Lafontaine High School

The brand-new Lafontaine High School was announced in August of 1922 with an estimated price tag of $15,000. The bond passed with flying colors for a brick state-of-the-art building to serve the town and district. The bonds would be taken to Topeka at once and registered. Shortly after bids for the contract would be let.

Sealed bids would be accepted from August to September 2nd, 1922. They were to be received by J.M. Hildreth who served as the school district clerk. Clare A. Henderson had drawn up plans for the new school building. But the bids didn’t go to plan and all were rejected. These unforeseen circumstances made the architect go back to the drawing board for revised plans.

D.P. Fruits of Independence was awarded the contract for $13,050. The heating and plumbing contract went to Jones Plumbing Co. of Coffeyville for $1,475. The plans for the building called for a two-story brick structure that contained four classrooms. With a concrete foundation, composition roof, pine and concrete floors and pine finish and hot air heating it was to be a sturdy structure.

A few weeks later materials were purchased for the highly anticipated school. Millwork was gotten from Uhrick Millwork Co, stone from C.E. Bell, face brick from Coffeyville Vit. Brick Co., steel from Ben Sibbitt Foundry & Iron Works, and common brick from Three-V Co.

Written in stone above the door was “Superior School” surely a reminder to all the students that walked under it. I can only imagine the glory that the community and students felt walking through those doors for the first time at its dedication in March of 1923. To go from a small two-room frame building to this magnificent beauty must have been incredible.

Saturday, March 24, 192,3 was the official dedication of the new high school. The state of the town now might make it hard to believe that four hundred-plus people showed up to inspect and walk through the building. People overflowed the auditorium to watch the 2 1/2-hour programs put on by students and local talent. Lafontaine orchestra provided the soundtrack for the event and a play “Polly Wants a Cracker” was put on.

The school had a weekly newspaper segment in the 1940s called the Lafontaine School Notes. This gave the inner happenings of the school including events, teacher and student business and things like attendance of students.

On September 12, 1946, the boys of the school got together and formed a softball team with Earl Seller elected as captain. Sixteen young men showed up for the first practice to join the team and an eight-game schedule was set up. Nine days earlier the girls had formed a softball team as well with Lois McNeal as captain. Mrs. Rardon coached both the boys and the girls’ teams. One of the teams they played was Coyville, another nearby now abandoned school.

But the sports didn’t stop there a baseball team was formed on October 23, 1946, after being challenged to a game by the Buffalo High School boys baseball team. This team was to replace the boys softball team. Another interesting sport that was played was ping pong. The LHS had its own team and played surrounding towns.

If you would like to see a very thorough account of the Lafontaine High School Life here is one of the most intriguing yearbooks I have ever seen HERE.

The school closed sometime in the 1970s when most rural high schools did due to lack of enrollment and funding. The building was used by the community for a year years after but as the community began to die, use of the school did too. An auction was held in 1984 at the “Old Lafontaine School” of its items to rid the building of extra equipment.

Today the building is almost completely engulfed in trees. Try to visit in summer and you will surely miss it. It seems that Lafontaine High School and the town are destined to return to live out the rest of their days together and then return to nature.

Gallery Below of Lafontaine High School

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