The History of our Public Schools
Wyandotte County, Kansas

 

 

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Bethel Elementary School

Bethel Elementary School Homepage

Location: 7850 Yecker

Bethel was started by the White Church Town Company in 1887 (approximately 1/4 mile south of Leavenworth Road and 1/4 mile east of White Church).  The center of old Bethel was what we know today as 8st and Roswell.  Bethel was bounded on the North by Roswell Avenue, on the west by 83rd Street (formerly known as White Church Rd. and Gerding Rd.), on the east by 80th Street, and on the south by Georgia.  The train station was located at 81st and Leavenworth Road.  In the 1880's there was a railroad, town hall, general store, blacksmith shop, wagon works, terra cotta works and residents.  The train station was at 81st and Leavenworth Rd.  (Mr. William Gregg and Mr. Donald Jones, Local Historians)

1931:  Bethel school district became a part of Washington Rural High School District #2 (Later Washington District #201). 

1956:  Construction of new elementary school.  "Schools in KCKs in Years of Change, 1964-86," by O. L. Plucker, Superintendent Emeritus, June, 1987

1964:  Addition of Kindergarten, library.  "Schools in KCKs in Years of Change, 1964-86," by O. L. Plucker, Superintendent Emeritus, June, 1987

1967:  Part of Unified School District #201 attached to Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools in January.

2001:  Voters approved a proposed $120 million bond issue at the Municipal Election Tuesday (April 3, 2001) to air-condition schools, improve technology, and make other upgrades to schools and public libraries. Bethel was part of Phase I, which was completed in the summer of 2001.

May, 2003 Tornado - Kansas City, Kansas

Tornado History in the Continental United States

PRINCIPALS

1966-76 - Gilbert Hays / 1976-78 - Betty Burgess / 1978-88 - Donald Hudlin / 1988-90 - Doreen Ryabik / 1990-2005 - Sue Mays / 2005 - Faye Thicklin

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“A History of the Origin and Establishment of Washington Rural High School – Bethel, Kansas" – As contained in news articles found in the Kansas City Star and Times, Kansas City Kansan, and the Bonner Springs Chieftain – Apr 1929 to Feb 1932 – submitted by David C. Grove, Jan 1966  (.pdf)  (Containing excerpts relative to Welborn, Vance, Bethel, Hazel Grove, Lindbergh, Pomeroy, Nearman, Wolcott, Pleasant Ridge, and White Church schools/communities.

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Contact the History Webmaster - Patricia Adams

History Site created on December 02, 2002
Page last updated: 02-Jan-2012