Towns & Cities: Sikes, 1935, Winn Parish, LA Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** From: April 4, 1935 Winn Parish Enterprise A Brief History of the Sikes Community and High School Almost a century ago, Mr. Wade Hammond, a Primitive Baptist preacher, settled near the present home of Mr. Bob Sikes. He seems to have been the first settler in this vicinity. He sold this place to Jim Thornton, who had come from Georgia to make his home in Louisiana. Mr. Thornton sold to Geo. Dias (Dyess?) then moved near the site where the Kelly School stood until recent years. Jack Perkins founded a home on the place now owned by Mrs. J. L. Levitt. A Mr. Keney built a house just east of the Joe Parker residence. Josh Dias (Dyess?) and his brother located three miles north of Sikes. It was in 1846 that Jno. C. Smith came from Mississippi and made his home one mile northwest of Mineral Springs. All these early settlers farmed for a livelihood. Corn meal was ground by hand for many years. Later, grist mills, driven by horsepower were introduced. These were destined to be replaced by steam mills shortly before the outbreak of the Civil War. The community was not yet compact enough to justify the establishment of a school so the citizens sent their children to school already organized at Mineral Springs, Fellowship, and Shady Grove. With the passing of the years settlers continued to be attracted by the natural advantages of the country. The community spirit grew and the first school was organized in 1890, in a one-room pole structure on the place then owned by J. W. Sikes, northwest of this place. This first school was taught by Mr. John Prince. The next year the school was removed to a vacant log dwelling. This building had been constructed by Mr. Mabry, a chairmaker, who came to this community from Arkansas. Finding the location unprofitable for his trade he moved away and the enterprising citizens of the community decided to use this building, which was about one-fourth mile northwest of the present high school campus, for school purposes. A young man, W. M. Simmons, who had received his training partly in the different schools of the parish, but largely through constant home study was engaged as the teacher at $30.00 per month. The following patrons subscribed the funds and provided the boys and girls for this school: J. T. Parker, N. S. Adams, J. N. Crain, G. A. Erskins, R. L. Crain, W. L. Simmons, T. H. Boyett, A. J. Thornton, Ed Thornton, Sr., H. J. Perkins, Mrs. Martha Kirkland, and W. J. Sikes. More than thirty students were enrolled in this school. It is interesting to note that more than twenty of the sons and daughters of these first students are now graduates of the Sikes High School. Reading, writing, spelling, arithmetic, geography, history, and grammar were the branches taught. Mr. George Smith also taught in this building. It is evident that the germ theory had not yet made its impression on the community as the supply of drinking water was brought from a nearby branch. Some of the more ambitious young men undertook to dig a well but found the task more difficult than they had anticipated and gave it up. It chanced that some of the patrons of the school had jugs in their home of considerable capacity (this was before the time of the 18th Amendment) so some of he water was carried from the nearest home. It was while two of the boys were drinking from jugs that they carelessly allowed them to collide, resulting in a broken tooth for one of the boys which he carries to this day. Soon the citizens began to inquire into the possibility of securing public funds for the school. Mr. G. A. Erskins appeared before the School Board and requested that funds be appropriated for the establishment of a public school. the request was granted and a one-room frame building was constructed in a short time on the site where the Baptist Church now stands. There were no window lights in this building, wooden shutters being used instead. Schools were now taught in rapid succession, sometimes public, and sometimes private. The following teachers succeeded each other in what came to be known as the Crain School: Geo. Smith, A. W. P. Emmons, Dr. J. B. Parker, P. W. Smith, J. P. Lucas, Jno. Coker, a Mr. Daugherty, J. I. Taylor, W. T. Norman, C. B. Gates, Miss Fannie Waller, and Miss Fordham. The qualifications of these teachers ranged from third grade certificates to college diplomas and the salaries ranged from $10.00 to $50.00 per month. At this time women had not come into their own in the teaching profession. During the seventeen years this school was maintained only the last two years were there lady teachers. These schools preceded by many years the establishment of churches and business houses in the community. About 1901 the first store, owned by the Kyiche Cooperative Association, was established on the Bandall Underwood place. Mr. Warren J. Sikes was manager of this store and became the first postmaster of Sikes. A few years later, with the coming of the railroad, the store and Post Office were removed to the building used for a Post Office until a recent date. In 1908 a four room frame building was erected on the site of the present school campus. At this time it was freely predicted that so large a building would never be needed. But under the principalship of M. Erskins, W. S. Emmons, E. E. Davis, and others who preceded them, the school grew by leaps and bounds. Soon it became necessary to make additions to this building and the number of rooms increased to seven. Within a few years this building was entirely outgrown and in 1923 a bond issue of $40,000 was voted for the construction of an adequate brick building. The election for these bonds was contested by the Urania Lumber Co. It was upheld in the lower courts but set aside by the higher courts because of the irregularity in the organization of the district. Having lost the bond issue, the citizens then voted a tax for the construction of the present frame building. The standards of the school were raised year by year until the 1921-22 session when the full eleven grades were carried and all the requirements of an approved high school were met except those of building and equipment. Misses Lyda Bell Beavers and Jessie Emmons were the first to complete the full high school course in May, 1922. There was an increasing number of graduates each succeeding year until 1924 when the present frame building was completed and the school was placed on the approved list. Mr. J. E. McPeak of Tennessee was principal when this honor was conferred on the school. The student body continued to grow until 1927 this building was outgrown and a $65,000 bond issue was voted for the erection of the present High School building. The number of students reached 400 and number of teachers was increased to fourteen. The principals who succeeded Mr. McPeak are W. E. Worsham, R. E. Oxford, and B. A. Tullos. A course in home economics was given for years before the agricultural department was added in 1929. These two departments have been of untold value to the community in their influence on the homes and farms. Many graduates of this school both before and since it was placed on the approval list have gone to higher institutions and done creditable work. None of them have yet place their names high in the halls of fame but they are constantly taking their places as useful citizens in the various activities of life.