Jones County, Texas - History - Jones County Schools *********************************************** This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Dorman Holub Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm *********************************************** The Western Enterprise Anson, Jones County, Texas Thursday, August 26, 1933 50th Anniversary Edition MONTH OF MAY ENDED 50 SCHOOL YEARS IN COUNTY by Herbernia Grace In May of this year the 50th session of the Anson school closed. The graduating class of 1933 was the 36th class to receive diplomas from the Anson school. each year since 1897 a class has been awarded diplomas with the exception of 1904. The number graduated each year has ranged from one in 1910 to 48 in 1933. A total of 641 hold diplomas from the Anson High School. The first school taught in Jones County was not in Anson, however. As early as 1879 a private school with an enrollment of nine pupils was taught by Mrs. W.H. Smith at Phantom Hill. The first school building in County was built by G.W. Scarbrough and stood about a mile north east of Truby. Seated here on uncomfortable log seats one of the best known Baptist preacher, in Texas, Dr. Lee Scarborough of Fort Worth, learned his A, B, C's under the instruction of Miss Emma Scarborough. The first school taught in the town section of Anson was opened in April of 1882 and closed in July of 1882. It was taught in the residence of R.M. Huie, which still stands on the original site, the first lot south of the Firt Baptist Church. The north downstairs room was used and E.G. Jones from St. Louis, Missiour, was the teacher. The following pupils enrolled: Charley P'Pool Frank P'Pool Nina P'Pool [Mrs. S.P. Ford] Edna Cowsert [Mrs. J.L. Russell] Dodie Cowsert [Mrs. J.C. Hamm] Salliy Huie [Mrs. J.C. Bryant] Dollie Huie [Mrs. H.C. Carr] Lycia Anderson [Mrs. Frank Huie] Ed Anderson T.L. Cowsert. The next school was also taught by Mr. Jones, assisted by his wife, in their home near where the Methodist Church now stands. At a mass meeting in the Buie Law office during the summer of 1883, it was decided to build a school house. Enough money was raied by public subscription to build one room. The Masonic Lodge of the town agreed to build a room above for their own use, cover the building and furnish the lot. This building stood on Block 55, Lot 4, now the estate of the Joe Grace Estate, and was a box and stripped structure put up by volunteer labor. Mr. Jones taught this third school. By 1889 a large building was needed and a wooden structure was erected on the same lot where the West Ward school stands today. Its value was $5000 and was paid for by the tax payers of the district. It was out of this building that the first class was graduated on 15 May 1897. These first graduated were: Lona Hale [Mrs. Harry King of Abilene] Allie Maxwell [Mrs. C.E. Evans of San Marcos] Leila Morris [Mrs. Fred Neal of Fort Worth] Effie Nevill [Mrs. B.S. Davidson, deceased] Nannie Tompkins of Wichita Falls C.E. Evans, superintendent - now president of Southwest Texas State Teachers College. Graduates of 1898 were: Hiram Evans D.R. Ward B.B. Brockett In 1904, this second school building was sold, moved to Block 34, lot 13, the site of Anson's first hotel, the Tipton Inn, given a veneer of brick and today is known as the Ansford Hotel. On the old location there was established in the same year a two story brick building, which was used for all grades until 1910, when the high school building was erected, an din 1929 a second building for the grades. The first schools of Anson were undergraded and perhaps like many other schools of the frontier not very well taught. "Ray Arithmetic" "McGuffey's Reader," and the "Blue-Back spelling book" were the most used books. During these 50 years much progress has been made. The school term has been increased, and each year there has been a demand for better trained teachers and a higher grade of instruction enabling the school to hold 19 units of affiliation. Since 1897 there has been a library in the Anson Public Schools. The school catalogue for 1896-1897 carried a list of library readings for pupils from the fourth grade through High school. Several hundred of its volumes are gifts from friends of the school. Two hundred of this number donated by Larry Chittenden Ranch library. Each year since his initial donation Mr. Chittenden has sent a number of volumes. The "Ferrell Corner' contains items donated from the library of Mr. and Mrs. C.C. Ferrell. Some of the magazines date back to the 1880s. In this corner are a number of volumes autographed by Rufus C. Burleson, one of the early presidents of Baylor University and gifts to Mrs. Ferrell's father.