Country School Museum

Brief history of both schools:

The Belleview School was built in 1894 for school purposes and closed as a school in 1956. At this time it was sold to the Caldwell Township for $1.  It was used as a Belleview Community Club for a while and also used as a polling place in the 1960s.  2010 the school was sold to Mike and Valerie Brunhoeber for $50 and moved to be later part of the Country School Museum!! 

The Spring Creek school was built for School Purposes in 1904. The outhouses and coal shed were built in 1917. The school closed in 1947 and also was used as the Spring Creek Community Club for many many more years!  Until it fell victum to vandization.  After lots of deteriation, Mike and Valerie Brunhoeber took it upon themselves to move it to the Country School Museum April 5th 2016 with the help of some funds donated by the Spring Creek Community Club to be used soley for saving this neat peice of history!  First of all a metal roof was applied as quickly as possible. The north wall needed the entire lower half reframed and resided. Some replacement wainscoating was put in to replace some badly rotted stuff too.  Plaster was removed and it was re-sheetrocked for sanitary reasons. Woodwork was all stripped and restained to its original beauty!!!  Step inside and you will see the beauty we saw in the project after lots and lots and lots of HARD work!!  

No historic pitures of the Spring Creek school have turned up yet. If you have one PLEASE contact us! THANK YOU!! 

This picture was donated by Robert Lebeda a former District #99 Knowledge Hill of Sumner County (in which had to consolidate with Belleview around 1947):

The photo above was framed and matted with matting stamped O.A. Pearce Caldwell, KS. A photographer in Caldwell.  The following article showed up sometime in 2010 before the picture was found in 2011. On June 28th 2012 we realized that the picture it was talking about was the picture above that we found in a filing Cabinet a donor gave to the project!  The article went like this: 

  "Belleview Rural Grade School; Belleview School was a rural grade school west of Caldwell which is still standing today in 1986. It is no longer used as a school, since the schools were consolidated.  My father, Perry Lebeda, had told me at this particular Last Day of School, about 1910, that he did not attend the festivities, thought he was getting to be a big boy and wanted to work in the field instead.  His father, Jerry Lebeda, did attend and is in the back row of the Photo, second man from the left (with hat and mustache). The couple at the extreme right (by a lady holding a child) are Grandpa and Grandma Buresh as they were affectionately known to all, whether related or not, Dad also said this musical couple brought an Organ, Hand Organ, with them when they immigrated from the old country to the United States. The reason is unknown for the sign that reads Standard School which is held by a girl in the front row. Perhaps the school met the Standard requirements? Belleview Schoolhouse is located in W, SW, Sec 28, T34S, R3W, 6th P.M., Sumner County, Kansas.  By, Berniece Brown

Other Antique pictures that have turned up: If you have some we need a copy! We can scan your originals! 

 This picture was donated by Melvin Johnson a former student whom also went to Knowledge Hill District #99 as well as Belleview:

Dated April 1937  Description of picture:  Left to right starting from the Top row: Kenneth Rains, Carl Subera, Thomas Moore, Miss Balsley, Frank Berka, Joe Nulik, Bruce Hardesty, Ivan Nulik Middle row- Mary Ellen Moore, Nadine Rains, Ruth, Dorthy Main, Mildred Urban, Evelyn Subera Bottom row- Lydia Ann Nulik, Marvel Kabflesh, Melvin Moore, Irvin Lee Urban, Gerald Hardesty, Janice Rains and Melvin Johnson.

 This picture was donated by Beth Bolte a former student:

This picture was dated approximatly 1953 Not sure though why the flag was half staff. ??

Sumner County Country School History:

1911 Spring Creek School schedule from  Teacher's Term Report:

Sumner County School District Map 1941:

Sumner County School Map 1878 before too many of them were formed. Both Belleview and Spring Creek were across the road from where they ended up: