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.

Cypress Creek School

The western face has no windows.

The eastern face, with five windows.

The "comfort" station

After photographing buildings in the city of Kerrville and in the Turtle Creek Community, I decided to venture further afield and went to find the Cypress Creek School.  The school building is located at the northern end of Stoneleigh Road, Comfort, just off FM 1341. The drive, whether coming from Center Point or Kerrville, is scenic.
This lovely limestone rock building, erected 1908 by the German-speaking residents, was an active school until 1942, when the school was closed and students were sent to Comfort. It has a Texas Historical Marker .

It was interesting to note that while there are five windows on the eastern face, there are no windows on the western face of the building.  It seems odd since it would make the building darker, but was the purpose, perhaps, to keep the schoolhouse cooler in the hot months?

This schoolhouse now serves as a community center.  Near the school  are two "comfort stations"(latrines) and a large pavillion with picnic tables.

Turtle Creek School

School's out for our family, so I thought I would share a couple of photos from the old one-room Turtle Creek School.  The board and batten school building is located on Upper Turtle Creek Road some eight miles south of Kerrville.

This is the second Turtle Creek school.  The original school opened in 1869 in an old windowless log cabin.  This larger building was erected in the mid-1880s. In 1900 it was expanded and a stage added. Students attended through 7th grade, then went to Kerrville. Classes were held here until 1958 at which time the trustees voted to close the school and send all the students to Kerrville.

The school sits on a bluff above Turtle Creek. The water source for many years was a spring at the base of the bluff.  Boys were assigned the task of climbing down to collect water in buckets for the students' use during the day.

For many decades it was only public building in the community, so was used for social events, church services, and elections.  It served as a voting place for about 120 years. Today it continues to serve as a community center.

One group that has met here on occasion is Turtle Creek Sewing Circle, which was organized in 1926 and is thought to be the oldest social club in Kerr County.