An in-depth history of Lajitas School explored.

Lajitas School is one of the many forgotten schools in the State of Texas. Only so much history is known about this school. This news article will dive into the in-depth history of Lajitas School.


Lajitas School first opened northwest-bound of the Mariposa mine by FM 170. The school was first located in a room built to the side of the Lajitas Catholic Church (Lajitas Mission) that McGuirk built in 1900. That is where the school gets its Christian theme and background. English and Spanish was taught here from the beginning to end. (Ref: Ghosts of the Big Bend)

In 1921, Lajitas School relocated further down FM 170 into a single story, wooden frame building built in a similar form of a snuff box. The wooden frame snuff box building was the second Lajitas School.

County school funds were depleted by 1930 due to the Terlingua Common School District favoring Perry School. Chisos Mining Company controlled the political structure of the school district. (Ref: Quicksliver: Terlingua and the Chisos Mining Company, p. 140)

The teacher hired for the fall of 1932 suddenly quit. This resulted in Lajitas School being closed down for 3 years until 1935. Both the Perry School and the Lajitas School shared a teacher from 1935 to 1938. Howard Perry operated the Lajitas School during the fall semesters only.

Hazel Matthews was the teacher until being transferred to Perry School in 1937. Ann Ellis served as secretary and school teacher. Chisos Mining Company delayed opening the Lajitas School until the spring semester of 1937. Classes continued that spring.

According to Big Bend Historian Clifford Casey, Lajitas School continued to operate until 1952. It was due to the success of Perry School that Lajitas School ultimately shut down. Lajitas School had shut down due declining enrollment and opening of the Perry School. County funds stopped by then.

In 2002, the Lajitas School building was transformed into a lodge called Lajitas Equestrian Center & Hunting Lodge which is currently in operation. It is known as a hunting lodge by the Lajitas community for the most part. 

The first Lajitas School is located at FM 170, Lajitas, Texas, US 79852.
The second Lajitas School is located at FM 118 & FM 170, Lajitas, Texas, US 79852.