100 Years of Education: A History of Slayton’s Schools
By Nick Demuth
The first school district to serve the Slayton area was District Number 5, located just northwest of town. Established before Slayton was even platted in 1881, the area was originally served by a rural country school. Formal education in the region began on September 15, 1872.
The first school within the town of Slayton opened in 1882, operating out of the Episcopal Church. Classes were taught by Alice Schovell. By 1883, a two-story schoolhouse had been built—not a one-room schoolhouse, but one with two or three rooms.
In 1893, a more permanent brick school building was constructed at a cost of $15,000, equivalent to around $460,000 today. The building stood three stories tall, housed eight classrooms, and employed five teachers. That year, enrollment reached 241 students.
Slayton celebrated its first high school graduates in 1898. On June 7, the first commencement ceremony was held in the Murray County Courthouse. The graduating class included Pauline Fowler, Lena Terry, Ned Low, and Lewis Low, though only three attended the ceremony.
Between 1890 and 1900, Slayton’s population grew by 132%, and by the early 1900s, the need for additional school space was clear. In 1907, the school board proposed an expansion and even displayed plans in the Slayton Post Office for public review. The addition was completed in 1909, adding eight more rooms and converting the attic into an auditorium so graduation ceremonies could finally move out of the courthouse.
By 1923, educational standards were changing again. The Minnesota Department of Education recommended schools separate into three levels: elementary (grades 1–6), junior high (grades 7–9), and high school (grades 10–12). It was decided the 1893 building would serve the lower grades, while a new high school would be built to house the upper ones.
In response, Slayton citizens voted in favor of a $125,000 bond—approved by a 3 to 1 margin—to fund a new building. Construction began in April 1924 with F.W. Fais of Spencer, Iowa as contractor. Fais moved his family to Slayton for the duration of the project but sadly passed away in June 1924. His family, however, agreed to complete the building through his estate.
The cornerstone ceremony for the new school took place on September 23, 1924, led by longtime school board member R.F. Lamb. Reverend Albert Husted offered the prayer and benediction, while Superintendent V.H. DeBolt gave remarks about building a strong foundation—both literally and figuratively—for Slayton’s students. Four members of the class of 1925—Kenneth Larson, Harold Brewster, Marjory Baker, and Leo Wornson—helped lower the stone, which bore the inscription:
“This cornerstone of the Slayton High School was laid September 23, 1924. W.W. Baker, President of the School Board, and V.H. DeBolt, Superintendent.”
In 1935, Slayton added a Commercial Department offering courses in bookkeeping, business relations, and the increasingly in-demand Stenography and Typing I & II.
By 1940, the original 1893 building had deteriorated. The State Department of Education deemed it unsafe and required its removal within five years. But plans were delayed by World War II, as domestic materials and labor shifted toward the war effort.
In 1945, voters approved a $150,000 bond to build a new school, but post-war inflation meant higher construction costs. In 1949, the 1893 building was finally demolished. Construction on a new addition didn’t begin until 1956, with the project completed in 1957. The addition included a gymnasium, science labs, library, shop and ag classrooms, and new elementary rooms.
Subsequent updates followed:
- 1967: Four more elementary classrooms and a locker room
- 1972: Additional locker room, shop space, and electrical system updates
- 1977: New window installations
Despite the many updates, the core of the 1924 high school building still stands, continuing to serve as the heart of education in Slayton for over a century.
