MILAM COUNTY TEXAS - A History of Rockdale Texas (Education)
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Education

FIRST SCHOOL IN ROCKDALE OPENED BACK 1N '74
(Researched by Supt. J. M. Moorman)

In 1874, a few weeks after the l&GN Railroad reached Rockdale, the first school in the 
town was organized by Miss Milly Roby. Miss Roby taught for six months, and though 
realizing the lack of educational advantages, she was finally forced to give up on account 
of poor patronage.

It was not until the following fall that an attempt was made to reorganize the first school. 
Miss Maggie Hall who had taught in Bryan, felt the great need of education for the 
young. In September she opened a private school in one small upper room of a house 
located where the Matson home now stands. She taught her little school for the nine 
months term of 1874-75.

Time For Boom
=============
The town had been incorporated, and the citizens decided it was time they should have 
the benefits of the public schools that had been secured for Texas under Governor 0. M. 
Roberts. The council appointed a board of trustees consisting of Dr. W. A. Brooks, R. H. 
Hicks, Rev. J. H. Stribling, A.- E. Fullenwider, Dr. A. C. Walker, Rev. W. E. Copeland, 
with E. M. Scarbrough (Mayor Ex-Officio) chairman—a strong group of pioneers.

An old abandoned storehouse at the corner of Cameron and Green Streets was 
appropriated, and the public school of Rockdale was launched. Miss Maggie Hall had a 
small desk at the front of the room, while W. Wyatt, who was principal, had a small 
platform at the rear of the room. Mr. Wyatt's only recommendations were that he was a 
Confederate soldier and he could "wallop" the boys.

One Term Enough
===============
One term for Mr. Wyatt was enough for the board, so Mr. Brickhouse was elected 
principal.

At the beginning of the next term Miss Hall resigned and built a small schoolhouse where 
she conducted a private school for girls. Mr. Brickhouse taught alone in the old building, 
which amounted to a boy's school, as most of the girls attended Miss Hall's school.

At the close of the term Miss Hall accepted the council's offer to rent her school as a 
public school. She was made principal.

School attendance was growing rapidly. The trustees rented a larger building, the old 
Brooks Hotel. The school grew under G. W. Rainwater as principal and Miss Ella Meekin 
as teacher.

Moved School
===========
In two years, the hotel was sold to J. L. Lockett and the school moved to the Methodist 
Church.

It was Feb. 5, 1883, that the first offficial board of trustees was elected by the people. On 
the board were A. E. Fullenwider, R. H. Hicks, C. H. Coffleld, James H. Hill, Sr., Ben 
Loewenstein, Sr., Rev. J. H. Stribling and Rev. W. E. Coupland.

$10,000 worth of bonds were issued and plans laid for a modern brick building to be built 
on a hill known as College Hill.

A big celebration was held when it opened. J. W. Clark was elected superintendent, with 
a principal and a fine staff of teachers. Mr. Clark moved away in 1890, when F.L. Norton 
replaced him for the next nine years.

Then C. E. Brennan became head of the schools. His modern ideas appealed to only a 
few, and Mr. Clark was recalled. He served until 1910.

Other superintendents were C. G. Green, G. L. Marshall, J. M. Hodges, G. C. Green (the 
second time), A. W. Franklin, J. C. Wil}erson, S. P. Conn, S. C. Miles, C. M. Selman, W. 
C. Grissom, and the present superintendent, J. M. Moorman, who came to Rockdale in 
1955.

In 1922 a new modern S75,000 brick building was constructed. The old school became a 
primary building.

New buildings have been added continuously, along with an expanded curriculum. In 
1958, buildings were worth $1,800,000 plus the Aycock Negro School which was valued 
at $216,797. At this time professional personnel in the white schools numbered 50 which 
included 41 teachers. There were 14 teachers at Aycock School. Average daily 
attendance in grades 1 through 12 was 1,022 students in the white schools and 243 in the 
Aycock School. Eight buses carried 331 students to and from school, covering 425 miles 
each day on the 8 bus routes.

1956 tax valuations amounted to $19,025,010. The tax rate was $1.33 per $100 valuation. 
A total of S253,00D in taxes was collected that year. School budget for 1957-58 was 
$491,000. Bonds outstanding amounted to $1,699,000. Sharp Consolldation

At this time, Rockdale High School offered 38 credits and was a member of the Southern 
Association of Secondary Schools and Colleges. The school district was comprised of 
144 square miles.

The Rockdale Board of Trustees adopted a resolution the 22nd day of June, 1964, calling 
for an election to be held on July 11, 1964, in said district for the purpose of 
consolidating Rockdale and Sharp schools. Results of the election were favorable and the 
consolidation approved. The area of the Rockdale Independent School District then 
comprised 215 square miles.


Aycock Integration
===============
Plan and Policies Goverbing Desegregation of the Rockdale ISD under Title VI of the 
Civil Rights Act of 1964 were discussed by the board of trustees of the Rockdale ISD. 
Freedom of choice for desegregation was accepted by the board for the 1965-66 school 
year.

In that year, grades 9-12 of the Aycock Schools were moved to the Rockdale
High School. The first and sixth grades were moved to the elementary school and 
freedom of choice was given grades 2, 3 and 4 in 1966~67, with the 5th and 7th grades to 
have a choice in 1967-68.

On April 6, 1967, the board of trustees voted unanimously to move all of the remaining 
children from the Aycock Negro School to the Rockdale white schools and to have one 
school for all school age children.

The school year of 1967-68 saw final integration approved and the one school for all was 
accomplished.


Curriculum
=========
Vocational subjects offered in the Rockdale Schools today include Three Vocational 
Agriculture classes, two Vocational Homemaking classes, one Distributive Education 
class, one Vocational Offfice Education class, two CVAE classes and one Building 
Trades class with 10 teachers.

Special Education is a part of the Rockdale Schools with three teachers to take care of the 
special needs of these children.

Tax values have risen to $74,300,715 with total taxes collected in the amount of 
$628,000.

The total school budget will reach $1,200,000 in 1973-74. This does not include 
lunchroom and activity budgets which combine with the school budget to exceed 1'/2 
million dollars.

The Rockdale Public Schools have added a modern Band Hall, Field House, Vocational 
Agriculture building, Vocational building to take care of the Building Trades and CVAE 
classes. The total costs of these buildings are as follows: Band Hall - $35,000, Vocational 
Agriculture Building - $43,000, Building Trades complex - $35,000 and a $42,000 Field 
House at the football field.

Present day values for replacement of all the School Plant is estimated at $3.3 million 
dollars.

During the past eighteen years the faculty and administration have worked diligently to 
improve the school curriculum. Performance-based and individualized instruction have 
been used to improve teacher competencies.

The following article taken from The Daily Morning News, Sunday, November 20, 
1960:
1888 Dlploma Given
Rockdale Library


ROCKDALE, Texas (Sp.)—A diploma of graduation from Rockdale High School, dated 
1888, was received this week by Mrs. Ida Jo Marshall, high school librarian, with the 
request that it be placed among the historical collection in the library of the new high 
school building.

The large, 72-year-old diploma, was issued to Arthur Loper and carried the signatures of 
superintendent J. W. Clark, and the first regularly elected school board, previous boards 
having been appointive.

The first public school class to graduate was in 1886, and the next in 1888. Arthur 
Loper,member of an early day Rockdale family, died recently in Houston where he had 
lived for many years.


ROCKDALE SCHOOLS MEHY "BOOM CRISIS"
(Researched by Mrs. lda Jo Marshall)

Within the past seventeen years Rockdale has changed from a small town of 2,200 
population to a town of 4,665 according to the 1970 Texas census figures. The population 
has changed from agricultural to industrial with the large number of industrial workers 
connected with the $100,000,000 Aluminum Company located nearby.

It is true that the town has changed, but perhaps, the greatest change was the one thrust 
upon a school system that had sufficed for 74 years as an educational medium for a town 
of fairly consistent population and a minimum of progress.

The school population had jumped rapidly. The school buildings were outdated and 
overcrowded, in school corridors, in temporary buildings and in libraries and cafeterias. 
A normal curriculum became meaningless and demands were such that School Board 
meetings were held almost daily, faculty meetings frequently and the people of the town 
faced a challenge to provide an adequate education to their children.

The assessed valuation of the Roc}dale Independent School District was S2,618,000 in 
l9Sl-52 and was under the control of the city goverdment. Their first step was to separate 
the schools from the city and to establish tax values which would allow the school district 
to build enough school buildings to house the large enrollment. Having separated the 
schools from the city and raised tax values to approximately $20,000,000, the building 
program was begun.

An intensive study of school building planning was made in an effort to determine the 
type of buildings that would facilitate the best type of learning experiences necessary to 
meet the best interests of all the people moving to Rockdale from many various states.

The school board, with the architects, realized that each community had a uniqueness to 
be considered in planning functional and usable buildings to meet present day demands 
of education. They planned a building program which is social, flexible and usable.

An important center of sociability is the beautiful patio around which is built the large 
spacious high school. This area has a large paved court in the middle with grass and 
flowers around the enclosure. The entire area has more than 5,000 square feet covered 
with concrete of which 2,400 square feet has a canopy which is well lighted for all 
student activities. Around the patio is a large cafeteria on one side, with halls leading to 
classrooms and administrative offtces on the remaining sides. This patio is a part of the 
planning to make the building both beautiful and functional.

At the high school level the program of study is molded into and around the building. 
Departments such as vocational agriculture, homemaking commercial, music and 
athletics have their designated areas where classroom teachers may more easily 
coordinate instruction and where students may participate in studies with a minimum of 
interruption.

The high school auditorium seats 800, has commodious stage, acoustical treatment of 
ceiling and walls, built-in public address system, movie projection booth. It occupies 
8,720 square feet.

There are no "quiet" signs in Rockdale's new high school library. Books are
within easy reach on open shelves. Orderly students spend one hour a day in research and 
study.

Rockdale's new $800,000 high school was dedicated in April, 1956. It is designed to 
house 500 students.

The old high school building was remodeled and now houses the junior high school.

The elementary school was remodeled into a spacious, modern plant for the intermediate 
grades. An example of the forward steps taken in the school was employment of a speech 
correction teacher for the first time.

The Aycock High School was constructed for Negro stutents and was considered one of 
the most modern Negro schools in the state. It had a large gymnasium, off~ces, 
classrooms, cafeteria, and a home economics department.

With the coming of integration the Negro students attend the white schools.

Superintendent of schools, J. M. Moorman, is a graduate of San Marcos SWTSC and 
received his Masters Degree at A & M College. He is working toward his doctorate at the 
University of Houston during vacation periods.

Today's Rockdale Public School System employs 113 employees for the 1973-74 school 
year, including 22 new teachers. A school budget of $1,13S,846 has been adopted for 
operation of the Rockdale Public Schools for the 1973-74 school year.

Enrollment totaled 1,643 students as classes opened for the 1973-74 school year in the 
Rockdale Independent School District.


BRIEF HISTORY OF AYCOCK HIGH SCHOOL
ROCKDALE, TEXAS
(Researched by Mrs. Lula H. Moseley)

Prior to 1904, what is now Aycock High School was known as Rockdale Colored Public 
School. Two teachers comprised the staff. Furnishings were a few battered des}s plus a 
bench or two for the seating capacity. A small table and one chair for each teacher, two 
boxes of crayons and erasers, plus a tin water pail and dipper made up the school 
supplies.

Professor S. Adams was the principal. At the close of the Spring Term of 190S, Professor 
Adams resigned to accept a position in the war department at Washington, D. C. The 
board of trustees elected Professor B. Y. Aycoc} as principal, Mrs. Lula H. Moseley as 
first assistant and Mrs. Minnie D. Smith as second assistant. Mrs. Smith was the first and 
only graduate of Professor Adams.

During vacation time of 1903, a room was added to the school. This made a total of three 
rooms.

School opened October 15th 1903. Everyone was happy and proud that the school had 
three rooms, three teachers, and a larger campus.
When everything seemed to be going well, Mrs. Smith became ill and passed away in 
less than two months. Her position was filled by Professor J. W. Allen.

In 1904 the school became overcrowded. Since no time was left for the consideration of a 
new room to be built, the thoughtful trustees rented the

Masonic Hall which provided room. Professor S. S. Brewer was elected to fill the place 
left vacant by the death of Mrs. Smith.

Then the small faculty of four members went to wor} to plan for what they wanted—a 
high school. In the first faculty meeting of 1904, the faculty organized. Professor Aycock 
was president; Mrs. Moseley, secretary; Professor Allen was treasurer; and Professor 
Brewer, member.

At the second faculty meeting the idea of establishing a school library was discussed. By 
unanimous consent it was decided to begin at once to raise funds for a start. This was on 
February 8, 1904. A concert was given to raise funds to begin the library. The Rockdale 
Recorder gave publicity to the great success with which the concert met and the funds 
which were raised. It was agreed that volunteer gifts of reading material would be 
accepted. First books given were the Holy Blble by Professor Aycock, 1904 1~es 
Blrthday Alman~ by Mrs. Moseley, and The Weekly Recorder by Professor Allen. Thus 
the first library collection was assembled. Professor Allen was our purchasing agent 
assisted by Professor Brewer. They selected reference boo}s, dictionaries and an 
encyclopedia. As more books were given or purchased, more space was provided and a 
large table for the library was purchased. This became the first library in the Aycock 
High School. Worthy of mention was the cooperation between the school board and the 
superintendent.

Members of the school board at this time were Professor Marshall

Superintendent; A. H. Coffield; J. H. Perry; Ben Loewenstein; Sr.; Leonard Isaacs; and J. 
E. Longmoor. All were very friendly and cooperative.

Due to failing health, Professor Aycock was forced to resign. Mrs. M. C. Allen filled his 
unexpired term. Her work was so satisfactory that from year to year she was reelected. 
She served for fffleen years. It was during her principalship that the first real high school 
building was ordered built. Her resignation was due to declining years and long service.

It was then that Professor D. S. Shanks was elected. He later moved to Austin to enter 
private business.  Then the school board elected Professor O. E. Wilhite to the work 
undertaken by Aycock, Moseley, and Allen in 1904. At this time grades were due for a change. 
To some this would have seemed a Herculean task; but not to Wilhite.

With his pleasing personality and faithful determination he gained the confidence of all 
of Rockdale and respect and confidence of the entire school board with whom he had 
worked.

The task may have appeared hard at times, yet Mr. Wilhite never gave up. Through his 
efforts and our wonderful school system, we enjoyed one among many of the beautiful 
High School buildings in the state—fully equipped in all departments and presided over 
by qualified personnel.

One of the outstanding additions that was an honor to all of Rockdale was the High 
School Band conducted by Professor T. R. Howard.

In September, 1965 students from the Aycock school merged with the white students 
throughout the Rockdale School System.