Wayside School

In 1916 Wayside was approved for a new brick one-story school that included a basement and modern facilities. The space was used for community events, suppers, reunions, weddings, etc and continued to host such activities for years to come. The district was one of the wealthiest in the county with over $500,000 of taxable property.

The architect of the building was C. A. Henderson of Coffeyville. But the school district ran into some issues pertaining to the contract of the construction. When bids opened up Zollars and Carson made a low bid of  $9,000, the board of education did not immediately award the contract and had to consider what to do next. But after negotiation, a bigger bid was placed of $11,375 and Zollars & Carson were given the contract for construction. Wayside School contained four classrooms, heating, plumbing, and electricity. The gym itself somewhat resembles that of the one in Coyville.

The school served grades K-12, Wayside Panthers dominated basketball, spelling bees, baseball, and track. Wayside High School closed in 1968 for the same reason many others did, a decline in enrollment lead to no state funding. The district consolidated with nearby Caney Valley USD 436. In 1969, local vandals caused $500 worth of damage breaking almost all of the windows on the west side of the building.

Gallery Below of Wayside School

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