The idea began on a
Vietnamese gunboat sometime in 1966 or 67 when a Kansas boy named John
Kirtland had a lot of time to think about home. One of the things he
kept going back to was the one room schoolhouse built in the middle of
the Kansas plains in 1895 that he had attended until it was closed after
his 7th grade year. He remembered carving his initials into that old red
brick, and he was sad that the old structure was being left to decay.
Through many years, a successful law practice in Washington, D.C., and a
wonderful family, the idea never died. Well with financial success comes
the ability to splurge, and John purchased a ticket back in time by
deciding to renovate the old schoolhouse. He contacted Bill Medina, who
had renovated a turn of the century stone home for John’s parents just
1/16th of a mile from the old school and the project was underway. John
was very particular in his instructions to maintain the details and
memories of the old schoolhouse, including the brick with the initials
he had carved over 50 years ago. Windows, chalkboards, the wash stand,
the wood floors…even the coat hooks had to be either salvaged or
replaced with a match to the original materials. The crowning glory was
replacing the bell in the bell tower. The original had been stolen, but
John came across a new one at an auction. Before his death, John’s
father (who was 90 years old and not permitted to drive) would ride his
lawnmower the 1/16th mile to see how the project was progressing. Before
it could be completed, John’s father passed away, but his mother was
able to see the finished project. John will retire in a few years, and
plans to return to his home and to use the old schoolhouse as a writing
studio…as he says "That’s where I learned to read and write in the first
place."
