Seay Elementary School (Seay School) is one of the lesser known but highly remembered schools of Bexar County. This news article will explain the history behind Seay Elementary School aka Seay Common School.
Seay Elementary School (Seay School) was established as an elementary school for stands living in the Wetmore community of Jung Road and Stahl Road around 1881. Seay Elementary School served the Wetmore community for more 30 years and was operated by Seay Common School District. Seay Elementary School was located on the very top of a windswept hill two miles northwest of Wetmore off of Jung Road near the railroad tracks.
Miss Ernestine E. Edmunds was the teacher for students in all 8 grades enrolled at Seay Elementary School (Seay School) in 1908 during the 1907-1908 school year. (Ref: https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth441503/m1/5/)
Miss Ernestine E. Edmunds was promoted from being a teacher to being the principal of Seay School in 1910. (Ref: https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth433689/m1/6/)
Students in grades 1 through 8 were educated at Seay Elementary School (Seay School). There were usually 3 or 4 children in each grade, so their instruction time for reading, writing and arithmetic would be scheduled in 15 minute periods throughout the day. Each child had an assigned seat of a wooden desk with a folding seat. The top of the desk had a space for the ink bottle and a carved out space for their pen points on wooden handles and their pencils. The schedule would be written on the blackboard the first day of school starting on Monday, and they would keep that schedule. (Ref: https://cokercemetery.com/pdfs/articles/NEISD_50th_anniversary_publication.pdf)
The playground consisted of the usual classic playground equipment. There were two swings, seesaws and a sand box. ''Most popular class with students (as usual) is recess. Playground equipment includes swings, seesaws and a sand box.'' (Ref: https://digital.utsa.edu/digital/collection/p9020coll2/id/2196/rec/3)
The teacher would unlock the door and start filling the big iron stove with wood. The kerosene lantern may have to be lit if it were a cloudy or dark day. The school had no electricity, no phone service, or any indoor plumbing. A bucket would be lowered into the well outside the little schoolhouse, and a tin cup would be placed beside it for sharing drinks throughout the day. A school nurse came twice a year, and a book mobile served as a library. There was no bus service, and the children came by bicycle, horse, and/or by foot. Parents would attend these for a small fee to raise money for the school. (Ref: https://cokercemetery.com/pdfs/articles/NEISD_50th_anniversary_publication.pdf)
The original Seay School building was sold in 1938 to a family who modified the building into a home adding a garage and shed, along with a porch When the original Seay School was sold, a new one was constructed at Higgins Road and Stahl Road. (Ref: https://cokercemetery.com/pdfs/articles/NEISD_50th_anniversary_publication.pdf)
Seay Common School District sold the original Seay School property to Bexar County on a special warranty deed in 1939. This included the rectangular shaped track. (Ref: Bexar County Land Records, Document Number 176383)
Bexar County sold the original Seay School building and property to Geo W Ackermann in 1939. Geo W Ackermann sold the land to Dionicio Rodriguez in 1939. (Ref: Bexar County Land Records, Document Number 173656)
There were only two one-room schools operating in the county during the 1950s as one-room schools were consolidating into bigger schools and school districts. By 1951, Seay School, was one of only two regular one-room schools operating in Bexar County. (Ref: https://digital.utsa.edu/digital/collection/p9020coll2/id/2196/rec/3)
There were only four grades being taught at Seay Elementary School in 1951. Students in grades 1 through 4 were educated at Seay Elementary School in 1951. (Ref: https://digital.utsa.edu/digital/collection/p9020coll2/id/2177/rec/1)
A news article from the San Antonio Light newspaper described the statistics of Seay School being, ''Four grades, 9 subjects, 16 youngsters and 1 teacher. That's the educational program at Seay [School], one of only two regular 1-room schools in Bexas County. Located on the very top of a windswept hill two miles northwest of Wetmore''
(Ref: San Antonio Light, February 2, 1951)
This one-room school building serving as Seay School was later moved to MacArthur High School on East Bitters Road to be used as a band hall or auxiliary building on the campus, when the Common School Districts became part of the North East Independent School District in 1955.
Dionicio Rodriguez later sold the land to Jose J Rodriguez and Carlos B Rodriguez. Martin Daniel Muro and Joann Rodriguez currently own the original 19th century Seay School building which he purchased from Carlos B Rodriguez for $500 dollars in 2011. (Ref: Bexar County Land Records, Document Number 20120030009)
Seay Elementary School was located on the very top of a windswept hill two miles northwest of Wetmore off of Jung Road near the railroad tracks. Seay Elementary School is located at 4342 Jung Road San Antonio, Texas, US 78247.
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