School History - Lueders, Texas

School History - Lueders, Texas

"Foreword" Ray Smyth, Class of 53 has complied the School History using extractions from Don Latimer's, "A Little History of Lueders, Texas" and a program outline for the 1979 Homecoming provided by Mary Ann "Moore", Class of 60 - Other facts and revelations came from the photograph collections and memories of Mary Alice "Putman" Class of 40 and Fredrick Lieb, Class of 51

In 1895-1896 before the town of Lueders even existed, a group of men: W. J. Herrington, Toney Berryhill, Henry Lieb, A. J. Breland, J. M. Roberts, and E. M. Douthit went to Abilene for lumber and built a school house near where the present school is located. The school was called Arlington School.
In 1903, an additional room was added to the original building.
Soon, the need for an even larger school was being felt.
In 1910 Bonds were issued and a handsome, two-storied, hand-chiseled stone school was built in time for the start of the 1911-1912 school year.
1912, saw the first high school graduating class from Lueders.
In the 1920's, a school auditorium was built and served all the community for such things as school musicals and plays.
The school building of 1910-1911 burned on the spring night of May 2, 1935. The 1920's auditorium was saved with minor damage.
Construction of a new school was begun immediately and was completed in about the middle of the next years school term. In the meantime, school was held in the churches, the auditorium and even school buses.
In 1948, surplus army barracks were moved in from Camp Bowie and located on the west side of the existing school building. They were then connected together and remodeled into one long white building which was used for home economic classes on the south end, sports equipment stowage in the middle, and a lunch room on the north end.
Previously the lunch room had been in a metal building north of the main school building.
The 1952-1953 school year saw completion of a new elementary wing, kitchen and the lunch room/auditorium. This new addition is distinguishable by it's construction of split faced Lueders Lime Stone and concrete block.
Moving the lunch room to the new addition allowed the north end of the long white building to be converted into an agricultural class room and shop area. All that remains today of the long white building is the concrete slab of the shop floor.
In 1967, the Lueders and Avoca School Districts were consolidated and the long white building was tore down.