Oxford School House - Established May 1877

Contact Information:
April Bishop
Cultural Arts Coordinator
913-339-6700 x157

School House

Oxford School is one of the oldest schools in the state of Kansas. The school was moved from its original location at 135th and Mission Road in March 2003 to its present location in Ironwoods Park. The Oxford School opened in 1877 and continued to operate as a school until 1955. From the 1960s into the mid-90s it was used as a house of worship. Great care was taken to restore the building to its original beauty with historic accuracy. The Kansas Preservation Alliance selected the Leawood Historic Commission as the recipient of a 2005 Award for Excellence for Preservation Advocacy for their role in preserving the Oxford Schoolhouse.

Open House

Visit the school and talk with a costumed docent about the history of Oxford School and the surrounding rural area. The Historic Oxford Schoolhouse will be open to the public free of charge Every Saturday, 11:00am-2:00pm and Sunday, 1:00-4:00pm in March, April and May. Located in Ironwoods Park 147th & Mission Road, Leawood, KS 66224

The Historic Oxford Schoolhouse offers programs for groups of all ages by appointment year-round.
Schedule a fun and educational program for any age group year-round, any day of the week (except during Open House hours). During the restoration of the school, heating and air-conditioning were added so your group will be comfortable any time of the year. Electric lights allow us to present evening programs.

The Oxford Experience for groups of all ages for general tours or specialized field trips:

Adult Groups

Adults at SchoolCivic organizations, women's groups, church groups and senior citizen living communities have all enjoyed their visit to Oxford School. You will be delighted to see the school and hear about its restoration process. Hear about life in a rural one-room school district around the turn of the century. Share your experiences of one-room school life or reminisce about the "good old days". Presentations can be tailored to your group's interests. Cost for adult programs is $2 per person.

Youth Groups

Youth at ClassScouts, church groups and any child with an interest in history will be fascinated to hear about local rural life in a bygone era. Book a program for your youth group for an after school, weekend or summer experience. Youth group programs will be designed to your group's age level. This living history experience can include discussions on life a century ago, using slates and McGuffey's readers or can involve making an historic craft and learning old-time games. Scout programs can meet badge requirements. Cost for youth programs is $3 per child.

Historic Oxford Schoolhouse is open for educational classroom field trips:

Living History Classrooms

2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Grade classes can participate in a living-history day of classes circa 1908. Experience a fun and educational day in a rural one-room schoolhouse. The Oxford experience begins at 9:30 am and lasts until 2:00 pm ((30 minutes shorter for 2nd & 3rd grades). This classroom program includes using old fashioned slates for lessons in arithmetic and McGuffey's readers for reading and includes a spelling bee. The session will also include discussions on life in a rural one-room schoolhouse 100 years ago. Midday includes a lunch break as well as recess with structured historic games. The cost per student is $4.00, and includes four free adults. Students bring their own lunches. The school can accommodate a maximum of 27 students plus 4 adults.

Each living history classroom can be tailored to suit the needs of individual classes by request of the teacher. Prior to your visit the teacher will receive a pre-packet of information to help you prepare for you day at Oxford School including the class schedule. Teachers may make modifications to the lessons or request additional information that may apply to each particular classroom's needs.

The Oxford School field trip is coordinated through Leawood Parks and Recreation Department and the Leawood Historic Commission. A costumed teacher will conduct the Oxford school day.

Special Events

Special events are offered throughout the year such as Holiday Traditions in December and End of the School Year Celebration in May as well as Prairie Book Club each Wednesday in June and July. The Oxford School will host old-time musicians, speakers and historical educational opportunities for adults as well as children. For updated information of special events check the "Current News" column of the City of Leawood website at www.leawood.org.

Docents

All programs and special events are conducted by costumed docents.

Join the Docent Program

Men and women can become actively involved by joining the volunteer Oxford School Docent Program. If you have an interest in one-room schoolhouse history, greeting weekend guests, presenting historic programs and crafts to youth groups, or speaking with adult groups about the Oxford School then this is the volunteer position for you.