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Jarrett and
the Old Jarrett Schoolhouse
Photographer’s
Note:
Located about 2 miles NE of Swinney
Switch, Texas on a big “S” curve you will find the last reminder
of the community of Jarrett, Texas.
There is little information to find on the little community and its
origin. One set of my GG-granparents bought and moved into the old
Caldwell place in 1906 about 2 miles NE of here. They lived about
the same distance from Clareville
in Bee County and claimed
both as being from. My GG-Grandmother cried when they drove up in
the wagon and she saw this old run down house with a dog-run through
it. This house was pretty old then. She couldn't believe she left
a nice east Texas farm
for this!
The schoolhouse was not the original as my grandmother (96) said she remembers
the wood post base for an earlier school just a stone’s throw away
to the NW. There was also a “Spanish” school on the north side at
one time. |
Close-up view
of the Jarrett Schoolhouse
Photo courtesy William
Beauchamp, August 2009 |
Another view
of the Jarrett Schoolhouse
Photo courtesy William
Beauchamp, August 2009 |
The horse watering
trough on school ground
Photo courtesy William
Beauchamp, August 2009 |
| The old horse
trough is still out back where the corral for the horses once stood. The
old floors were oiled twice a year - as told by the main teacher’s
son. This was evident as vandals tried to pry the old floor out but
it was solid as could be and they quickly gave up. |
| Until 2008 the
school had been covered in brush. A group from nearby Swinney
Switch cleared the brush around it in 2009 and were trying to
gain funds to restore the old place. My mother's wedding shower in
the 1950's was the last function held at the school. - William
Beauchamp, November 2009 |
| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact
us. |
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