Travis County Rural Schools - Defender Yearbook (Pflugerville, TX)

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The first school in Cedar Valley commxmity was held in a one-room log house belonging to Mark Thomas. The ground on which Thomas Springs school and church not stands was a grant dated June 17, 1867 to Mark Thanas who came from Fairy Glen, Rockingham County, Virginia. He was staying on Geo- rge K. He1sner's place and died there. Hugh lcclure was appointed administrator of Mark Thomas' estate. Mr. Heisner bought the pro- perty and gave two acres for a church and school In 1875, a box frame , unsealed building was constructed. The materials were purchased with money derived from sale of live stock by members of the community. The lumber was hauled from Brenham saw mills by R. S. Young and Mr. Schwartz. In later years the room was sealed and in 1953 a room was added. A spring on the property furnished water for the school for mny years, hence the name, Thomas Springs. School has been held there continuously since the beginning. - John W. Young, George M. Heisner and Adolph J. Trautwein were the first trustees. Others were George Dittmar, Roberts S. Young and John R. Morgan who served many years. Due to the long distance from school many children attended for short periods. Some rode horseback or walked five or six miles. In 1891, a 'box frame one-room school house called Mud Springs was moved from above Cedar Valley to the Gus Gezeaux place. Mrs. llyra Nolan Heianer las the first teacher. School was held here the some time as at Thomas Springs until' 1898. During this time, Noreall llowinckle, Rufus M. Stiles, and John R. Morgan had been elected trustees. It was in 1898, that the first consolidation of schools in Travis County took place. One teacher, -4 W. H. Bishop, was employed to teach berth schools four months at each place at a salary of 858.55 lf3 per month. One year, school 'began first at Thomas Springs. the next year at White Hall. This arrangement con- , tinued for about ten years. Then the White Hall building was sold and all children went to Thomas A Springs. From en... Schools, eighteen pupils be- came teachers. Robert lee Young was the first, Lynn Young was next in early days. In 1905, several pupils with no further schooling than that offered by these' schools, passed first grade teacher' s examinations. S. A. Leland Morgan, Thomas Springs, 1892-1903 Teacher in Phillipine Islands in 1906-1909' Graduate law School University of Texas - Lawyer in hnarillo, Texas, 1956.

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o fouwood PT F. Mn. H. BEGKRAM Mn. TRUSTEE Eimw Q,. . A , A X f 'T A f 6 3'TiiiE , ., . W: 5 -1111. .iuuilililuf . . . - TEACHER 71M GRADE - COTTONWOOD GQADES 1 T RQW , 2Nu ROW B LLY JEAN BECKHAM MILDREU EQSENBAOH BERTIE RUTH BEUKHAM Loulss B220 CLYDE CURTIS BEGKHAH Vsnuon SQHELFFER V CARL Ll NDGREN isfo UB THE oLo Blrranas SCHOOL House wAs BUILT IN 1895 on ACRE o? LAND'QONATED BY CAFTA J. W. RAMIE. A . AT Ffnsr, THE scnoon TERMS WERE THREE on Fone uonvus, BUTGTHE ENHGLLHSHT WAS QUITE LARGE. Paorassoa RANIE, ONE or THE FIRST TEACHERS, TAU8HI,ABOUT FlFTY-PCPILS rn oNE Hoang 0ONSEQUENTLY,,HANY HAD TD slr in THE WINDOWS, on THE FLEQE Ann THREE IN ONE DESKe A THE PRESENT scHooL, EREQTED IN 1908, is LOCATED BETWEEN TQE CQTYONWDOQ Gaaexs. IN 1908, THE ENROLLMENT WAS THznTv-Favs AND THE THRU WAS sux MQNTHSQ THE PATRQNS HAo DONATED Fuuns FOR Tue scHooL, sur in 1913 THE TRUSTEES Eouqur THE PRUPEHTY. COTTONWODD IS SELF-SUSTAINING wifn A TwEnTv' 19285 IT wAs sTANbARnlzeD, MALNTAINING its hy ' STANDARD T0 THE PRESENT TIME. ATHE PARENTQ TEACHERS ASSGGIATKON, ORGANIZED IN 1928, IS- VERY ACTIVE AND 000FERATlVEs I cam' SPEMAL TAX.. 'THE Tama wus LENGTHENED4 INR ' ' '