Volume 13 , Issue 42

Highland School District No. 83

Thanks to Scot for sharing this excerpt of the Woods county Genealogists, Vol. VI, Numbers I and II concerning the 1st school in Woods County, Oklahoma.

The first school in our district (Highland No. 83) was a "subscription school." In 1901 they had a sort of "get-together" and agreed that Bill Steele, Ike Smith, and W.H. Nicholson would act as a temporary school board; drew up a petition and asked for donations.

Each gave all they possible could and a total of 96 dollars toward a building was collected. That wasn't quite enough for a building but W. H. Olmstead, lumber, dry goods, hardware, groceries, etc. dealer, feeling generous toward a good cause, donated eight dollars making a total of 102 dollars which paid for enough rough lumber to make a school house 16x18 feet of 1x12 inch boards up and down with lath nailed over the cracks. This lumber was hauled out in one load by W.H. Nicholson. It was put up by people in the district.

The land for the school grounds was leased from A. W. Manning for school purposes for 50 years for one dollar. The lease expired in 1951. Each parent furnished desks for their children. Ike Smith made desks for his two children, and the five Payne children in return for which Millard Payne bought the lumber to make them.

There was no blackboard -- slates were used for written work. Very few of the books were alike -- some coming from Kansas and other from Missouri. The teacher let each child recite in whatever book he had. No new books were purchased except for the beginners.

Each family brought their own drinking water and their share of firewood or coal. One man didn't like to chop wood so he dragged trees up to the school yard and the older boys cut it up at intermission.

Mrs. Jessie Grant taught this first school which lasted 3 months. She was paid at the rate of about a dollar a day -- all donations with Millard Payne, Ike Smith, and John Wilson paying for 1 month. Mr. Manning always helped when asked and Jack Evans gave five dollars even though they had no children. Every one seemed to give freely when they possibly could.

Mrs. Grant lived several miles south of the school house and came in a one horse cart, bringing one child of her own to school with her. By the time this 3 month school was over they were eligible for territory money so the board members made a trip to Alva and got 30 dollars, enough for one more month of school, which made 4 months of school for the year 1901.   |  View or Add Comments (1 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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