Center Point School

These photos are from the July 13, 2013, dedication of an historical marker for the Center Point School at 216 China Street, Center Point.  This was the seventh historical marker in Center Point.
The school building, of native limestone, was designed by San Antonio architect Alfred Giles and built by J. V. Oppert. It opened for classes in the autumn of 1911 and has served the students of Center Point ever since.
Because of the small enrollment, for many years teachers taught combined classes.  First and second grade shared one classroom on the first floor, third and fourth the other. Fifth and sixth shared a classroom over the first and second grace, and seventh and eight were above the third and fourth grade classroom.  The high school students were in the central section upstairs.
Sibyl S., a 1931 graduate, remembered there was once a barn behind the school where students who rode horses or carriages to school would tie up their animals during the day.  The students would go out at lunch to feed them oats and check on the animals.
Later the barn was use to store athletic equipment before being torn down.

Architect Alfred Giles was well-known throughout Texas. He is responsible for about 90 buildings across the state.  Some of the other Kerr County buildings he designed were the Weston Building, the 1882 Schreiner Store, the Schreiner Mansion, and possibly the Favorite Saloon.

In time he purchased a large ranch in the area and named it Hillingdon after the town where he was born near London, England.

I was interested to learn that Center Point has a historical museum! Located in a small house across from the historic school building, its primary focus is historic school materials--athletic awards, yearbooks, etc.  However, there are three dioramas featuring Center Point.  Once shows the fairground, one the rail depot, and one the historic downtown along San Antonio Street.

It is amazing that a small unincorporated community can pull together a museum when the larger Kerr County community hasn't.