Beckham Co. OK - New Liberty and other Schools from 1902 to 1954 Written and Submitted by Paulyne Taylor pingtiger@arn.net ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** NEW LIBERTY AND OTHER SCHOOLS FROM 1902 TO 1954 OKLAHOMA Dr Windel who drove a horse and buggy and made house calls with his little black bag delivered or assisted at the birth of nearly all people who lived at Sayre and New Liberty. He was on the way to deliver me when his horse got stuck in mud and he and my grandmother Maggy Sechrist didn’t get there till after I was delivered by my grandmother Rutherford. My parents were living in an old School house that set on his property. He farmed when he wasn’t practicing medicine. Some Information here was furnished by Shirley, West, Francene Rutherford Bell and my dad’s memory’s. Also Ruth Warren Rutherford who taught at New Liberty. My grandfather settled in New Liberty not even a community then, in 1898. The 1st school was built in 1902.It was called New Hope and was built on a farm belonging to a Mr Spell. Liberty Hill came into being during this same time period. Mr J. Patton was instrumental in forming this school. Austa Smith taught here in 1906. Both schools were one room, wood buring stoves, and home made desk and seats, all grades were in the same room taught by one teacher. Lunch came by way of lard buckets often larger than the child dragging them. They contained biscuits with bacon or eggs. Wrapped in rags. Drinking water was a buckett and dipper. All shared the same dipper. Most walked to school, some rode horses, or were brought by horse and wagon. McGruffey’s reader was the basic book. Slates and chalk were pencils. Ethyl Stephens was 1st teacher at New Hope 1902. Some teachers were only 16,17 years old and had less than a 4th or 5th grade education themselves. Teachers for the years 1908-09 were Belle Stone at New Hope, Rosa Newkirk at Liberty Hill, and Claudia Rose at Weyland, Eguina Parish at Union Hill and Docia Forbes at Short Creek. Alvis Hart taught at New Hope 1909-10. Naomi Thompson taught at Liberty Hill 1909-10. Cleone Bodine at Weyland, Ora Tennery at Union Hill and Austa Smith at Short Creek. Many other teachers came and taught at these schools, all were within a 10 mile area of each other. All community activities took place at the schools which eventualy became 2 or even 3 room buildings. Some with more than 1 teacher. The 1st church at New Liberty was more than likely built in 1900 and was Methodist. Many years later a new and better church was built which still stands today. I remember the Lone Oak Church which stood not far from the Lone Oak Cemetery. In about 1905 Mr Murphy built a cotton gin in the area and it came to be known as Murphy’s Gin. The old building still stands rusted and dying from long years of unuse. I played in it as a child. A store and filling station was built across the street from the gin, and I remember men sitting, spitting and whittling, hunkered down on their hunches Overalls and brogan shoes. Time moves and both died out, Hershal and Louise Karns Rutherford built a store and laundry across the street from the old gin and the old Hartman store and station. Here, my cousins, my brother and I made off with hands full of candy and gum and played in the old gin and the fields of New Liberty. >From 1908 to 21 Teachers at Weyland School Marie Ames, Esther Bradshaw, Claud Evans, Fern Jihnson,Lanta Meler, Sallie Poor, Ruth Warren Rutherford, (Roger Rutherfords wife, and Jim Bill and Francene Rutherford’s mother). Lois Sanderson and Gladys Stevens. Board members: J.W. Adams, C.W. Akers, Alva Beats, S.D. Beats, Mrs F. Brown, Claud Hawkins, E.B. Lewis, S.E. Daniels, Ruth Rutherford, and B.T. West. Union Hill School; Teachers: Ruth Carroll, Pauline Derryberry, Minnie Robertson, Anna Sallenger. Board Members M.D. Bradley, W.M Cox, S.C. Elliott, Ed Gage (My great Uncle) Short Creek School Teachers: L.J. Carnahan, Mable Hartman, Ruby Johnson, Ruth Jones, Marie Mabre, Ola McNown, Ina Bell Nelson, Una Shields, Bertha Thompson, Mabel Thompson, Lula Twitty, Emily Zevirel, Board Member: R.H. Barker, Sam Gossett, J.M. Holliway, W.E. McKeown, Bert Odell, Ben Titsworth, W.A. Willie New Liberty School 1915-1931 Teachers Evata Evans, Allie and Haskell Alexander, Myrtle Allen, Georgia Henderson, Otto Atkinson, Balham Barham, John Barns, Dewaide Bell, Mary Berrong, Pearl Bicknell, Beatrice Binion, Lamara Blick, Irma Booker, Zella Brown, Letha Cambell, Winnie Carnahan, Ruth Carroll, Ara and Jewel Carver, Joes and Josie Cothern, Ida Cuff, Mr and Mrs Bruce Currie, L.W. Curry, Mr and Mrs Dale Danner, Margaret Davis, Mr and Mrs C. Deweese, J.H. Doughty, Man Dunham, Issabell Dray, M.E. and Lillie Farris, Ives Finch, Maud Fink, Cecil and Edith Folks, H. G. Fortune, J.M. and Uunice Gamble, Isabella Goode, K.L. and Billie Holcomb,R.O. James, Anetta Jenkins, Susan Johnson, Virginia Keller, I.J. Kennedy, Cicel Kirkland, Velma Klopfenstien, Thelma Knight, Roberta Koscheski, Marie Marba, Farrell Martin, Ruth Martin, Lela Masburg, J.L. and Willie McConley, Minnis McDaniels, Cecila McDonald, Bernice Mitchel, Jewel Montgomery, A.T. Moore, Edgar and Flora Musser, Ruby Nicklason, Janett Oren, Faith Owens, J.B. Pate, Nelson Peach, Will and Iber Pearcy, Olga Porter, Louellen Robertson, Lavena Rose, Lois Sanderford, Charlotte Scales, Lola Schaedel, Ola Sechrist,( My Aunt) Thelma Shumate, Cleo Smith, Nellie Smith, Walter Smaith, Lillie Snow, Cecil Stowers, Homer Tanner, Cornelia Tarpley, S,G. Thomas, Bertha Thomas, Ogla Tomlinson, Glen and Marie Townsend, Alva Vickers, Bonnie Vincent, Vivian Wilborn, Grace Wilson, Virginia Wilson, Edna Wolf, Willie Woods, Van Wright. Students: In 1915 all schools merged with New Liberty. In 1954 New Liberty closed and students went to Sayre. I only list the ones that were related in some way to our family. Clarence ,Theo ,Vera , Virgil ADAM, Clearance, Claude, Grady, ALLISON, Annie, Claudia, Freddy, Haskell, Johnny, Jewel, BURDEN, Effie, Floyd, Herbert, Jewel, Ruby, Ruthie, and Wilber CARNAHAN, Maude, Edwin, Emmitt, Irene, Lavern, and Odom CHASTEEN, Alma, Lavaughn, Melroy,COX. Eldon, Glen, Monty, Glenn, Randy, and Wayman DEES, Carl, Mary, and Raymond ESTES, Floyd, Harmon, James, and Mary FOX, Annie, Glen, Lyle, Pearl, Ray ,Corene, Lorene GAGE, Gene HART (Berrier), Annie, Johnny, Lois and Marshall HUBBARD, Beverly, Ewell, Gary, Leon,Verda and Verny LATHAM, Alvin, Charles, Ella, Johnny, Wanda, Aubrey, Dillon, Fladger, Janie, Jewel, Joann, Lois, Loyd, Margaritte, Mary, Maretta, Nathala, Nora, Obra, Sam,Wanda, Willie,and Winifred MARTIN, Mildred OWENS, Ima and Thomas PEA, Clarence,Clyde, Glen, Jimmy, Leveda,Lee, Nat, Neal,Robert, Shirley, Charles, Dela, Ivy, Lucille, and Ollie RICE,Carl, Delbert,Fern, Jerryann, Cuber, Dimp (my dad’s best friend), Nina,Vera,and Vergil ROBERTSON , Claud ,Willie ROPER , Eva, Roger, Joe, Dora, Paul, Hershal, Jim Bill, Francene,and Jimmy RUTHERFORD , Edith, Leonard and Ola, SECHRIST, Florence, Lillian, Luther,Mamie, Ralph, Ray, Rosyln, SHIPMAN,Beatrice, Calvin, Dewey,Edwin, Floyd, Glen, John, Mary, Mabel,Nellie,Oren Theodore Ida, Lucie,Opal and Perry THOMPSON, Gary, John, Jaunita, Marilyn WARD Cecil,Blanch, Gladys,Hazel, Joyce,Opal, Pernel, Price and Thurman ,WRIGHT Many others teachers and students attended these schools. When some of these families moved from Sayre some of the other families came also. Nearly all were related to each other one way or another. Ruth Warren Rutherford taught my father and my mother. She was my dad , Paul Rutherfords sister in law. My mothers sister Ola Sechrist also taught. She had a 9th grade certificate.