Crackerbox, Big Square, Buckeye...

If these names mean anything to you, then you are either a great local historian or you and Parmer County go way back (and perhaps for some it is both). These are just some of the names of the small community country schools in Parmer County. Names were chosen for property owners, location, type of structure, etc. At one time there were 17 common school districts in the county all under one county superintendent. Overcoming distance has been a problem for the Panhandle since the beginning and education was no exception.

These early schools were quite simply, but adequately constructed with usually a small wooden frame structure in the neighborhood of 20 by 24 to 28 feet. Generally they had one entrance, a few windows and sometimes a bell if the community were wealthy enough; but mainly hand bells were used to call the school to order. The act of ringing that bell was quite a privilege as Sam Mears remembers. Heated by coal stoves in the winter and cooled by the windows in the spring, these beloved schools were immensely important to the communities they served where they doubled as social centers. Education was second only to building one’s own shelter and providing religious worship for the community. Some were even built on skids so that they could be moved to where the children were. At the onset, the county’s school districts were 6 miles square so that hopefully, no child would have to walk more than 3 miles to attend school. Thus, the ‘portable’ school was an excellent solution when different families needed the school.
Teachers for these early schools were not in plentiful supply and many times were chosen from the oldest students who had just finished school or were imported from their former communities in Iowa, Indiana, and Ohio which the new settlers had left to come to Texas. Many of their names are recognizable to us even today: Roxie Witherspoon, Malinda Reeve, Lucy and Esther Goodwine, Edith Maurer, Lara Edward, Floy Bridges, Mary Lou Roberson and Annie Lee Riley.
As in the other one-room school houses of their day, all ages and all grade levels were taught in the same small space by the same teacher; and you know—they seem to have made it just fine. As the social centers of the small communities, many different events were held at the school houses including fundraisers for the school. Box socials, pie suppers, a ‘literary society’ to express the talent in the community, sing-songs, singing schools and a community Christmas tree party are just some of the events remembered. Materials were scarce and therefore, quite precious and greatly appreciated. Fundraisers helped purchase school supplies for the children. One such event was an auction of various homemade items. One item was a friendship quilt made by the students and auctioned. It brought $5.00 and was purchased by their teacher, Wana Vestal in the 1930s.
Later, these communities sponsored special events for their citizens such as a skating rink for 10 cents and silent movies for 25 cents. Elaborate Christmas events were very popular also and in the Oklahoma Lane Community a certain peach tree was decorated in lieu of an evergreen tree—trees were mightily scarce then also. Later, they continued the great tradition with evergreens from the Breaks. Nothing was quite like the gift bags from Santa Claus each year to bring joy to young and old alike.
Most of these early schools were not able to have secondary or high school education and when the time came for that, it was either add it or consolidate with a larger school. As you can imagine, these country schools fought tooth and nail to save their schools. Black Public Schools, Parmer County Common School District # 1 which opened in 1907 even had a soccer team, the Black Bears, which played against the Summerfield Coyotes and won 9-2 in 1927.
“Why we need a rural high school” by Clifford Mann, Black Public School
“First: because no community can progress where the inhabitants are not EDUCATED.
Second: A good school draws people to the community.
Third: It is very inconvenient for children to go to town to school. Country children should be educated in the country.
Fourth: A good school is attractive in appearance.
Fifth: The auditorium could be used as a community hall and for religious services.
Lastly, no person can obtain a college education without finishing high school.”
Friona was Parmer County Common School District #2 and was established in 1908, Rhea was #3 established in 1908; Lazbuddie was # 8 in 1925 from part of Black and Bovina #5 est. 1905. By 1949 all of Black, Lakeview, Messenger and part of Rhea had consolidated into Friona Independent School District. Consolidation did not solve all the problems. Although Friona Schools led the state with the first school buses, transportation during a time of gas rationing would have been difficult. Integration became more of an issue. Bovina had a Mexican School established in 1902 which operated until 1928. Farwell, the only independent school district in the county for many years, bused Negro students to Clovis in the 1950s. Hot lunches were a huge, but welcome undertaking for all the area schools.
As the small schools consolidated, the old school buildings continued to serve their spiritedly independent communities for many years, example—Black Community School was torn down just last year. Many were relocated to serve the consolidated schools and still exist today i.e. Lakeview to Friona and Oklahoma Lane which now serves as the Bovina Community Network. Lazbuddie and Walcott continue to operate today. Many students from Hereford now transfer and are bused to Walcott for the “small school experience”. Interesting...
Parmer County Community Schools:
Black est. 1907 Lazbuddie:
Friona est. 1908 Star Ranch 1907 Four Mile
Buckeye 1908 Old Dipping Vat Big Square, 1st
Prytz, 1908 Old Dobie 2nd
Red Tower
Crackerbox
Plainview1924 James,1907 Jesko 1907 & 1909 Midway

Bovina, est. 1905 Rhea, est. 1908
Four Mile Fort Wayne
Hastings Fuqua Ranch, 1911
Mexican, est. 1902 Schlenker University,1908
Railroad Section Oklahoma Lane
O’Neal,1909 Knox,1917
McElroy, 1921 (part of Billingsley)
Daniel, 1909
Billingsley, 1914
Farwell, est. 1907 Lariat, no school but students
Attended in Oklahoma Lane,
Farwell or Progress.
Lakeview, est. 1928
Hub formerly called Homeland.

Parmer County Students also attended school in:
Deaf Smith County
Moffitt
Messenger
Walcott
Bailey County
Hurley
West Camp
Progress
Castro County
Dimmitt
Frio, est. by Syndicate in 1900
Summerfield, 1901 or 1902
Sunnyside
Curry County, New Mexico
Texico, prior to 1909
Pleasant Hill
State Line

Note: While visiting the Ranching Heritage Center in Lubbock last spring with my grandchildren age 3 to 9 and my daughter who is a 4th grade teacher at Seminole ISD, I asked them if they could imagine actually attending school in the one-room schoolhouse at which we were viewing. None could even imagine it. Many of you remember it. : )