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To the right is a timeline
of important events in the history of Garden City Public Schools presented for the curious.

1879 First school in Garden City (Subscription School) 1885 First public school building constructed
Garden City school district organized 1887 R. S. Hill elected superintendent
Construction of Finnup Park Area School
Staff composed of 11 teachers 1888 Miss Hopper elected first principal
First custodian hired $5.00 per week and privileged to attend classes
Superintendent was authorized to charge .254, .154 and .104 for Commencement Exercises
First graduating class (5 graduates) 1889 S. H. Sanford elected superintendent 1890 T. C. Coffman elected acting superintendent 1891 School population 481 1892 E. S. Ayre elected superintendent 1894 Fourth Ward School constructed 1895 Board of Education approves an eight-month school 1896 Charles E. Johnson elected superintendent 1897 R. S. Liggett elected superintendent 1898 A.C. Wheeler elected superintendent 1900 North school destroyed by fire (old Garfield School) 1901 Old Garfield School constructed 1905 E. F. Ewing elected superintendent 1907 G. E. Brown elected superintendent 1908 Original Valentine School opened on Valentines Day 1909 Fourth Ward School withdrew (started Lincoln school)
Destroyed by fire and new building constructed 1910 First High School erected (Sabine Hall)
Sugar Beet (school newspaper) started publication School population 979 1912 School tax levy established at five mills 1913 Mr. Dumond Elected superintendent High School Accredited by North Central Association 1914 Kindergarten started 1916 Board set minimum teaching standard of one year of college and two years experience 1917 High School accredited by U.S. Military Academy
Built High School (Calkins Hall) and East and West Ward Schools 1918 Board accepted 150 Elm Trees from R. R. H. d'Allemand 1919 Junior College Library begun with donation of $154.50 from Senior Class of 1919 (Proceeds from Senior Play)
Junior College opens
C.J. Vinsonhaler elected superintendent
Senior High School named Sequoayah High School 1920 Board of Education approved night school
Vocational Agriculture Building on Eighth Stree 1921 Board of Education approved summer school 1923 Approximate time of the building of Pierceville Elementary school 1926 Vocational Home Economics 1927 School population 1,532
Ira O. Scott elected superintendent
Board established maximum for teaching of two years of college and two years of experience 1928 Four room addition to East Ward school 1929 Calkins Hall remodeled
Fifteen units required for high school graduation
Ben Grimsley Gym completed 1931 Sixteen units required for high school graduation 1935 Kiwanis Club presented auditorium with a grand piano $360.00
Part-time band instructor employed (one day each week) 1936 Eurhythmics added to school curriculum
New Garfield School erected
Ward school names changed to Jones and Hutchinson
Penrose Stadium completed
South Side School razed 1938 Hot lunch program begun 1939 School population 1,699 1940 J. R. Jones elected superintendent
Gymnasium added to Pierceville schools 1946 Started instrumental music in elementary schools
Junior College football started
High School track team state champions 1947 School Safety Patrols started 1948 School population 2,290 1949 Alta Brown school completed 1950 Approximate time of classrooms added to Pierceville school 1951 Student pictures for elementary schools begun
Gymnasium added to Lincoln Elementary
Theoni School constructed 1952 Additional classrooms for Jones School (remodeled air base barracks)
Board requires regular summer school attendance by teachers
Old Garfield razed
Plymell school constructed 1954 New High School completed
New Valentines school building
Parent-Teacher Conferences started in the elementary schools 1955 High School Auditorium completed
Jennie Barker School constructed 1956 Dr. Leroy Hood Appointed superintendent
Adult crossing guards hired for busy school intersections
Bernice Smith elected vice-president of Department of Elementary School Principals, N.E.A.
Kenneth Henderson elected vice-president of National Agriculture Teachers Association 1957 Elementary School Special Education Program started 1958 High School and Junior College separately housed
Jones and Georgia Matthews Schools completed
Nineteen units required for high school graduation
Friend School constructed 1959 Enrollment 3,037
High School counseling program begun
High School adopted dress code
High School honors program begun
High School debate team state champions
Two classrooms and dining facility added to Jennie Barker 1960 Enrollment 3,194
Six room addition to Georgia Matthews School
Gymnasium added to Theoni School 1961 High School debate team state champions
Special Education program extended to Junior High School
GCHS football team goes 9-0 for an undefeated season 1962 Junior High School textbook rental
Elementary School physical education program begun
High School gym completed
Bernice Smith elected president of Kansas State Teachers Association
Memorial Stadium constructed 1963 Enrollment 3,843
High School textbook rental
Junior and Senior High School physical education begun
Abe Hubert Junior High completed
Georgia Matthews two-room annex
Gymnasium and additional classrooms added to Plymell 1964 Enrollment 3,691
Tom Saffell appointed superintendent
Unification - Garden City District No. 1 to Unified School District No. 457
Stadium Designated as "Memorial Stadium" 1965 Enrollment 4,170 1966 Enrollment 4,363 Eight trailers were purchased for use in the remedial reading program
Cross-Country program started at senior high school
Jennie Wilson School started and completed in 1967 1967 Enrollment 4,628
City population - 14,745
USD #457 adopted the common name of "Garden City Unified School District No. 457"
Closed noon hour was initiated at both the junior and senior high schools
Former rural high school building at Pierceville closed
Valentine school closed
Jennie Wilson Elementary opened 1968 Enrollment 4,642
Vocational building constructed and senior high school remodeling completed
J.D. Adams Hall at GCHS opened 1969 Enrollment 4,692
Horace J. Good appointed superintendent
Agreement signed between the JUCO and the district relative to the exchange of the former junior college site for senior high vocational building space and other specified district facilities used by the college
Valentine School reopened for special education use 1970 Enrollment 4,748
Children transported to a different school if there is not a kindergarten within their attendance area 1971 Enrollment 4,708
City population 15,791
High School Debate placed first in State Class 4A Debate Tournament
Junior High graduation ceremonies discontinued
Grades one and two combined at Jennie Barker
Pierceville and Plymell elementary schools combined starting with the 1971-72 school year; the
7th and 9th grades brought to the Junior High and students living near the airport or north of Pierceville assigned to schools by administrative decision
name of combined school is Pierceville-Plymell Attendance Center
No 7th and 8th grades at Friend beginning with 1971-72 school year
Restroom facilities at Memorial Stadium constructed 1972 Enrollment 4,908
High School basketball team to state tournament
Pierceville Closed
Formed a special education cooperative, with USD 457 serving as the sponsoring district, named High Plains Special Education Cooperative
Junior High School renamed Abe Hubert Junior High School
Seven Semester Program adopted 1973 Enrollment 4,819
Transportation of students living in the city to the Pierceville-Plymell School
94 students graduated at semester & third nine weeks under seven-semester program
Abe Hubert Junior High allowed to publish a yearbook
Study group of citizens to determine the best use of property recently purchased from Carl Cooks.
The study group was named the FACTS Committee (Facilities and Current Trends Study)
Lunch prices increased to .454, .554 and .654 (elementary, secondary and adult) 1974 Enrollment 4,794
243 teachers in district
751 total number of employees
Junior and Senior High use computerized scheduling - not successful
New Junior High to be named Kenneth Henderson Junior High
Gertrude Walker to be open-space classrooms
Math requirements for graduation increased to 1 1/2 credits (1/2 to be taken in senior high) effective with 1978 graduating class 1975 Enrollment 4,674
City population 18,827
Garfield School destroyed by fire, February 24, 1975 - arson by three students
FACTS Committee reinstated to research replacement of Garfield School
Garfield Annex started at Garcia's Jack & Jill store building on Jones Avenue
Garfield razed
Hume-Fry building acquired for service center
Gertrude Walker Elementary School opens
Abe Hubert Junior High multi-purpose room
GCHS music addition completed for September, 1975 1976 Donation of the bust of President James A. Garfield, hand-carved from sandstone salvaged from the foundation. Windmill constructed at Garfield Elementary School by Mr. Jack Holdeman 1977 Enrollment 4,625
City population 19,214
High Plains Special Education Co-op becomes a separate entity
Ben Grimsley Gym & Sabine Hall closed to student use
Calkins Hall closed and razed
Buffalo head donated to Buffalo Jones School by the Finney County Fish and Game Commission
Kenneth Henderson Junior High opens dedicated September 11
Lunch prices increased to .554 at elementary, .654 at Junior Highs .704 at Senior High and .904 for Adults
Garden City qualified for Federal Disaster money concerning the destruction of Garfield Elementary.
Pinpoint Disaster Fund - School District would receive $197,000, which would repay for expenses in construction of Garfield 1978 Enrollment 4,642 1979 Enrollment 4,548 1980 Enrollment 4,535 1981 Enrollment 4,641
Hutchison School closed May 3
Practice gym and locker area added to GCHS 1982 Enrollment 5,144
Hutchison School sold to Library Board
Florence Wilson Elementary opened 1983 Enrollment 5,260 1984 Enrollment 5,480
Jim Phifer appointed superintendent (left April 1986)
Florence Wilson added two classrooms
Garden City High School Hall of Fame program initiated 1985 Enrollment 5,728 1986 Enrollment 6,006
Charles O. Stones appointed superintendent (interim)
Edith Scheuerman Elementary opened, and Lincoln Elementary closed in May of 1987 1987 Enrollment 6,062
Gerald Moseman appointed superintendent
Victor Ornelas Elementary opened 1988 Enrollment 6,460 1989 Enrollment 6,591 1990 Enrollment 6,736
Charles Hubbard appointed superintendent (interim)
Addition to Victor Ornelas completed
Valentine School closed 1991 Enrollment 6,855
Remodel of J.D. Adams Hall
Friend Elementary closed
Moved 6th grade to Middle School and 9th grade to High School 1992 Enrollment 7,092
City Population 24,097
Andrew Sabine Hall closed
New cafeteria at the Garden City High School completed
The new ESC center was completed in December 1992
Alternative High School Moved to 1401 W. Jones 1993 Enrollment 7,264
City Population 24,964
Dr. Milton L. Pippenger appointed superintendent
New enclosed walkway constructed at GCHS 1994 Enrollment 7,303
City population 25,028 1995 Enrollment 7,394
City population 25,218
Addition and Remodeling of Buffalo Jones Elementary School 1996 Enrollment 7,383
City population 25,366
Bernadine Sitts Intermediate Center Opens 1997 Enrollment 7,490
City population 26,039
Charles O. Stones Intermediate Center Opens 1998 Enrollment 7,645
City population 26,039 1999 Enrollment 7,780
City population 25,043
Summer Bookmobile begins 2000 Enrollment 7,864
City population 28,451 2001 Enrollment 7,741
City population 28,124
Addition and remodeling of Alta Brown Elementary School
Addition and remodeling of Florence Wilson Elementary School
Thenoi Elementary closed
Lunch prices increased to $1.40, at elementary, $1.50 at Junior Highs, $1.75 at Senior High and $2.40 for adults 2002 Enrollment 7,749
City population 27,472 2003 James E. Lentz appointed superintendent
Enrollment 7,656
City population 27,204 2004 Enrollment 7,543
City population 27,242
Artificial turf installed at Memorial Stadium, dedication April 15
Garden City Public Schools Foundation formed 2005 Enrollment 7,379
City population 27,098
Dr. Richard Atha appointed superintendent
Brick replaced at Kenneth Henderson Middle School 2006 Enrollment 7,334
City population: 28,175
All day Kindergarten at all but three elementary schools (Edith Scheuerman, Garfield and Gertrude Walker)
Courtyard enclosed at GCHS
Additional parking at Edith Scheuerman Elementary, Georgia Matthews Elementary, Bernadine Sitts Intermediate Center 2007 Enrollment 7,277
5th grades added at Jennie Barker and Pierceville-Plymell Elementary Schools
All day Kindergarten added to all schools 2008 Enrollment 7,390
City population: 28,743
6th grades added at Jennie Barker and Pierceville-Plymell Elementary Schools
Board of Education renames Pierceville-Plymell Elementary School to Plymell Elementary School
A $97.5 million bond passed to construct a new larger high school and remodel of the current high school, Abe Hubert Middle School, and Garfield Elementary School to house different education levels 2009 Enrollment: 7,461
City population: 29,095
A new "Jumbotron" video scoreboard has been installed on the west end of Memorial Stadium on the Garden City High School campus. The scoreboard was erected on Wednesday, June 17, 2009. No district funds were used to pay for the new scoreboard.
Construction begins to turn Garfield Elementary School into an early childhood center
Construction begins on the new high school. It is scheduled to open in August 2012. 2010 Enrollment: 7,547
City Population: 30,685
Construction at Garfield is completed. The building hosts both Garfield Elementary and Garfield Early Childhood Center. The ELF program remains housed in the elementary schools until the new high school opens and the remodeling at the old high school and Abe Hubert Middle School is finished.
The topping off ceremony for the new high school took place on December 2. This marks an important milestone in the construction of the facility.
Garden City High School officially received its JROTC Charter on Friday, December 10, 2010. The event started the JROTC program at the school. 2011 Enrollment: 7,638
US Census population count is officially challenged by the city
City Population according to US Census: 26,000
City Population according to city utility department: 30,300
The Partnership for All Students' Success (PASS) program started January 2011 at Abe Hubert Middle School and Kenneth Henderson Middle School.
Board of Education approves new school boundries
Renovations at Abe Hubert Middle School to begin converting it to an elementary school. 2012 City population: 28,855 (as of January 2012)
Board of Education approves 1-1 initiative using iPads
The 2012 staff appreciation luncheon is the first official event at the new high school
Garden City High School named a National Blue Ribbon School by the US Department of Education