In the 1880's a schoolhouse was built on Section 36 in Kingsley Township, land now owned by Jim Bailey. Kingsley Township was not organized at this time, so the school was in the Pleasant View School District which included land that later became Clearfield, Kingsley, Mabel, and Helena Townships. This district was formed May 25, 1883. The polling place was the home of Hiram Williams. A tax levy of five mills was voted in. Ferdinand Fenner was the treasurer.
In 1884 a school district did not go by Township lines. The following districts were then in existence, and their areas were:
Red Willow, 12x12 miles
Greenwood, 9x12 miles
Pleasant View, 12x9 miles
Pleasant, 3x13 miles-, Greendale, 9x9 - less one square mile
Nelson, 3x7 miles
Helena, 9x12 miles
Wheatland, 9x8 miles
Gallatin, 4x10 miles. (This was copied by Brown Photo
Company from "Atlas of Dakota" 1884.)
In 1884 this first school in Kingsley had two terms from June 23 to August 15, and was taught by Grace Van Voorhis, and the second term taught by Nina Van Voorhis, which was in session from August 25 to December 12, 1884. The pupils in this year were Willie, Charlie, Otto and Delia Fenner, Millie and John Feske, Mary, Lizzie and Rosy Gartman, Richard Howden, Lena and Eddie Michaelis.
Some of the teachers during the 1880's and '90's were A. M. Sinclair, Albert Retzlaff, Laura and May Retzlaff, and Anna McInnes. The County Superintendent was Dr. Kerr, who was also the first doctor in Cooperstown.
In 1890 Maggie, Richard and George Howden, Leland, Eddie and Orin Rhodes, Elsie Lewis, Harry Ames, Frank Kingsley, and Pearl Paintner were pupils. About 1895 the pupils were, Frank, Edith, Jack and Bessie Howden
Jay, Byron and Hazel Van De Bogart, Frank and Bert Starr, Frank Britton, Mabel and Roy Nichol, Loren and Verner Thomas, Elsie Lewis, Ed, Violet and Frank Bailey.
In 1906 this school was moved to the southwest corner of Section 27. Some of the pupils who attended the school then were, Albert, Florence, and Arthur Ebentier, Ella and Hazel Starr, Alex, Hilda and Alonzo Youngbeck, and Laura Fadness.
In 1909 the Kingsley School District was organized. Kampen was the County Superintendent. Mike Leininger was elected director for three years, W. F. Moodie director for two years, John Ebentier for one year. Earnest Johnson was named the treasurer, and W. A. Amos, Clerk.
The receipts for 1909 were $2089.06. The teachers' wages were $876.75, and other expenses were $1154.89.
A school had been built by Knute Olson, and two nephews in 1905 southeast of the present Rudolph Olson land. Ella Nelson was the teacher from January 10, 1910, to March 11, 1910. Geneva Wilson had the second term - March 30 to June 17. The following were pupils that year:
Everett and Meldrun Amos, Fredricka Behm, Veronica and Ludvig Ethen, Albert, Norman and Martha Evers, Floyd Hess, Sigur, Howard, Emma and Rudolph Olson, Florence Moodie, and Roy Troutden. This school was moved in 1923 to the southwest on land donated by Ed Hunsberger. When reorganization took place this school was sold to Garfield Clemens who lives on Section 3 in Kingsley. He uses it for a garage.
The school in the western part of Kingsley was moved out from Binford when they built their school. It was located on land owned by Mike Leininger. In 1907 Laura Nierenberg was the teacher of this school. The pupils were, Iva Brown, Helen, Haakon, Anna, Agnes, Peter, and Alma Dybwad, Leah and Ellis Hartman, Olga and Melvin Johnson, Carl, Esther, Marie and Walter Leininger, Laura Neeham, Hollis and Madelena Pressler
Russel Remington, and Frances Shaefer. This school is now the Township hall, and was moved to Section 8 on land owned by Loren Briss.
In 1914 the twelve Sections in the south part of Kingsley were organized into the Sutton School District. Buses, pulled by horses, were used to transport the pupils to school. The school was sold to Clarence Linse who used it for a shop. Later Donald Hunsberger of Sutton bought it and uses it for a garage.
Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976 Page 253