The Move Toward Consolidation

Elementary school at Fairplay.

For many years, the one-room schoolhouse was the foundation of education in rural Colorado. These simple buildings stood as strong symbols of learning and perseverance, giving children in remote areas their only chance at formal schooling. While one-room schoolhouses played a vital role in shaping early education in rural communities, they eventually struggled to keep pace with the changing needs of students and families. These schools had long fostered tight-knit learning environments, where students of all ages learned side by side and where teachers became pillars of the community. However, as rural populations shifted, transportation infrastructure improved, and state education standards evolved, the limitations of small, isolated schoolhouses became increasingly apparent. Parents and educators alike began to recognize that while these schools had laid a strong foundation, they could not offer the broader range of subjects, resources, and specialized instruction that were becoming standard elsewhere. 

By 1939, advertisements for the newly consolidated Fairplay Public Schools emphasized a faculty composed of college-educated specialists, offering a variety of courses such as dramatics, manual arts, and commercial studies—far beyond the capacity of traditional one-room settings.[1][2] Consolidated schools also began receiving attention and resources at the state level. By 1940, discussions of school finance revealed that funding was increasingly tied to student population and centralized administration, making it harder for sparsely attended one-room schools to remain sustainable.[3] As Marie Chisholm recalled, “Then when the war started everything was consolidated and they were bused to Fairplay because there was just hardly enough kids at each school.”[4] A 1928 article from the Republican Flume reported that only four students were enrolled in the eighth grade at Fairplay, highlighting just how sparse rural classrooms had become.[5] 

Mr. and Mrs. Lindenmeier at opening of Park School.

The September 11, 1941 issue of the Flume documented that Fairplay School was now serving students from Jefferson, Como, and Buffalo Springs, with a total enrollment of 161, 55 of which that were high school students. Departmentalized instruction was in place, and junior and senior high operated as a coordinated unit—a level of structure unimaginable in earlier schoolhouses.[6] Consolidation promised more consistent instruction, better facilities, and access to subjects like science, art, and athletics that small schools often couldn’t offer. Though the transition was bittersweet, many families supported it, understanding that larger schools could better prepare their children for high school, employment, and life beyond their small towns.