Schools.
The counties of Clark, Meade, Gray and Sequoyah have educational matters cared for in the organized county of Ford. John Whitaker, County Superintendent of Ford, reports in 1882, sixteen school districts in Ford County; joint district one with Edwards; joint district one of Clark and Meade; district No. 2, in Meade; district No. 1, in Gray; district No. 1, Sequoyah. The average pay per month of male teachers is $41.65; of female teachers, $32.40; persons of school age in 1879 were 439. In 1880 it was 5?3; in 1882 it was 1,002. The Dodge City school had an enrollment of 284 pupils for December 1882. The number of persons of school age in the district was 450. Five teachers are employed; the principal, John Groendyke, has $65 per month; the four female teachers have an average of $41 per month. The school building is a neat, roomy structure in the southwest part of the city, built of brick. John Whitaker is President, John Groendyke Secretary of the Ford County Teachers’ Association.
Churches.
There are Baptist, Methodist Episcopal, Protestant Episcopal, and Catholic organizations at Dodge. The Presbyterians have an edifice in the northwest part of the city; the Catholic Church stands north of it and the Union Church is in the northeast part of the city. Rev. J. R. Blanton, is the Baptist clergyman; Rev. Mr. Buzzell, the Methodist; Rev. W. P. Teitesworth, the Presbyterian. Rev. Adams Peabody, of Larned, the State Missionary of the church of the New Jerusalem, has been laboring at this point.
Societies.
St. Bernard’s Lodge, A., F. & A. M. Meets on the first and third Fridays of each month; P. W. Beamer is W. M.; Otto Mueller, Secretary. Corona Lodge, No. 137, I. O. O. F. meets every Wednesday evening at their new lodge room over the City Hotel; H. C. Callison is N. G.; P. W. Beamer, Secretary. Apollo Lodge, No. 62, K. of P. Has now the following officers: P. W. Beamer, C. C.; L. C. Hartman, V. C.; Charles Coe, K. of R. & S.; Charles Dickerson, M. of F.; P. G. Reynolds, M. of E.; P. R. Hobbie, M. at A. The Cowboy Minstrels, is a semi-operatic organization. The Dodge City Gun Club is a late organization. The city contains a large number of excellent sportsmen. The Dodge City Dramatic Society, J. W. Young, manager, furnishes considerable entertainment in comedy and tragedy.
Source: Ford County Kansas, Cutlers History of Kansas 1883