District No. 20

West Liberty

Taken in part from 

The History of the School Districts of 
Decatur County, Kansas
1940
compiled and completed
by Katie B. Cornell, July

School District #20 was formed March 27, 1880.  It was named for the Township and being located in the west part of it.  The school house was located on Section 17, Township 2, Range 29.

The first school house was a one room sod building with a willow roof covered with sod and a dirt floor.  Long benches were used for seats.  No blackboards.  Each child having his or her own slate to write on.  There was no system to the books.  each child bringing from whatever they could find.  This made it doublely hard for the teacher. 

The second school building was also a sod building with a board roof covered with sod and a board floor.  This was used until 1888 when a one room frame school house was built and served for a school building until 1898.  Then another 24 by 32 feet, one room with hall frame school was built.