Texas School-A short History - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

I am assuming this is from Ruth McCormick's history of Ripley Township Schools.  Source: "RIPLEY TOWNSHIP", prepared by Charles L. Arvin, April 2000

The Texas School ground was given to Benton Snyder, trustee of Ripley Township and his successors to be use for a common, free school by James and Frances Allen.  In 1915 the school was closed and the students were transported to Alamo.  The deed required that the land would be returned to the original owner if it were no longer needed for school purposes.  October 14, 1915, trustee William McClure, sold the land back to Mr. & Mrs. Allen for $50.00.

The land consisted of one acre located off the extreme southwest corner of the east half of the northwest quarter of Section 35 Township 18-north range 6 west. Said ground is 12.65 rods east and west begining at the southwest corner of said east half and 12.65 rods north and south, being a square form in said west quarter in Montgomey County, Indiana.

Beatrice (Vancleave) Melvin atteded the Texas School.  She reported that a stove located in the middle of the room provided the heat fir the school the school.  The school faced south.  The children carried their drinking water from the William Pickett home, which was located south of the school.  The teacher to build a fire each morning so the schoolroom would be warm for the students paid Gilbert Pickett, son of William.

The children were transported to school in a horse drawn hack (bus) and several students had to walk a long way to get to school.  The school had a good library for those days and had a slate blackboard.  The children's desk faced the front and there was a long bench facing the teacher's desk whack was the recitation. bench.  Sometimes at noon hour the children would play on the banks of the Texas or Brent Cemetery, which was located across the road from the school.

Orpha Bowerman, George Brown, Clifford Coons, RoscoeElmore, Flint Lee, Opal McSpaden, Fern McMurtry, Fred McMurtry, Effie Porter (she walked from Alamo each day), Steve Stillwell, Hamp Smith, Jesse White (taught 47 students in 1897), Belle Williamson, Arthur Weller, and John Ward (he later served as the County Superintendent).

Ernest Bannon. James McClure, and Arthur Moore

Everett Berryman, Grace Berryman, Clifford Cotton, Uma Cotton, Francis Cotton, Wesley Cotton, Hazel Etter, Iva Etter, Orpha Etter, Luells Dowden, Lonnie Green, Nora Green, Winnie Green, Iva Gilkey (Pickett), Audley Gilkey, Gertrude Gilkey, Earl Keller, Lonnie Keller,  Maude Keller, Flossie Keller, Harry Keller, Howard Keller, Beatrice (VanCleave) Melvin, Blanche Myers, Daisey (ellis) Hancock, Josie Hallett, James Lanham, Clarence Payton, Myrtle Payton, Gilbert Pickett, Iva Pickett, Leslie Redenbaugh, George Redenbaugh, Grace Redenbaugh, Children Samson, Mary (Payton) Selby, Flossie (Green) Sarver, Myrtle (Rush) Stanford, Arlie Smith, Alva Smith, Mabel Sawyer, Lottie Wright, Edna Wright, Arvel Willoughby, Virginia Weikel, Lucy Weikel, Sammy Weikel, Lois Weikel.