Kansas Historical Notes - May 1937
May 1937 (vol. 6, no. 2), pages 211 to 224.
Transcribed by lhn; digitized with permission of
the Kansas Historical Society.
Lincoln county citizens marked two of the county's historic sites during the past year. The Abram townsite marker was erected in April, 1936, near the site of the county's first courthouse, approximately one mile and a quarter south and two and one half miles east of the township corner in Lincoln. The marker is triangular, of black sandstone, about 55 inches in height, set on a concrete base. On an inlaid plate of marble is the inscription: "Abram townsite, located here April 11, 1871; vacated February 24, 1872. First county seat Lincoln county." The Moffitt massacre monument was set up in December, 1936, southeast of Lincoln, near the site of the killing of four men who were attacked by Indians in 1864. The monument is built of dark brown cobblestones set in concrete. It is blockshaped with a pyramid-shaped top. Attached to the side is a bronze plate which reads: "First settlers of Lincoln county, Kansas, J. L. Moffitt, Thomas Moffitt, James Tyler, J. W. Houston, were attacked by Indians while hunting buffalo, took refuge here, and were massacred August 6, 1864."
Horton's First Presbyterian Church observed its golden anniversary at an all-day celebration held January 10,1937. W. R. Honnell, of Kansas City, gave the dedicatory address for the stone marker located on the site of the old Kickapoo Indian mission building, which was the forerunner of Presbyterianism in the Horton district. The mission opened to the Indians on December 1,1856. The Horton church was organized on January 8, 1887. Brief histories appeared in Horton newspapers contemporaneous with the celebration. A 66page historical pamphlet, written by George Wilbur Nelson, the pastor, and published by The Tri-County News, also was issued.
The 1937 regular session of the Kansas legislature designated the western meadow lark as the official state bird and the cottonwood as the official state tree through the passage of House bills Nos. 49 and 113, which were approved by Gov. Walter A. Huxman on March 23,1937. Through the courtesy of A. W. Relihan, representative from Smith county who sponsored the bills, the Kansas Historical Society has received official signed copies of the acts.
The Kansas History Teachers Association held its annual meeting at the University of Wichita, April 17, 1937. At the morning session under the general theme "Neutrality," the following program was
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presented: "Can America be Neutral?" E. L. Harshbarger, Bethel College, Newton; "Neutrality and Public Opinion," K. R. Galle, Arkansas City Junior College; "Bugle on the Plains," Kenneth W. Porter, Southwestern College, Winfield; "A Round Table Discussion of Recent Works on History and Allied Subjects," R. R. Price, Kansas State College, Manhattan. Papers presented at the afternoon meeting under the general theme "The Social Studies in the New Curriculum" were: "On the Junior High School Level," H. H. Scott, Newton Senior High School; "On the Senior High School Level," Marian Nelson, Hutchinson Senior High School; "On the Junior College level," Arley Riggs, Parsons Junior College. Officers elected for the new year are: Fred L. Parrish, Kansas State College, Manhattan, president; James C. Malin, Kansas University, Lawrence, vicepresident, and Della Warden, Kansas State Teachers College, Emporia, secretary-treasurer. Other members on the executive committee are: H. A. Shumway, El Dorado Junior College; Ernest Mahan, Kansas State Teachers College, Pittsburg; E. L. Harshbarger, and Arley Riggs.
What Price White Rock? A Chronicle of Northwestern Jewell County, by Harry E. Ross, was issued in April, 1937, by The Herald Press, of Burr Oak. The attractive and neatly printed 152-page paper-covered book is a revised compilation of the series of articles Mr. Ross prepared and published in the weekly Herald commencing with the issue of June 25, 1936.
At the annual meeting of the Dickinson County Historical Society held in Abilene on May 25, 1937, the following officers were elected: W. A. Stacey, president; Mrs. A. B. Seelye, first vice-president; W. C. Becher, of Solomon, second vice-president; Walter Wilkins, of Chapman, treasurer, and Mrs. H. M. Howard, secretary.
