and East Wall at the present east city limits.  Terms of the sale of 'Hill House' and all ground south of the old road included $950 - $700 in cash and $50 a year for five years with interest at six percent.

     Under the leadership of Dr. Manchester, the school appeared to falter.  In 1907, 100 students had been enrolled, while 1910 showed an enrollment of only 39.  The estimated value of school property increased from about $7000 and a debt of $400 in 1906 to a value of $10,000 and a debt of $4,000 in 1912.

     At the end of Dr. Manchester's four years, (1909-1913), as president, he was replaced by Rev. W.W. Richmond.  President Richmond's year-end report on May 20, 1915, was definitely encouraging, and he pointed out many improvements over the previous year, including enthusiastic new faculty members, continued faithful work of some experienced faculty, increased enrollment of paying students and improved faculty-student relations.

     'The Crescent', a monthly bulletin published by the students of C.I. at a subscription rate of 50 cents a year or 10 cents a single copy, was first issued in October of 1913.  C.I. was the first school in the city to print a newspaper.  The Crescent had a slogan:  'Move On', and their goal was 'perfection'.

     In 1914 there were three buildings in use:  the institute building, Newlin Hall and Gunn Hall.  Newlin Hall, home of the girls and president's family was located directly north of the main building and is still standing.  Gunn Hall, home of the boys and the dean's family, was located east of the institute building.  It was used as an apartment house in 1978.

     During the summer of 1914, three rooms at the rear of Gunn Hall, formerly occupied by Mr. And Mrs. Whisler, dormitory cook, were converted for the use of the commercial department.  A large room at the front was furnished as a music room.  Gunn Hall also housed a print shop owned and operated by the school.

     Improvements during the summer of 1914, included:  electric lights in Newlin Hall, officers for President Richmond and Dean Connor and new concrete walks connecting the dormitories and the institute building.

     Students who attended C.I. found a number of social activities planned during each school term, including picnics, hay rack rides, May Day Festival, teas and breakfasts.  Organized groups included Girls' Glee Club, basketball team, Ladies Quartette, C.I. Chorus, C.I. Day, Christian Endeavor Society and Philonathean Literary Society.  Many students attended the Lyceum Series during the school term, enjoying such programs as the Cathedral Choir and Monteville Flowers, who gave readings.  The students also enjoyed informal social activities.  One spring day in 1914, the girls of Newlin Hall left a 4a.m. to walk to the Marmaton River where they had 'breakfast on a log'.  The meal included boiled eggs, wieners, ham sandwiches, cake, bananas and coffee.  Male students also enjoyed jaunts to the river fishing.

     Rev. W.W. Richmond resigned as president during the summer of 1916, and went to Bennington, Kansas where he became superintendent of schools.  J.A. Conner, who had been teaching at C.I. and serving as dean since the fall of 1914, was elected president for the term of 1916-1917.  He served only one year because the school closed in the spring of 1917.

     The opening of free public schools caused the closing of the Collegiate Institute.  In order to keep the property, the girls' and boys' dormitories were sold.  It was decided to tear down the original church building at Oak and Grant streets and to build a new church on the Institute property directly south of the stone Institute building.