Lakin Unified School district voters rejected bond issues for new construction and remodeling of Lakin High School facilities not once, not twice, but three times in 1973 and 1974. If passed, the high school campus would look totally different than it does today. The measure would have provided for an addition to the north and west of the high school gym that would have contained girls’ physical education facilities and a new auditorium with band and vocal rooms. Also in the proposal was the addition of industrial arts facilities to the vo-ag building and remodeling of the high school to maximize space and meet fire codes. Instead, a partial remodeling project to meet fire code requirements which involved ceilings, doors, and walls in the main high school building was completed in 1975 using capital outlay money.
Still faced with overcrowding and the need for improved facilities, school officials presented two building plans to the voters in October of 1977. An overwhelming approval was given for the issuance of $1,014,580 in bonds towards a plan designed to get the utmost potential from the buildings already on site as well as new construction. The plan called for additions to the gymnasium which included a boy’s locker room and weight room, common’s/concession area, girl’s locker room, and multi-purpose rubber gym. An addition to the vocational ag building provided space for industrial arts. The interior of the main high school building was remodeled, the auditorium renovated, and new vocal and instrumental classrooms were added. When finished, the new facilities provided classroom and gymnasium space to meet the mandated requirements for Special Education and Title IX. Work began in 1978 with an anticipated finish date of January 1980 which was not met. Facilities/classrooms were moved into as they were completed, and according to the late Vernon Dietz, former superintendent of schools, the completely new and remodeled facilities were ready for the 1980-1981 school year. The work was done by L. R. Foy Construction of Hutchinson. Due to unsatisfactory work, the company was sued by USD 215. The case, argued by the late Ted Morgan, went to the Kansas Supreme Court which awarded USD 215 over $190,000 in damages.
The need for additional classroom space for the first eight grades of school became increasingly apparent in 1983 when a preschool census was taken and indicated that space would soon be a problem in the district’s elementary school. The decision was made to build a new middle school that would house 7th and 8th grades. No bond referendum was required because sufficient funds were available in the capital outlay budget of the school district, but the board elected to send a straw poll ballot to registered voters which ultimately showed that patrons were in favor of the project nearly two to one. The board accepted a negotiated contract with Rhoads Construction in the amount of $1,249,614. Ground was broken on March 28, 1985, and construction was completed the following spring.
The building, located between the gymnasium and vocational building, was constructed with a passive solar design to reduce heating and cooling costs and contained six regular classrooms, two special education classrooms, science lab, and a computer lab and art room that were utilized by both middle school and high school students. A new board of education meeting room and office space for administration were also included. The building was opened for classes in August of 1986 with an open house the following month. With the completion of the 7-8 middle school, LMS and LHS students were able to eat school lunches served in the high school’s auxiliary gymnasium instead of having to go to the grade school cafeteria. Under the satellite program, meals were prepared in the grade school’s kitchen and transferred to the gym by van. The high school’s music and band rooms, auditorium, home ec. room, library, vocation shops and gymnasium were shared with the middle school.
Increases in student population and expanded curriculum requirements for high school students in the late 1990s created a need for even more classroom space. On October 21, 1997, voters approved a $9.5 million bond issue for the construction of the current middle school complex. Ground was broken in August of 1998, and the facility was ready for grades fifth through eighth at the start of the 2000-2001 school year. The project added approximately 96,000 square feet of space to the school district and included state-of-the-art classrooms, a technology lab, modern library-media center, computer lab, music education area, prep kitchen and lunchroom/commons area, weight room and 1800-seat gymnasium. D & D Builders was the main contractor.
A new auto mechanics/welding shop was also included in the project. The 1949 vo-ag building was razed and an expanded shop facility was erected with 9,420 square feet of space for four auto bays, a welding area, and locker and restroom facilities for both boys and girls. The former 7-8 middle school was renamed the Academic Building and became part of the high school campus while still providing space for USD #215 Administrative offices and middle school art classes. A daycare for the children of USD 215 employees was housed in the building during the 2020-21 school year but was moved to the main high school building following renovations in the summer of 2021.
The final building of learning on the LHS campus is the 40×24 greenhouse made possible in with a generous donation of $30,000 from the Edgington family. In addition to providing the funding, the Rodney, Daryan and Alyssa Edgington and Kyle and Steve Berning completed the work of providing water, electricity and gas to the greenhouse. Placed on the old tennis courts behind the main building, the green house and 10 cinder-block garden plots provided by a grant from the Kearny County Wellness Coalition were ready for their first growing season in the spring of 2022. The gardens and greenhouse are part of a revival in agriculture-focused education.
Sources: Kansas Magazine; 1979 Bronc Yearbook; Archives of The Lakin Independent; Museum archives; and information provided by the late Vernon Dietz, former Superintendent of USD 215 Schools.