History of Carter, OK., CARTER SCHOOL Page 6 (Beckham Co. OK ==================================================================== USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Jerri Hodde ==================================================================== Descendants of Page Six Carter, Oklahoma Generation No. 1 1. PAGE SIX3 CARTER, OKLAHOMA (BECKHAM COUNTY2 OKLAHOMA, BECKHAM1 CO.OKLAHOMA). Notes THE HISTORY of CARTER SCHOOL,1899 to 1931 BECKHAM COUNTY -Authors Unknown* This historical article was published in The Carter Express in 1931,without a by-line.It is reported to be the work of a class in "Civics" in the Carter School.One of the milestones of Carter history was made on September 4,1899,for on that date our school system started.Mr.Oscar C.Simpson opened this school in a dugout two miles south and one-half east of the present CARTER.A modern CARTER High School student finds it hard to trace our highly systematized scholastic planning back to such rude surroundings,but such was the case,and we should feel proud of the fact that our school has made such enormous strides toward our goal of perfection.This dugout school was twenty by sixteen feet in dimensions,with a dirt floor,roof and walls,and openings consisting of one door and one window.Of course,an auditorium was out of the question.Instead,there was an enormous fireplace in one end of the structure,whose hearth served as the platform for Friday afternoon programs.That first day of Carter School about twenty-three children,mostly from Texas,came to learn their lessons of "readin," "writin" and "rithmetic,"and spent the day sitting on crude benches consisting of two-by-ten boards placed on stones.Later during the year Mr.Simpson,with some lumber furnished by citizens of the community,made some rude seats and a teachers desk.The school room furniture was completed with a 4x6 blackboard made of painted boxing plank.Some of this early furniture was saved for many years as mementoes of early days,but it has evidently been destroyed.The teacher of this school,Oscar C.SIMPSON,continued teaching in neighboring communities until 1904,( Picture of Mr.J.C.MACKENZIE 1904 and children at the Carter School back row- --#1 Unknown #2 L.M.JACKSON, #3 C.ROSS, #4 Unknown #5 Tommy ROGERS, #6 L.JACKSON, #7 Unknown #8 Unknown, #9 Rosie WEAVER #10 Janie PORCH, #11 Ruth JACKSON, #12 Odie BALL, #13 BRODRICK, -middle row---#1 Walter ROSS, #2 Jim JACKSON, #3 Unknown, #4 Perry COPP #5 James Luther DALTON, #6 Unknown , #7 UnKnown, #8 Unknown, #9 Sible FALLIS, #10 Fannie FALLIS, #11 Ada ROGERS, #12 Edith, #13 BRODERICK, #14 Unknown, #15 Jean THOMAS, --Front row--#1 Marvin COPP, #2 Unknown, # 3 Robert ROSS, #4 Landy COPP, #5 Unknown, #6 Joe Ball, #7 Unknown, #8 Unknown, #9 Unknown, #10 Pearl POARCH, #11 Lela COPP, # 12 Unknown, #13 Eula Mae DALTON, #14 Minnie ROGERS, #15 Amy JACKSON. )at which time Mr.SIMPSON entered law school at Cumberland University,Lebanon,Tennessee.He graduated there with an LLB degree and took a post graduate course at the University of Kansas.After this he began practicing law at Hobart,Oklahoma,In 1905.At statehood he was elected county attorney for Kiowa county and later held this same office in Grady county.After occupying these positions he moved to Oklahoma City,where he became the senior member of a reliable law firm.The summer after this first three months term,a bond issue of $175.00 was voted and a new school building was erected one mile south and a quarter west of the present day Carter.Here the school term of 1900-1901 was conducted with the late Mr. M.H. ROYCE as the only teacher. Mr.ROYCE later became a farmer near Elk City.The years 1901-1902 and 1902-1903 were taught by Mrs.Blanche BENNETT.Mrs.BENNETT was originally from Oxford,Miss.However,the years before her teaching here were spent in Texas,from whence she came in a covered wagon,and with her husband filed on a farm near Carter.-- Mrs.S.H. Wylie,wife of a resident farmer,took the position for the year 1903-1904 and presumably made a success of the school.In the year 1904-1905 Mr. J.C. MACKENZIE taught the school again.The year 1906-1907 was taught by the same person,but with addition of one new teacher,Miss Nell F.MARTIN who came to Carter as the primary teacher in Carter's school system.Miss MARTIN is now Mrs. J.C. MACKENZIE.-- Mrs.Wright and Mrs.Hall taught the year 1907-1908,as they did the following year.-- Within the year 1908-1909 begins the official record as it is kept in the county superintendent's office,for in those years Carter became a consolidated school. Miss WRIGHT and Mrs.HALL are the teachers who conducted the first recorded year,after consolidation.-- In 1909-1910 year the teachers were entirely different. Miss Sally TINSLEY and Miss Agnes SMITH were the teachers and they continued into the 1911 year,although one new teacher was added,in the personof Ethel PITTMAN.---1911-1912 seemed to be a year of unusual increase in the number of pupils for the unprecedented faculty of five teachers.These were J.E. FOSTER, Sally TINSLEY,Agnes SMITH,Margaret MACKENZIE,and Ola McNOWN.Of these J.E. FOSTER now lives in Colorado and Margaret MACKENZIE is an Erick doctor.Probably one reason for the increase in faculty was that we had a lovely two story new brick schoolhouse,which served as a school building until 1926.---In 1912-1913 the teachers consisted of J.W. WHEAT,Miss TINSLEY,Miss SMITH,Miss MACKENZIE, and R.VAN VACTER.-The year 1913-1914 saw the return of J.E. FOSTER as teacher and the addition of Amy Club.W.C.Evans,Annie BOGGESS,Bethel ROGERS,Willie WOODS ,Julia STEWART,Bertha STEBLER,Opal WRIGHT, Mrs.Ray CLARK and Irma CRAWFORD.The year 1927-28 marks the beginning of modern Carter school history for in that year began the SIMPKINS regime which is still ruling power in the Carter's educational system.The personnel of the faculty was-CRALL, PURDY,BISSETT,CHAMBERS,OWEN,RICE,SIMPKINS,BURNERR,and MCDONALD.In this year Indian Creek school was combined with Carter and also five transfers were made.Of that year's faculty four of them are teaching this year,although one of them has changed her name from Miss Ruby CHAMBERS to Mrs. DeVAULT.--- Superintendent SIMPKINS,Miss Alpha BISSETT and J.T. FOSTER were the high school teachers in Carter while C. HALE, H.McDONALD,L.McDONALD,Ruth HART,Ruby CHAMBERS,Anna Lee RYLANT,Edna SIMPKINS, Ruth RINBURN and Dorothy HAND taught the grades.Ruth HART is now Mrs.Clyde O'SHIELDS.-When the students came to school for the first time in the year 1919-1930 they entered the door of an entirely new $50,000 school building.From that date constant improvements have been made until now Carter school is one of the most attractive to be found anywhere.The teachers were Supt, SIMPKINS,Principal Ferrell MARTIN,Miss Ann SNODDY,Miss Alpha BISSETT,C.HALE, R.WINBURN, L.McDONALD,Dorothy HAND, R.CHAMBERS,A.L.RYLAND,Miss WANN,Mrs.Ferrell MARTIN,and Mrs. S.L. SIMPKINS.-About the year 1930-31 we can say,as it draws to a close,that it has undoubtedly been the most successful year in Carter school history.And we resolved that this success can come only through cooperative effort,and that it shall be repeated from year to year.This year the following named teachers have held positions:Supt.S.L.SIMPKINS,B.S. and B.A. and Miss Alpha BISSETT,history;Mr.Ferrell MARTIN,mathematics,science,and girls basketball coach;Mrs. Ruth JOHNSON,B.S.home economics and sponsor of 4-H club and student paper;Miss Mary R.STORM,E.A.ENGLISH and Spanish and girls tract coach;Mr.Clayton BURNS,eight grade and junior high boys track and basketball coach;Miss Ruth WINBURN,seventh grade;Mr.T.V. SMART (2) sixth grade,"A" boys basketball coach and assistant 4-H club coach;Mrs.Ferrell MARTIN,fifth grade;Miss Faye GOINES,fourth grade,and girls glee club director;Miss Anna Lee RYLANT,third grade;Mrs.Ruth NOELL,second grade;Mrs.DeCAULT,first grade;Mrs.S.L.SIMPKINS,primary teacher.--- 1914-1915 continued with only Miss MACKENZIE,Miss TINSLEY and Miss SMITH as old teachers,but with the addition of E.M. DECKER,Anna Lee MARTIN,and Julia THOMLINSON.Ann Lee MARTIN is now Mrs.G.W.SEWELL of Erick and Miss THOMLINSON is Mrs.STEWART of New Mexico.-- Mr.George COFFEY and son John COFFEY (1) and Pearl DRISKELL were the teachers besides the two women who taught the year before in 1915 and 1916.With 1916-1917 came the six teacher school,consisting of Eugene SMITH,G.W.SEWELL,Mrs.SMITH,Grace NEWMAN,Pearl DRISKELL,and Anna Lee MARTIN.The names in the 1917-1918 list sound with familiarity on the ears of the residents of Carter.These names are still occasionally heard.R.P. SCARBROUGH,N.D.FRY,Marietta BYERLY,Pauline HENRY,Eva HALLIDAY and Dale DEAN.-The list of 1918-1919 is even more familiar.E.B.BROWN was the superintendent and Robert ROSS,Lita CHEYNEY,Pauline HENRY,Mrs.E.B.BROWN and Myrtle ASWELL were teachers.-- F.CARTWRIGHT,Bertha STEBLER,Klemye HUGHES,Fern ALBERT,Frances MUMPOWER and Mrs. H.E. HART were teachers during 1920-21. In this year also we note that the enrollment was 316.-The 1921-1922 faculty consisted of G.A.CRAIN,Susie DANFORTH,Icie JOHNSON,Amy STEPHENS,Frances MUMPOWER,Ester SUTHERLAND and Lillie SNOW.---In 1923-24 R.BOYER reigned as superintendent while Miss STALLINGS,Bertha STEBLER,Susie DANFORTH,Alma BRAY,Ferb ALBERT,Miss HAGERMAN,Miss Winifred SPANGLER,and Icie JOHNSON were teachers.Mrs.Ray CLARK,the former Miss STALLINGS,still lives here.--1923-24 saw J.H. PEACOCK at the head of the school.New teachers were Mrs.W.LEGATE,Carmen PEATLING,and Mrs.J.H. PEACOCK.The community building used for many years as the gymnasium,was built this year.--In 1924-25 we again changed superintendents when Mr.Ellis was put as the head of the school.The new teachers were Opal WRIGHT,Maude BEARDEN,J.W. PALMER,Annie BOGGESS,Virgil WOODS,and Mrs.Julia STEWART.-- 1926-27 saw the leadership of R.Glenn ROGERS,with his co-workers-- (1) John COFFEY taught at Oklahoma A.M. College,and from 1928 to 1932 served as president of Cameron College,Lawtom.