Jones County Texas Archives - Swenson 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, June 16, 1927 Swenson School District No. 48 has an outstanding bonded indebtedness of $7,000.00. Valuation $149,943.00 Local tax rate 60c. Bond tax 40c. The area of the district is 17 square miles. The trustees are Messrs. S.L. Edling, C.E. Youngquist and I.J. Choate. The teachers are Mrs. Eva L. Stone, Mrs. Ruby Rowland Carlson, and Miss Gladys Conley. Swenson School District No. 48, is located in the extreme northeast corner of Jones County, 25 miles from Anson. The school district is known as Swenson School, but the community, comprising this school district, is usually known as Ericksdale Community. The name of the community is derived from the fact that the settlement is situated within the confines of the old S.M. S. Ericksdale ranch. The old headquarters, ranch house, after a little remodeling, is still one of our good farm homes. Perhaps this fact may explain reason for our community being called Ericksdale, when our school is called Swenson. The settlement, now a little over 20 years old, is principally Scandinavian. The original land sales were made to Scandinavian settlers. Like all West Texas settlements, this settlement has had its lean years, but most of the original landowners remained, bravely carrying on. Now we have a community comprised largely of landowners remained bravely carrying on. Now we have a community comprised largely of landowners, with good farms, good homes, and good equipment. The greater percent of land is still owned by these original settlers or their children, but there now are also good landowners and farmers of other nationalities. Our early settlers thought in terms of community, and typical of new settlements. Ericksdale has been a pleasant, friendly neighborly community. The pioneers were not satisfied with homes for themselves alone. They wanted church and school house in their neighborhood. These they set about to get, and according to standards of churches and school houses of those days, very creditable buildings were erected. The old, frame school house has been superseded by a modern three-room brick building, on more desirable location. Endeavors are not afoot to have our boys and girls do some real work under the supervision of our county agent. Last year a very serviceable teacherage was added to our school equipment. From the very first, the center of activities has been the church, the Evangelical Lutheran. In the very early days before a church building was erected, divine services were conducted in the open in some mesquite grove, and it was not unusual for the whole congregation to be served Sunday dinner form one of the S.M.S. church wagons. In recent years a playground has been built on the church property. This play ground is lighted by Delco, and is used by the community every Thursday night throughout the summer. The older people enjoy the social hour, and it need not be added the children and young people enjoy the various games. Thursday night gatherings are real get-together events. The neighborly, friendly spirit of new settlements in the west is, perhaps, the greatest trait of character in America. But as settlements grow older in the east, north or west, prosperity, with its attendant care, preoccupation rush and worry, often, too often crowds to the background that neighborly, friendly spirit, was instinctively known as genuine real and worthwhile. True, it is usually done unintentionally, but intentionally or unintentionally crowded to the background just as effectually. This should not be done under any circumstances. And if it is possible for any community factors to say, Òthis must not happen. It shall not be done,Ó church and school are the factors to say it. The passing of the old Western spirit of friendly neighborliness is an irreparable loss to any community, not be counteracted by any amount of material prosperity. So, as our communities, with our county, grow older, the spirit of cordiality, hospitality and helpfulness should be cherished and assiduously guarded. May it never pass from among us, and our victories of the future shall be greater than those of the past. --By Hugo B. Haterius