Jennie Rose O’Loughlin’s personality was as lovely as her name. Her cheerful nature and concern for her family, friends and acquaintances were foremost in her life, and she was both popular and well known in the area. The fifth child of John and Mary O’Loughlin was born November 4, 1892.
Jennie Rose attended Lakin schools, graduating from Lakin High School in 1909. The following fall, the Sisters of Mount Carmel sent her father a letter urging him to send her to their school right away. “The fact that Margaret and Mary have both graduated from here, makes us all the more anxious to welcome this younger sister!”
Jennie Rose did make her way to Wichita like her older sisters had, and she graduated in June 1912 receiving gold medals in academics, music and politeness. The Wichita Eagle published the photographs of Jennie Rose and the other seven girls in her graduating class to which the Advocate replied, “It says: ”The eight beautiful graduates,” and they are all fine looking, but we are bound to confess that our own Lakin girl, Jennie O’Loughlin, just takes the blue ribbon with ease.”
Jennie Rose received additional education at the University of California in Berkeley and Emporia State Teachers College, making many friends along the way. The local papers often carried tidbits about her college friends coming to visit her.
Jennie Rose became a teacher and endeared herself to her many students as well. Teaching with charm and graciousness, she had special bonds with her pupils, and a great number of them became life-long friends of the highly competent teacher. Especially gifted in the teaching of English grammar and arithmetic, Miss O’Loughlin taught at Hartland, Holcomb, Satanta, Kendall, and in Kearny County’s rural school district 18 on the South Side. In 1920, she was hired to teach the fifth and sixth grades at Lakin, and she eventually became principal of the junior high school. After a reorganization of the school, Jennie Rose served as Lakin’s grade school principal from 1932 through 1934 when ill health forced the popular educator into early retirement.
From 1914 until 1934, Jennie Rose served as chairman of the Junior Red Cross in Kearny County in hopes that the work would promote fellowship among young people and aid in the regular teaching of such subjects as geography, English and civics. The fundamental purpose of the organization was to teach boys and girls the value of service and building international goodwill.
Thanks to Miss O’Loughlin’s interest in Kearny County and its history, locals have a wonderful museum complex to brag about. In 1974, Jennie Rose donated the White House and the half city block that it sits on to the Kearny County Historical Society. In 1980, she and her sister Mame participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Kearny County Museum.
As a member of the historical society, Jennie Rose helped with the first volume of Kearny County History by researching, writing, indexing, and verifying biographies and genealogies. She also wrote for Volume II.
Jennie Rose helped organize and became a charter member of the Lakin Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary serving as the organization’s historian. When the local chapter disbanded, she transferred her membership to the Garden City post. She was also a charter member of the Book Club and held membership in Kearny County Old Settlers, Lakin Woman’s Club, St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, the Ladies Altar Society, and the Retired Teachers Association.
Jennie Rose O’Loughlin was loved by many and missed greatly upon her death in July 1982 at the age of 89.
SOURCES: Diggin’ Up Bones by Betty Barnes; 1927 and 1931 Prairie Breeze yearbooks; History of Kearny County Vols. I and II; archives of the Wichita Eagle, Advocate and Independent; and Museum archives.