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Hill
Country Schoolhouse Preservation 12
Gillespie County Schools are Recognized –
Not for Achievement, but Survival
Friends
of Gillespie County Country Schools |
If
libraries can have friends, why can’t schools? In one part of the Hill Country
they do. For all the rural schools that we might see alongside Texas’ highways,
there are ten times more that have been demolished, burned, cannibalize for their
building materials or are standing in for barns.
School consolidations
in the late 1940s and 50s created these orphans, and now, those lucky enough to
still be standing in Gillespie County are getting some attention. Other counties
with surviving rural schools might take note of this innovative approach to schoolhouse
preservation. - Editor |
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Friends
of Gillespie County Country Schools “The
mission of The Friends of Gillespie County Country Schools is to further
the preservation and maintenance of historic community school buildings and improvements
in Gillespie County, to support the activities of Gillespie County with respect
to the preservation and maintenance of historic community school buildings and
improvements in the County through assistance with fundraising and other means
and to use and allow others to use such buildings and improvements for public
purposes, by making such buildings and improvements available as community centers
for public purposes. We are preserving the past to enrich the future.”
Although
it proved to be unfounded, the rumor that “they’re selling our schools” brought
together a group of Gillespie County citizens who organized themselves into The
Friends of Gillespie County Country Schools, comprised of over 400 members
who use the 12 rural schools in Gillespie County as community centers. They are
interested in preserving the traditions of the schools, the community clubs, and
the history of Gillespie County for future generations.
As a result of
the passage of the Gilmer-Aikin
Law in 1949, ownership of most of the rural school properties in Gillespie
County was transferred to the Fredericksburg ISD. After consolidation, community
clubs leased the properties, but it became clear that these leases were not a
permanent solution to the fear of “selling our schools”.
Research quickly
identified the only solution: change the law! The Board of Trustees was unable
to return these properties to the original communities, because of a prohibition
in the law. In Spring, 2000, as requested by The Friends of Gillespie County
Country Schools, Fredericksburg ISD dispatched a letter to Senator Jeff Wentworth
and Representative Harvey Hilderbran requesting that legislation be introduced,
which would allow donation of these properties to a governmental or non-profit
organization at no cost. Senate Bill 166 was passed by the Texas Legislature,
signed by the Governor and listed as Proposition 13 on the November 6, 2001, ballot.
The voters of Texas overwhelmingly 80.45%) approved the Proposition, and the bill
became law on January 1, 2002.
The Friends of Gillespie County Country
Schools developed a timeline and strategies to built grassroots support here
and throughout the state. Activities included exhibits at banks, stores, the Gillespie
County Fair, and Texas Preservation Day 2001. A series of articles discussing
rural education and the 44 Gillespie County school districts were published locally
and statewide. A calendar was published in 2001 featuring the 12 schools and was
probably the most successful effort to spread the word, with more than 2,000 copies
sold. Every opportunity to publicize the story, locally and statewide, was used
and included print, radio, television, and the worldwide web. Several members
testified before the Texas House and Senate in support of Senate Bill 116. The
Friends of Gillespie County Country Schools traveled more than a 1,000 miles
to 10 parades with the "Rural School Float", depicting a rural school in the early
1900’s, complete with children and teacher in period costumes and a group of community
club members playing “Texas 42”. More than 5,000 postcards were mailed and flyers
were handed out on Main Street. Every County Historical Commission received an
information packet. The culminating event was the "12 Country Schools Open House
and Reunion" in September 2001, which included a BBQ meal cooked on one of the
original school BBQ pits.
In 2003, The Friends of Gillespie County Country
Schools published a calendar documenting 12 additional schools in the county.
On April 5, 2003, and every first Saturday in April thereafter, an "Open House"
is held as part of the fundraising effort.
The efforts of The Friends
of Gillespie County Country Schools to preserve their schools, their community
centers, and their traditions are an outstanding example of what a grassroots
movement can accomplish. The goal set in May 1999 has been achieved, but the work
toward preservation is just beginning.
In 2002, The Friends of Gillespie
County Country Schools received preservation awards from the Texas Historical
Commission and Preservation Texas at the Texas Preservation Day in Abilene,
Texas.
In 2004, The Friends of Gillespie County Country Schools
officially became a non-profit organization (501(c)(3)) and are working on raising
funds to improve, renovate, and preserve the 12 properties. Topping the list are
updating the restroom facilities and bringing water to seven of the 12 properties
at an estimated cost of $100,000.00. Donations are accepted and greatly appreciated.
In January 2005, the Texas Historical Commission approved and forwarded
our application to place the 12 properties on the register of National Historic
Places.
In April 2006, during our annual celebration, Larry Oaks, of the
Texas Historical Commission, presented the National Register plaques to
the representatives of the 12 former schools and officially opened the Gillespie
County Country Schools Trail, a first in Texas.
In December 2006, the
Gillespie County Historical Society recognized the efforts of The Friends of
Gillespie County Country Schools by presenting the Star of Texas award. |
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The
12 schools comprising the Friends of the Gillespie County Country Schools are:
Cave
Creek
Cherry
Springs
Crabapple
(Original building dates back to the 1880’s.)
Lower
South Grape Creek
Luckenbach
(Original building dates back to the 1880’s.)
Meusebach
Creek
Nebgen
Pecan
Creek
Rheingold
(Original building dates back to the 1880’s.)
Williams
Creek/Albert (President
Johnson attended this school.) Willow
City
Wrede
©
The Friends of Gillespie County Country Schools
January 18, 2010
Their
website:
Friends
of the Gillespie County Country Schools
Events:
http://www.historicschools.org/events.htm.
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| The
Williams Creek School, aka the Albert
School, was once attended by a young Lyndon B. Johnson. - Terry
Jeanson, November 2007 photo |
| "The
Grapetown
Schoolhouse to the right and the back of the teacher's house to the left."
- Jim Thompson. Photo courtesy Shannan Yarbrough | |
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