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Rural School Days: Kansas in 1920

Guided tour — Kansas Museum of History grounds, Topeka

Grades — 4-5 (4-hour program); 1-6 (1-hour program)

Stach School -  School Days

Located in Jackson County, Kansas, the one-room Stach School was restored to its 1910-1920 appearance and moved to the grounds of the Historical Society in the early 1980s. It is representative of thousands of country schools that dotted the landscape generations ago. A scenic quarter-mile nature trail through tall-grass prairie connects the school to the Museum of History.

The full program in this authentic one-room school offers fourth and fifth grade students a unique opportunity to experience history. This four-hour program is a living history activity. The Stach school teacher meets the students at the Museum of History and walks the class to the historic Stach School.

The schoolteacher then leads simultaneous lessons in recitations, arithmetic, geography, reading, and orthography. Students act as "pupils" of 100 years ago, sit at wooden desks, practice their penmanship using pen and ink, participate in a spelling bee, and maybe even get in a game or two of "Drop the Handkerchief." Each child receives a copybook and certificate.

We hope students will enjoy this program that was designed to provide them with an understanding and appreciation of our rural school heritage.

Rural School Days

Kansas History, Government, and Social Studies Standards

Standard #4: Societies experience continuity and change over time

  • Benchmark 4.1: The student will recognize and evaluate continuity and change over time and its impact on individuals, institutions, communities, states, and nations.

Pre-visit teacher's packet

Rural School Days PowerPoint

Length of tour: four hours

Number of students in a group: minimum of 10, maximum of 25.

Hours: 9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Cost: $6 per student. (one adult is free for every 10 students, additional adults pay the student rate.) This fee does not include Museum admission.

See admission fees.

Registration and scheduling: Rural School Days can only be given Tuesday - Friday. Register online, or contact 785-272-8681, ext. 414; email kshs.education@ks.gov. Tours must be scheduled at least two weeks in advance.

Stach SchoolShort Program

Length of tour: one hour

Number of students in a group: minimum of 10, maximum of 25

Hours: 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m.

Cost: $3 per student. (one adult is free for every 10 students, additional adults pay the student rate.) This fee does not include Museum admission.

See admission fees.

Registration and scheduling: Rural School Days can only be given Tuesday - Friday. Register online, or contact Education and Museum at 785-272-8681, ext. 414; email kshs.education@ks.gov. Tours must be scheduled at least two weeks in advance.

Remember to make your reservation early for either of the Rural School Days programs because demand is higher in April and May. Tours of the Stach Schoolhouse are given on an "as requested" basis.