Theophil
Leonardt, a German national, taught World History in 1939-1940
at Sudan High School. In his class, Mr. Leonardt would spend a
few days on each nation of the world. However, when Germany was
the nation his class studied, the lessons lasted several weeks.
He told of his visits to Adolf Hitler’s castle and how much
he admired the man. Theophil urged the boys in his class to quit
school and to enlist in the armed services. He said he would write
to them and tell them what was going on back home. In return,
Leonardt wanted the boys to tell him where they were stationed,
what they were doing, etc. The school board fired him before the
end of the school year of 1940. J.W. White was one of the boys
who quit school.
While Theophil was in Colorado, he helped free some German convicts
from prison. In a Texas courtroon sometime after 1941, he was
tried and found guilty of his part in the prisoners’ escape.
Theophil was sentenced to prison in Leavenworth. In 1942, Theophil
Leonardt was burned in effigy in front of the Sudan High School
building. Some of the younger children were terribly frightened,
thinking that a real person was being burned.