History
Unified School District No. 457

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

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 ½ 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

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
   Friends 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
   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