The following text was transcribed from chapters on the history of education in individual Kansas counties found on pages 198-199 in:

SCOTT COUNTY -- Previous to 1886, Scott county formed a part of Finney county. In 1886, Scott county was organized by the Governor of Kansas. Charles Reed, who took the first census, found there were 2,800 people in the county.

Before the organization of Scott county, Miss Lulu Boling was appointed deputy by the superintendent of Finney county, and authorized to work for the interest of the schools of Scott county. At the organization of the county, she was appointed superintendent of public instruction. Superintendent Boling and her successor, E. E. Hubbell, orgainized 36 school districts, most of which have good substantial schoolhouses, worth about $500 each. At first there was but one school district in Scott county, and Miss Lulu Boling, taught the first school, a term of three months. She was very ambitious. She rode all over the county on horseback, to take the enumeration of the children of school age for the clerk.

Here is a list of the county superintendents of Scott county, with their terms of office and salaries: Miss Lulu Boling, 1886-87, $300; E. H. Hubbell, 1887, $400; Miss Lulu Boling, 1887-89, $600; D. D. Beck, 1889-91, $450; O. D. Card, 1891, $450. Superintendent Beck introduced Welch's Classification Register, which also contains a good course of study. He worked to classify the schools and furnish them with a definite work.

Superintendent Card is working for a more perfect system of gradation and graduation from the common schools.

In 1892, Misses Ida and Estella Render received the first common-school diplomas issued in Scott county.

The school at Scott City has a small library, consisting chiefly of encyclopedias, histories, and scientific works.

The following is a list of conductors and instructors: 1888�Professor Fisk, conductor; 1889�Professor Fisk, conductor, Mrs. Fisk, instructor; 1890�J. W. Williams, conductor, M. Henry, instructor; 1891�M. Hempy, conductor, Miss Ella T .McKernan, instructor; 1892�J. W. Dinsmore, conductor, E. W. Kelley, Mrs. Lappin, and O. D. Card, instructors.

In 1891, Superintendent Card organized the first reading circle; 25 per cent. of the teachers of the county are enrolled, or 11 in all. The reading circle meets once each month, on the same day as the teachers' association. The reading circle meets in the forenoon and the teachers association in the afternoon. We follow the course of study, under the direction of the county superintendent and one of our best teachers.

transcribed by Rita Troxel, State Library of Kansas

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