Exploring more of the forgotten history of Kenney-New Whedem School in Bellville, Texas.

Kenney-New Whedem School is one of the many forgotten schools of Bellville and one of the many forgotten schools of Texas. This news article explains and explores the history of Kenney-New Whedem School in Bellville, Texas.


Origins of the Kenney-New Wehdem School began in 1922 after the 1921 school merger when Kenney School and New Wehdem School merged their schools and schools districts to form a new school district in an effort to save money as many school districts in Texas and across the United States do today. When New Wehdem School and Kenney School merged their schools into each other, a new school district called Kenney-New Wehdem School District was created and established in the 1922-1923 school year.  

Both the Kenney School and New Wehdem School were shut down effectively in a timely manner during the summer of 1922. Kenney School and New Wehdem School were elementary schools prior to merging. Both schools never went past 9th grade.

Prior to merging, Kenney School was a 1-8 school that taught students in grades 1 through 9. Kenney School was a 1-8 school throughout much of its history. After 8th grade is when students would attend high school/senior high school at Bellville High School and Bellville Senior High School.
 
However, Kenney School was a 1-8 school at the time of merging because the 1920s is when Kenney School became a standardized accredited 1-8 school that taught students in grades 1 through 8. Kenney School itself was demolished after merging with New Wehdem School. The building no longer exists today.

Prior to merging, New Wehdem School served the New Wehdem community as a 1-6 school  that taught students in grades 1 through 6 for this rural community. Students would continue to attend junior high school/middle school/intermediate school at Bellville Junior High School in Bellville.

The New Wehdem School was moved onto the current property to serve as a teacherage building in 1923. The New Wehdem School building became a teacherage building until the property was sold in 1973. The New Wehdem School building (then teacherage building) became a residence in 1974.


Kenney-New Wehdem School was established in 1923 as a two-room school building that was one single story in height located on a 260,489 square foot lot size. Kenney-New Whedem School was located at the address of 1433 South Loop 497, Bellville, Texas, US. Kenney-New Whedem School was located in its own school district called Kenney-New Wehdem School District.

The Kenney-New Wehdem School had a musical program and a livestock program that was widely known in the Bellville area. The graduating classes always had less than 10 students every year. (Ref: THE BELLVILLE TIMES, THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 1952)

Kenney-New Wehdem School was a standardized accredited 1-8 school that taught students in grades 1 through 8 for this rural community. Grade 9 was no longer taught.


In 1939, one bus was acquired by Kenney-New Wehdem School District to transport children to Bellville High School, Bellville Senior High School, and Bellville Junior High School. This bus together with a new bus acquired later is now used to transport children to the Kenney-New Wehdem School and high school children to Bellville. (Ref: THE BELLVILLE TIMES, PAGE 5, FEBRUARY 1, 1943)

Sometime during the 1940s is when Kenney-New Wehdem School became a 1-8 school which taught students in grades 1 through 8. 9th grade was added back for the first time in 20 something odd years. That resulted in Kenney-New Wehdem School to become a 1-9 school.

The Kenney-New Wehdem School always held its annual school closing program and 9th grade graduation ceremonies. After 9th grade is when students would attend high school/senior high school at Bellville High School and Bellville Senior High School.


On the date of Tuesday, May 8, 1952, the Kenney-New Wehdem School District voted 65 to 17 on a $40,000 bond issue for a new elementary school and building for its community. The bond issue was to erect a modern elementary school. The bond issue did not pass during election due to school district consolidation with Bellville ISD.

On the date of Friday, May 9, 1952 is when the Kenney-New Wehdem School District consolidated into Bellville ISD. Its programs were consolidated during the summer of 1952.

Kenney-New Wehdem School District embraced 6 original white schools and 3 original negro schools at the time. No Mexican schools or Indian schools were operated by this school district. Kenney Negro School (aka Kenney Colored School) is an example of a negro school operated by this school district. Kenney Elementary School and Kenney High School were operated by this school district as well. (Ref: THE BELLVILLE TIMES, THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 1952)

Despite consolidation, Bellville ISD continued to operate the rural school for 10 years under its supervision and guidance. Kenney-New Wehdem School continued to be operated by Bellville ISD throughout the 1950s.


During the 1960s is when Kenney-New Wehdem School reverted back to being a 1-8 school. 9th grade was sent attend school at Bellville Junior High School and Bellville High School. Kenney-New Wehdem School was renamed to "Kenney-New Wehdem Elementary School" sometime during the 1960s. Exactly when is unknown.

Kenney-New Wehdem School desegregated in 1968 during the 1968-1969 school year. The city school board announced that tentative plans call for the same schools to conduct classes in the coming school year. (Ref: THE BELLVILLE TIMES, FEBRUARY 15, 1968)

The New Wehdem School was moved onto the current property to serve as a teacherage building in 1923. The New Wehdem School building became a teacherage building until the property was sold in 1973. The New Wehdem School building (then teacherage building) became a residence  in 1974.


An untimely fire that had occurred on the date of April 29, 2015 destroyed the old Kenney-New Wehdem school building. While the residents of the house and one of their dogs escaped the blaze of the fire, 45 dogs perished during the fire. According to fire officials, some of the dogs were loose but many were in kennels.

The building was destroyed and dismantled by the 2015 fire. Very few items were found remaining after the untimely fire. Wooden walls that supported the building and structure collapsed. Everything inside burned. The only remains left today is a scattered pile of wood from the Kenney-New Wehdem School building and the teacherage building. Metal can be found poking out of the ground, covered in dirt, at varying angles. (Ref: THE BELLVILLE TIMES, PAGE 4, THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2015)

Kenney-New Whedem School was located at 1433 South Loop 497, Bellville, Texas, US 77418.