William Allen White Elementary School began its legacy as South Riverside Junior High School and was a part of School District 136.
The South Riverside Junior High School opened its doors in 1958.
The opening of Campus in 1960 pulled ninth grade students into the high school forcing the junior high to rename itself South Riverside Intermediate School.
In 1964 the Wichita Public Schools annexed the South Riverside Elementary School District. The South Riverside Intermediate School was not big enough to be a junior high school. The building reopened as the William Allen White Elementary School.
The name of the school was chosen to honor nationally known journalist, William Allen White.
Courtesy: Kansas Public Radio
White, born on February 10, 1868, in Emporia, Kansas, grew up in El Dorado and attended the College of Emporia and the University of Kansas, though he never earned a degree. He stumbled into journalism when he landed a job at the El Dorado paper after being rejected elsewhere. His career took off when he purchased The Emporia Gazette in 1895 for $3,000.
White gained national fame in 1896 with his editorial “What’s the Matter with Kansas?” which criticized the Populist movement. Despite later sympathizing with some populist viewpoints, the editorial helped elect William McKinley as president.
Courtesy: Library of Congress
I was curious about the Populist Movement so I found some information on the movement and asked ChatGPT to rewrite it in the style of William Allen White. This is what the AI program wrote:
In the tapestry of American history, the Populist Movement emerges as a vibrant thread, woven from the discontent of Midwest and Southern farmers seeking transformative change in the late 19th century.
Amidst the tumult of failing crops, plunging prices, and limited market access, grassroots Farmers’ Alliances sprouted in the 1880s, galvanizing rural communities against entrenched economic disparities. Despite localized triumphs, these alliances found little sway on the national stage. Thus, in 1892, they coalesced into the Populist, or People’s, Party, absorbing the fervor of the Alliances. With a steadfast focus on agrarian concerns, the Populists championed a platform embracing expanded currency circulation through unlimited silver coinage, a progressive income tax, railroad nationalization, tariff reform, and direct election of senators, all aimed at democratizing politics and leveling the economic landscape for farmers.
The Populist banner gained traction, propelling presidential candidate James B. Weaver to secure 22 electoral votes and over a million popular votes in 1892. Despite electoral successes in northern states, the South remained loyal to the Democrats. While initial victories were won, the Populists’ alignment with Democrats in 1896, driven by shared advocacy for Free Silver, led to eventual defeat. This union faltered with the loss of William Jennings Bryan’s presidential bid, signaling the culmination of one of America’s most influential protest movements. Nevertheless, echoes of Populist ideals resonated within the Progressive Party, leaving an enduring imprint on the nation’s pursuit of social and economic equity.
White was also a devoted family man. He married Sallie Lindsay in 1893, and they had two children, Mary, and William Lindsay White. Tragedy struck the family in 1921 when Mary died in a horseback riding accident. White poured his grief into an editorial that garnered nationwide attention.
Courtesy: Library of Congress
Another editorial, “To an Anxious Friend” won him the Pulitzer Prize in 1923, advocating for freedom of speech. White also ran unsuccessfully for governor in 1924 on an anti-Klan platform but succeeded in encouraging Kansas to outlaw the Klan.
White passed away on January 29, 1944, leaving behind a legacy of impactful journalism and advocacy.
Interesting side note: White played a small role in the infamous New Coke.
Courtesy: Life Magazine
White Elementary received some upgrades to the library and seven classrooms in 1994.
The April 2000 bond issue brought White four new classrooms plus remodeling on the building. Those changes were dedicated on November 10, 2005.
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