Barnard city council minutes for June 2011 and my first commentary

 Click on the images to enlarge.


The following issue is one that I do feel very strongly about.

The minutes mention that the city wants to tear down two homes owned by Tim.  What the minutes do not reflect is the discussion of this subject.  I was present at the meeting and though I was not on the agenda, the council did let me speak on this topic.

My point that I brought up centered on if you tear it down, it is gone forever.  Granted, neither property looks good at all right now...in an aesthetic sense...but one of them is structurally sound and can be repaired.  It is also of architectural significance in Barnard.  Barnard is so far removed from the beaten path and property values are so low that there is no practical reason for anyone to come to Barnard and build.  I would be very surprised if any bank would loan money to build based on what the assessed value of the dwelling would be.  However, I do believe that people will come in and fix-up an existing building.  A council member claimed that she and her husband bought their house for $2000 and put an additional $70,000 into it and still are not happy with it.  My house that I am currently restoring, was purchased for $1500 and is a four bedroom house.  When we are finished, we will have nowhere near $70,000 in our house and we have had and will have to do some structural repair and reconstruction.

I have no doubt that the council feels that they are trying to make Barnard look attractive both for outsiders and for residents.  I truly believe that they feel they have the best interests of the town at heart and are committed to making it the best it can be.  We differ in the methods to do that task.  While the bulk of the council wants to tear down and wait for someone to build new, I feel that a program of mothballing, repairing, and/or restoring is a more practical method of ensuring that Barnard does not cease to exist.  There are many residents that have voiced agreement with me.  I am not saying that there will never be buildings that should be torn down...there are several that I could point out that are no longer salvageable.  What I am advocating is that the structures that can be saved, should be saved.

There is more than one point of view on this issue.  I urge you to become educated about it and let your choices be known.

Greetings from Barnard Kansas

This is a postcard postmarked in 1909 with a picture of Barnard's main street.

This is the reverse side of the card.  Can you identify the author and/or who it is from?

History of Barnard High School

This excerpt is taken from “Barnard History:  1885-2010, Memories, Reflections, and Accounts.  By the People of the Barnard Community.  Compiled by Marie Kelly Moffitt.

History of the Barnard High School

            The Barnard High School was organized in 1905 with a student enrollment of 27.  Since that time, each subsequent year has shown a marked increase until today there are enrolled 75 students, whose deportment and application we believe is second to none in the State of Kansas.

            In 1908 the old school building in which the Barnard High School began its existence was burned.  It was necessary to conclude the school year in other buildings and the spirit of interest and co-operation on the part of the citizens of Barnard was made manifest by the offer of the various churches of the city for school management.  The term was completed without loss to the efficiency of the school.  A movement was immediately begun in this building.

           Athletics, which is the subject of another chapter, were early introduced and their efforts were rewarded in 1916 by the Barnard High School winning the Silver Loving Cup as champion athletes of the Saline Valley.

            In 1918, Domestic Art and Science were introduced.  In 1919 a Normal Training Course was established.  Both of these departments have show marked development since their institution, a fact that is evidenced by the large enrollment in these courses at the present time.

            During the year of 1920-21, music was added to the High School curriculum and during the last semester, Commercial Law and Penmanship was offered.  It is the hope and expectation of the school administration to offer Manual Training and to install a complete laboratory for Physics and Agriculture.

            The institution of the various courses and departments herein mentioned, coupled with able administration and with the cooperation of Faculty, Board of Education and Patrons, promises a future for the students of our school that will not only fit them to complete with the graduates of other high schools but will enable them to take their places in the various walks of life fully equipped to do their duty as citizens of this great nation.

-1920-21 Barnard Annual

   Barnard High School consolidated with the Beverly, Vesper, and Lincoln High Schools and became USD 298 in 1966.  The last students to graduate from Barnard High School were:  Jim Myers, Walt Simpson, Rick Reno, Pat Nail, Richard King, Kenneth Srna, Harold Hood, Noel Pennick, Charles Kelly, and Ray Coover.

Eleven years later, the Barnard Grade School closed in 1977.  Students attending the last year were:  Amy Hickman, Bobby Bean, Gelane Clark, Janet Good, Eddie Loy, Phillip Louthan, Arleta Clark, Sandra Gregg, Kala Slater, Michelle Blanding, Steve Good, and Jimmy Bean. 

Jeff Wallace, whose family now owns what is left of the school, still runs the flag up the flag pole.

How I came across Barnard, Kansas

It must have been the summer of 2008 when I was first introduced to the town of Barnard.  My partner, Jeff, grew up there and many members of his family live there.  We went up to stay with Monty, our friend and landlord in Wichita.  I decided that Barnard was enjoyable enough and we should buy a house for us to stay in as Monty's house there was really too small.  We tried to buy a beautiful victorian fixer-upper but lost a battle with the city on that one and ended up buying a little architectural treasure that belonged to an interesting family.  These are a couple of pictures of both houses.

What is this about?

This blog is about the workings of a small town in Kansas...Barnard. You will be able to read about the happenings in this town that is struggling not to disappear. There will also be pictures and other things such as city council minutes posted.