A One-Room, Eight Grade, Country School

— 1870 - 1959 —

Rapp School District No. 50 was organized on June 10, 1870. The school and the town, ? mile east and ½ mile south along the railroad tracks, were named after an early settler in the area, C. J. Rapp. The first school building was a wooden structure, 18 feet by 25 feet, built by August and Swan Bloom for $175. The first teacher in 1783 was T. E. Hathaway.

In 1929, the present red-brick building was constructed by the Leighty Brothers of Osage City, Kansas. A modern one-room school, it contained a full basement with a hand pump for water and a coal furnace, boys' and girls' cloakrooms, library and 40 desks of various sizes.

Initially, school was held three months in the summer with a female teacher and four months in the winter with a male teacher. Later, a five and one-half month session was established and then in the 1900's an eight-month session.

School operation was discontinued on April 27, 1959 with five students enrolled. They were Janet Havenstein, Vincent Anderson, Charles Anderson, Thomas Henry and Larry Colstrom. The last teacher was Mae J. Carlson. The ladies in the Rapp Home Demonstration Unit cleaned and maintained the inside of the building until the 1990's.

The Rapp School Preservation Association (RSPA) was formed in 1992 with the motto "Save the Best of the Past for the Future." The building structure was repaired with contributions from many former students and others plus grants from the W.S. and E.C. Jones Trust.

In 1995 the Rapp School Building containing educational materials and books used since 1929 and the School Yard were listed as a State Historic Site (139-4210-0027) and then placed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Living History Days are conducted for local school children and other groups. Community activities, family functions and individual tours may be scheduled with RSPA members.

Rapp School District citizens, alumni, friends, the Grant Township Trustees, and the Rapp School Preservation Association work to preserve the building and grounds and promote the study and understanding of an important part of our nation's education history.

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