Jones County Texas Archives - Swan Chapel School - 1927 *********************************************************** Submitted by: Dorman Holub Date: 19 January 2020 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/jones/jonestoc.htm *********************************************************** The Stamford American Thursday, July 21, 1927 Swan Chapel School has had interesting History Swan Chapel School District No. 11 has $2,300.00 outstanding bonds. The valuation is $211,381.00. The local tax rate is 75c. The area is 22 square miles. The building is located 12 miles northeast of Anson, 12 miles southeast of Stamford, four miles south of Avoca and six miles west of Lueders. The settlement of this district began about 1885 with Messrsr. M. Sample and J.L. Swan among the first homesteaders, as others located nearby the need of a school became apparent. In 1888 Messrs. Sample, Swan, T.M. Harrell and Olliphant set out to build a school house. Lumber had to be hauled from Abilene in wagons, nevertheless the building was started in December. Mr. Swan giving the land for the school site, hence the name Swan Chapel. The one-room frame structure was finished in 1889. Mr. Clark, locally known as General Clark, was employed as the first teacher. This school house was used until 1913 when Swan Chapel consolidated with Crow and a two-room building was erected one and one-half miles east of the first site on land given for a new school site by Mr. T.M. Harrell. But as district became more thickly settled a third room was added in1916. The three rooms proved sufficient for only a short time so in 1923 the tax rate was raised to $1.00 and a fourth room was added. The trustees for the 1926-1927 term are Messrs. P.M. Beaty, T.B. Harrell, and C.E. Burns. The teachers are Mr. R.T. Penn, Miss Opal Nichols, Mrs. R.T. Penn, and Miss Mable Rowell. This district is made up of good farm land well improved, inhabited by a class of home owning farmers. It is not only well adapted to the production of cotton, but it is also particularly well suited for the growth of such crops as maize, wheat and oats. The name Chaparral was suggested for the annual by this school.