Mentone established its own school in 1910 as Mentone School as a wooden schoolhouse which had sat on the banks of the Pecos River. However this structure was destroyed after the Pecos River Flood of 1930. The building was moved to Mentone in 1930.
In 1935, a new 1 story brick building was erected. High school classes were held in the brick building while elementary school classes were held in the wooden building. The wooden building (Mentone Elementary School) remained active until 1960.
The advancement in scholastic standing of (towards) the Mentone School was granted in 1937. The status of a first class, fully accredited high school had been granted to Mentone School in September 10, 1938. During the 1937-1938 school is when Mentone High School was established. (Ref: Mentone School Fully Accredited, Abilene Reporter-News, Page 17, September 11, 1938)
During the 1940s, Mentone School had 12 grades which were 1st grad through 12th grade. In 1952, the teacher-student ratio for Mentone School was 3:1. In 1960, Mentone Elementary School were moved to the 1935 brick building and the brick building became Mentone Elementary School and was no longer Mentone High School.
Sheriff McKinley Hopper was said to have been the last person to have graduated Mentone High School and Mentone School. His graduating class had around 7-9 people in 1959. In 1960, Mentone High School closed and elementary students were moved out of the old wooden building that would later become a church and now in the 1935 brick building. The old wooden building became a church and community center.
Throughout Mentone’s history, Mentone School was never a “district school” meaning that the town of Mentone never had its own school district. Instead Mentone School was operated by Pecos County Common School District (now Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD).
The Department of Health Education and Welfare ordered the county to either racially integrate Mentone School or lose its federal money in 1972. Loving County had no black residents had never received a dime's worth of federal school aid. Starting in 1972, 6th graders and above were bused to Wink, Texas to attend school.
(Ref: The Lost Frontier, Life Magazine, March 10, 1972)
Loving County's crime wave in 1972 consisted of a profitless burglary of the schoolhouse (Mentone School) and the theft of several rolls of steel cable from an oil lease. At the time, Mentone School was an elementary school that taught grades 1 through 5. 6th graders and above took almost 80 mile round-trips to Wink by bus on a daily basis. (Ref: The Lost Frontier, Life Magazine, March 10, 1972)
Mentone School was closed and consolidated into Wink ISD in 1972 due to low enrollment. Student enrollment had fallen to just 2 pupils. The Mentone School had 4 pupils and 2 teachers when it closed in 1972. At the time Mentone School closed, Mentone School was an elementary school that taught grades 1 through 5. Mentone had an elementary school until 1972. Mentone is now served by the Wink Independent School District (Wink ISD) along with Loving County. (Ref: TSHAO)
In 1978, Mentone School (Mentone High School) became a town hall for a short while until 1980. 1980 is when Mentone School had been converted into community center and post office.
Today the brick building for Mentone School (formerly Mentone High School) is now been converted a community center and post office. Today the old wooden building for Mentone School (Mentone Elementary School) is now a church and community center.
Mentone School is located at the intersection of Wheat Street & Pecos Street, Mentone, Texas, US 79754.
Friday, April 6, 2018
Abandoned Baptist church in Corpus Christi, Texas still stands as of April 2018.
An abandoned Baptist church at the location of 605 Furman Avenue in Corpus Christi, Texas still stands as of April 2018. Today long rectangular dumpsters and cars occupy the space around the property. The property is used as a parking lot for drivers who want to park their cars downtown without having to pay to park.
What was once a Baptist church is now an abandoned building. This church building once housed a church called Second Baptist Church. Second Baptist Church seems to have been forgotten.
Developer Fred Morgan stated plans to demolish the structure and then build a 7 story parking garage and apartments starting from the ground up according to a news article from Corpus Christi Caller-Times dating back to August 23, 2016. A 150-unit apartment complex is expected to occupy the location of this former Baptist church at 605 Furman Avenue. The complex will be called Clock Tower Apartments. (Ref: More downtown-area apartments planned, Corpus Christi Caller-Times, August 23, 2016)
Developer Fred Morgan claims the apartments will be a good fit for upcoming development in the area. The building has been cleared with all belonging removed which is now ready for demolition and redevelopment. Hey, demolition is progress.
What was once a Baptist church is now an abandoned building. This church building once housed a church called Second Baptist Church. Second Baptist Church seems to have been forgotten.
Developer Fred Morgan stated plans to demolish the structure and then build a 7 story parking garage and apartments starting from the ground up according to a news article from Corpus Christi Caller-Times dating back to August 23, 2016. A 150-unit apartment complex is expected to occupy the location of this former Baptist church at 605 Furman Avenue. The complex will be called Clock Tower Apartments. (Ref: More downtown-area apartments planned, Corpus Christi Caller-Times, August 23, 2016)
Developer Fred Morgan claims the apartments will be a good fit for upcoming development in the area. The building has been cleared with all belonging removed which is now ready for demolition and redevelopment. Hey, demolition is progress.
Visiting the history of Clarkwood School in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Clarkwood School is one of the many forgotten schools of Corpus Christi, Texas along with Nueces County. Not many people know of this school or its whereabouts. Clarkwood School operated from 1800 to 1988 in the town of Clarkwood, Texas which was later annexed by Corpus Christi, Texas.
According to zillow.com, Clarkwood School was built in the year of 1800. Clarkwood School was built at the location of 211 South Clarkwood Road, Corpus Christi, Texas, US 78406. Clarkwood School was built as a 1,070 square foot, 2 story building on a 0.95 (1 acre) lot. The 1,070 square foot building is located on a 41,382 square foot lot.
In 1800, Clarkwood School was established along with its own school district called Clarkwood Common School District (Clarkwood Common School District No. 20). The town of Clarkwood had its own school district called Clarkwood Common School District which would later become Clarkwood Independent School District (Clarkwood ISD). Clarkwood Common School District bordered the small settlement of Violet, Texas and their common school district.
From the beginning until its slow closing, Clarkwood School was a 1-8 school that educated grades 1 through 8 and never educated high school grades. Clarkwood Common School District had an arrangement with Robstown ISD for high school students to attend high school in Robstown, Texas. Clarkwood School was an elementary school that was also known as Clarkwood Elementary School.
The building was remodeled from being a single story building and was converted into a two story building in 1940. That was the first remodel of the Clarkwood School building in the 1940s decade. Clarkwood School was built on top.
Prior to 1940, Clarkwood School was a wooden building. The outside was painted red and the inside was painted brown. Asphalt tiles were donated from a local Baptist church and used to create flooring on the inside.
Corpus Christi Caller-Times reported that on November 30, 1954 that a new six-classroom building was completed for $70,000. The inside was paved with glazed brick asphalt tile. 4 out of the 6 classrooms were in use. Clarkwood Lions Club took over the old wooden school building on that date. The architect was Brock Anderson of Corpus Christi. (Ref: Corpus Christi Caller-Times, November 30, 1954)
From 1954 onto 1988 is when Clarkwood Lions Club would use the old Clarkwood School building on a lease agreement with Tuloso-Midway Independent School District and Nueces County Common School District. In between that time period is when Clarkwood Lions Club would use the old Clarkwood School building as a dance hall.
On Thursday, January 6, 1955, Clarkwood Lions Club moved its 87 foot long, 26 foot wide frame building onto the property according to Corpus Christi Caller-Times. (Ref: Corpus Christi Caller-Times, January 6, 1955)
On the date of April 3, 1955, residents living within boundaries of the Clarkwood Common School District voted to become an independent school district thus becoming Clarkwood Independent School District (Clarkwood ISD).
(Ref: Corpus Christi Caller-Times, Page 1, April 3, 1955)
(Ref: Robstown Record, Page 8, April 3, 1952)
Corpus Christi Caller-Times reported that on April 23, 1956, Clarkwood School measured 6.5 inches (6½ inches) of rain by noon that very day. Reportedly the whole town of Clarkwood had several businesses that were flooded. (Ref: Corpus Christi Caller-Times, April 23, 1956)
According to a clipping from a short news article written in Corpus Christi Caller-Times from September 13, 1959, the old Clarkwood School building received a coat of red paint that turned it into a square dance barn that would eventually become a dance hall. (Ref: The Corpus Christi Caller-Times, Page 27, September 13, 1959)
Last remodel date for Clarkwood School was made in the year of 1965 as reported by zillow.com. Two single story buildings were already built in the back of the original 1800 school building by 1965.
In February 1969, Clarkwood Independent School District (Clarkwood ISD) was absorbed and consolidated into Tuloso-Midway Independent School District. The official vote for consolidation was 98-10. Clarkwood School was then operated by Tuloso-Midway Independent School District from 1969 to 1988.
From 1970 to 1988 is when Tuloso-Midway Independent School District would continue to operate Clarkwood School as Clarkwood Elementary School. Clarkwood School closed in 1988 due to lack of state funding and local funding.
In 1988, Clarkwood Lions Club sold the old Clarkwood School building and the Clarkwood Elementary School buildings along with the property to a man name Feliburto B Yzaguirre. By 1989, Feliburto B Yzaguirre and 6 of his family members occupied the buildings.
According to zillow.com, Clarkwood School is now a single family home that serves as an apartment complex with 6 to 11 units. So far the apartment complex is made up of 11 units. In these 11 units are 16 people. Today the property is owned by Feliburto B Yzaguirre.
The location for Clarkwood School was and is 211 South Clarkwood Road, Corpus Christi, Texas, US 78406.
History of Chapman Ranch School not forgotten.
Chapman Ranch School was a school established for the community of Chapman Ranch, Texas located south of Corpus Christi, Texas. The school operated from 1912 to 1951. The community of Chapman, Texas operated 2 schools, an elementary school and a high school. The elementary school taught grades 1 through 6 and the high school taught grades 7 through 12. Chapman Ranch Elementary School was the elementary school and Chapman Ranch High School was the high school. There was no middle school or junior high.
Chapman Ranch School is one of the many forgotten schools of Corpus Christi, Texas along with Nueces County. Not many people know of this school or its whereabouts. This history of this school has been much forgotten overtime.
Chapman Ranch School was built as a three-room school building in 1912 to educate students in grades 1 through 6. Chapman Ranch School only taught grades 1 through 6. Middle school students/junior high school students, senior high school students, and high school students attended school in Corpus Christi.
By 1913, the school has a student population of 100. Christi Independent School District (Corpus Christi ISD) began overseeing Chapman Ranch School as a “county school” for which the school operated as prior to 1925. From 1912 to 1925 is when Nueces County Common School District operated Chapman Ranch School as a “county school” for Corpus Christi and Nueces County.
By 1920, the school had 200 students. However the school never reached a student population never reached 300 given the population size of Chapman Ranch. Eventually the school outgrew its facilities. During the mid-1920s, plans to construct two new school buildings were implemented.
According to The Laws of Texas, 1921 [Volume 21], Texas State Board of Education (now TEA) established Santa Cruz Independent School District (Santa Cruz ISD) in the year of 1921. Chapman Ranch School was a part of Santa Cruz Independent School District (Santa Cruz Independent School District No. 6) before being consolidated into Corpus Christi Corpus Christi Independent School District (Corpus Christi ISD). Chapman Ranch School also had went under the name of Santa Cruz School. The school was also known as Santa Cruz School to Corpus Christi natives.
A new school was built in 1925 which still stands today. The 1925 building had 3 rooms. Eleven teachers provided instruction for both elementary school students and high school students. In 1925, a second school building was built to educate high school students in grades 9 through 12. From 1925 to 1950 is when Chapman Ranch School operated as a 1-12 school.
In 1925, a second school building was built and it would become Chapman Ranch High School. High school students were educated here. The Chapman Ranch High School was rated as first class by the Texas Board of Education and had been granted full affiliation.
According to Lubbock Morning Avalanche, Texas Board of Education rated Chapman Ranch High School as a first class school. (Ref: Lubbock Morning Avalanche, Page 14, December 8, 1928)
In 1928, a total of 250 students attended schools in Santa Cruz ISD. 50 students registered in the high school, 125 in the elementary school, and 75 in the “Mexican School” (Santa Cruz Mexican School), thus a total of 250 students altogether. (Ref: Lubbock Morning Avalanche, Page 14, December 8, 1928)
School segregation was part of school life in Chapman Ranch. Only white students attended Chapman Ranch School. However Hispanic students began attending the school in the 1940s. 10% percent of the student population was Hispanic with Mexican ancestry. Many Hispanic students had families in Mexico.
In 1949, school officials for the Chapman Ranch School faced a health charge. Restrooms were deemed unsanitary by state officials from Texas State Board of Education (now TEA). Sanitation issues plagued the school during the 1940s as it did across many rural schools in the state of Texas, the West Coast, and across the Southern United States.
In 1950 during the 1950-1951 school year, Chapman School went from being a 1-12 to a 1-6 again for the first time in 25 years. Chapman Ranch School once again became a school where grades 1 through 6 were educated. Student population for Chapman Ranch School downsized due to Gilmer-Aiken Law which also allowed students in certain grades to transfer to neighboring school distorts if their own school district did not have a high school, senior high school, or a middle school/junior high school let alone a school that held secondary school classes.
Chapman Ranch School and the Santa Cruz Independent School District had been annexed by the city of Corpus Christi in 1951. The school continued to operate in 1951 despite being annexed by the city of Corpus Christi.
According to a news article from The Corpus Christi Caller-Times dating back to May 15, 1955, Chapman Ranch School operated three classrooms for grades 1 through 7. Each brick building contained 6 rooms. Both school buildings downsized from 6 rooms in each building to 3 rooms in each building. However The Corpus Christi Caller-Times perfectly starts Chapman Ranch School maintained only three classrooms. 135 students in grades 1 through 7 attended Chapman Ranch School in 1955.
The 1st grade was the only grade in which one teacher was assigned exclusively to educate. Grades 2, 3, and 4 were housed in a second room and grades 5, 6, and 7 were housed in a third room. Paul Cohn was the teacher for grades 5 through 7. (Ref: The Corpus Christi Caller-Times, Page 21, May 15, 1955)
So sometime during the 1950s is when Chapman Ranch School went from being a 1-6 school to a one 1-7 school. Later on during the 1950s is when Chapman Ranch School became a 1-7 school. High school students no longer attended Chapman Ranch School. High school students attended school in Corpus Christi. School stopped after 7th grade. 8th grade was added back in 1956. However that lasted until 1960.
Paul Cohn was superintendent of Chapman Ranch School (head man) and teacher as well during the 1950s. His job was to teach students who came from 100% percent Spanish speaking families. He believed in developing a sense of responsibility in children. Paul Cohn said, “Somewhere along the line they have to stop being led and learn to do things for themselves,”
On Friday afternoons, upper grades devoted time to square dancing and interpretive dancing. Girls began typing lessons in the 5th grade. Boys learned how to perform industrial work in the 4th grade. Milk was 2 cents a gallon. All grades worked on skits.
In 1975, H.A. George became superintendent of the Santa Cruz Independent School District in the community of Chapman Ranch. He was the only male member on a six-person teaching staff. Most teachers were primarily female. Chapman Ranch School had 100 students attending classes.
According to a news article from Abilene Reporter-News dating back to December 10, 1977, a threat to cut off federal funds to three tiny South Texas school districts was made by the US Department of Education. Santa Cruz ISD gets 90 percent of its annual $130,000 budget from local taxes. The other 10 percent comes from the state. (Ref: Abilene Reporter-News, Page 21, December 10, 1977)
Chapman Ranch School and Santa Cruz ISD were consolidated into Corpus Christi Independent School District (Corpus Christi ISD) in 1981 and ceased operating. Chapman Ranch School closed in 1981. Chapman Ranch School had been closed down due to Gilmer-Aikin Law that had consolidated smaller school districts into neighboring larger school districts. Other reasons why this school was closed is due to lack of enrollment and increasing maintenance costs. Those are the many reasons why rural public schools in Texas close down.
At one point in 1982, Chapman Ranch School became a church. Various church services were held in the school buildings before they became abandoned in 2010.
Chapman Ranch School is located at 1046 CR 8B, Chapman Ranch, Texas, US 78347.
Chapman Ranch School is one of the many forgotten schools of Corpus Christi, Texas along with Nueces County. Not many people know of this school or its whereabouts. This history of this school has been much forgotten overtime.
Chapman Ranch School was built as a three-room school building in 1912 to educate students in grades 1 through 6. Chapman Ranch School only taught grades 1 through 6. Middle school students/junior high school students, senior high school students, and high school students attended school in Corpus Christi.
By 1913, the school has a student population of 100. Christi Independent School District (Corpus Christi ISD) began overseeing Chapman Ranch School as a “county school” for which the school operated as prior to 1925. From 1912 to 1925 is when Nueces County Common School District operated Chapman Ranch School as a “county school” for Corpus Christi and Nueces County.
By 1920, the school had 200 students. However the school never reached a student population never reached 300 given the population size of Chapman Ranch. Eventually the school outgrew its facilities. During the mid-1920s, plans to construct two new school buildings were implemented.
According to The Laws of Texas, 1921 [Volume 21], Texas State Board of Education (now TEA) established Santa Cruz Independent School District (Santa Cruz ISD) in the year of 1921. Chapman Ranch School was a part of Santa Cruz Independent School District (Santa Cruz Independent School District No. 6) before being consolidated into Corpus Christi Corpus Christi Independent School District (Corpus Christi ISD). Chapman Ranch School also had went under the name of Santa Cruz School. The school was also known as Santa Cruz School to Corpus Christi natives.
A new school was built in 1925 which still stands today. The 1925 building had 3 rooms. Eleven teachers provided instruction for both elementary school students and high school students. In 1925, a second school building was built to educate high school students in grades 9 through 12. From 1925 to 1950 is when Chapman Ranch School operated as a 1-12 school.
In 1925, a second school building was built and it would become Chapman Ranch High School. High school students were educated here. The Chapman Ranch High School was rated as first class by the Texas Board of Education and had been granted full affiliation.
According to Lubbock Morning Avalanche, Texas Board of Education rated Chapman Ranch High School as a first class school. (Ref: Lubbock Morning Avalanche, Page 14, December 8, 1928)
In 1928, a total of 250 students attended schools in Santa Cruz ISD. 50 students registered in the high school, 125 in the elementary school, and 75 in the “Mexican School” (Santa Cruz Mexican School), thus a total of 250 students altogether. (Ref: Lubbock Morning Avalanche, Page 14, December 8, 1928)
School segregation was part of school life in Chapman Ranch. Only white students attended Chapman Ranch School. However Hispanic students began attending the school in the 1940s. 10% percent of the student population was Hispanic with Mexican ancestry. Many Hispanic students had families in Mexico.
In 1949, school officials for the Chapman Ranch School faced a health charge. Restrooms were deemed unsanitary by state officials from Texas State Board of Education (now TEA). Sanitation issues plagued the school during the 1940s as it did across many rural schools in the state of Texas, the West Coast, and across the Southern United States.
In 1950 during the 1950-1951 school year, Chapman School went from being a 1-12 to a 1-6 again for the first time in 25 years. Chapman Ranch School once again became a school where grades 1 through 6 were educated. Student population for Chapman Ranch School downsized due to Gilmer-Aiken Law which also allowed students in certain grades to transfer to neighboring school distorts if their own school district did not have a high school, senior high school, or a middle school/junior high school let alone a school that held secondary school classes.
Chapman Ranch School and the Santa Cruz Independent School District had been annexed by the city of Corpus Christi in 1951. The school continued to operate in 1951 despite being annexed by the city of Corpus Christi.
According to a news article from The Corpus Christi Caller-Times dating back to May 15, 1955, Chapman Ranch School operated three classrooms for grades 1 through 7. Each brick building contained 6 rooms. Both school buildings downsized from 6 rooms in each building to 3 rooms in each building. However The Corpus Christi Caller-Times perfectly starts Chapman Ranch School maintained only three classrooms. 135 students in grades 1 through 7 attended Chapman Ranch School in 1955.
The 1st grade was the only grade in which one teacher was assigned exclusively to educate. Grades 2, 3, and 4 were housed in a second room and grades 5, 6, and 7 were housed in a third room. Paul Cohn was the teacher for grades 5 through 7. (Ref: The Corpus Christi Caller-Times, Page 21, May 15, 1955)
So sometime during the 1950s is when Chapman Ranch School went from being a 1-6 school to a one 1-7 school. Later on during the 1950s is when Chapman Ranch School became a 1-7 school. High school students no longer attended Chapman Ranch School. High school students attended school in Corpus Christi. School stopped after 7th grade. 8th grade was added back in 1956. However that lasted until 1960.
Paul Cohn was superintendent of Chapman Ranch School (head man) and teacher as well during the 1950s. His job was to teach students who came from 100% percent Spanish speaking families. He believed in developing a sense of responsibility in children. Paul Cohn said, “Somewhere along the line they have to stop being led and learn to do things for themselves,”
On Friday afternoons, upper grades devoted time to square dancing and interpretive dancing. Girls began typing lessons in the 5th grade. Boys learned how to perform industrial work in the 4th grade. Milk was 2 cents a gallon. All grades worked on skits.
In 1975, H.A. George became superintendent of the Santa Cruz Independent School District in the community of Chapman Ranch. He was the only male member on a six-person teaching staff. Most teachers were primarily female. Chapman Ranch School had 100 students attending classes.
According to a news article from Abilene Reporter-News dating back to December 10, 1977, a threat to cut off federal funds to three tiny South Texas school districts was made by the US Department of Education. Santa Cruz ISD gets 90 percent of its annual $130,000 budget from local taxes. The other 10 percent comes from the state. (Ref: Abilene Reporter-News, Page 21, December 10, 1977)
Chapman Ranch School and Santa Cruz ISD were consolidated into Corpus Christi Independent School District (Corpus Christi ISD) in 1981 and ceased operating. Chapman Ranch School closed in 1981. Chapman Ranch School had been closed down due to Gilmer-Aikin Law that had consolidated smaller school districts into neighboring larger school districts. Other reasons why this school was closed is due to lack of enrollment and increasing maintenance costs. Those are the many reasons why rural public schools in Texas close down.
At one point in 1982, Chapman Ranch School became a church. Various church services were held in the school buildings before they became abandoned in 2010.
Chapman Ranch School is located at 1046 CR 8B, Chapman Ranch, Texas, US 78347.
Tuesday, March 27, 2018
Sunset Valley FedEx in Austin, Texas closes due to bomb scare update!!
KVUE, KXAN, and KEYE TV report Brodie Lane in Austin, Texas has been blocked off. At 9 AM, KXAN received information that a FedEx office located on 5601 Brodie Lane had been surrounded by authorities. The whole area is closed off with yellow tape.
A package that was delivered to Schertz from Austin was suspected to be a bomb. So the FedEx office at Schertz sent the package back to Austin. However the package exploded inside a FedEx distribution facility outside San Antonio early this Tuesday. That is where the Schertz exploding package originated. Police say they believe the package was headed back to Austin for delivery.
The FedEx office located at 5601 Brodie Lane has closed down today. It had been closed for 2 days. Now this FedEx office has reopened.
A package that was delivered to Schertz from Austin was suspected to be a bomb. So the FedEx office at Schertz sent the package back to Austin. However the package exploded inside a FedEx distribution facility outside San Antonio early this Tuesday. That is where the Schertz exploding package originated. Police say they believe the package was headed back to Austin for delivery.
The FedEx office located at 5601 Brodie Lane has closed down today. It had been closed for 2 days. Now this FedEx office has reopened.
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