6schools

Gillespie County
Rural Schools and Community Centers

Williams Creek (Albert) School and Community Center

           In 1891, one acre of land on Williams Creek was bought for $1. A one-room log cabin was built and School District #38 was established. In November 1897, in order to move the school away from the creek to a more accessible area, a new 1-1/2 acre tract of land was bought for $5 in what is now known as Albert.

        In this new limestone rock building, lessons were only taught in German for a number of years. Later, however, English was also taught. By 1922, two teachers were needed for the growing number of students so another room was added with an enclosed porch between the two rooms. The school enrollment at this time was 70 students. The new room was constructed of wood with brick faced tin exterior. Each room also had its own chimney for the wood burning stoves.

        Reverend Arhelger tells what he remember about the Williams Creek School, from about 1895:

        "John Merz taught us reading and writing in German and in English at the Albert School... he was a scholar in his own right and a strict disciplinarian. The primary language of instruction was English, even though there were only two families in the community that were exclusively English-speaking at the time. Farmers' children grew up on the farm in the cotton patch, but they'd try to have all the cotton picked before school began in September. It was important that the children did not miss school."
                                                                                     (from M. Martinello with Ophelia Weinheimer "The Search for Emma's Story").

       Another interesting fact is that in 1920 and 1921,future President Lyndon B. Johnson was enrolled as a student. In 1949, student enrollment dropped considerably and the students were contracted to the Stonewall School District. On June 12, 1950, the majority of the qualified voters in District #38 voted to consolidate with Stonewall.

         Williams Creek School (Albert) has established a community club and holds regular club meetings, sharing meals, and playing cards and dominos. The school is also used today for reunions, family parties and other community activities.

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Lower South Grape Creek School and Community Center

          In 1871, Luckenbach trustees voted to buy 1-1/3 acres on the west bank of South Grape Creek from Juliane Wehmeyer for $50. Until 1871, the Lower South Grape Creek School District had been part of the Luckenbach School District. Luckenbach Precinct #3 covered Luckenbach, Grapetown, South Grape Creek, and Grape Hill until 1889. Some of the early settlers listed in the precinct's history included Peter Burg, Eramus Frantzen, L.F. Toepperwein, Friedrich Scharnhorst, J.M. Hunter, John Blank, G.J. Weber, Ferdinand Gellermann and William Feller. These families lived along South Grape Creek between Luckenbach and the Pedernales River to the north. The first schoolhouse, built by the community, was a log cabin. Theodor Huelsemann was the teacher between 1875 and 1880. On May 12, 1889, the school on South Grape Creek was named Lower South Grape Creek School, District #21. It was so named because the Grapetown School had, at one time, been named Upper South Grape Creek School.

          The need for a better, more accessible school arose, so in 1900, the trustees sold the original land and bought an acre of land from Charles and Martha Ahrens for $5. This site was located less than a mile and a half north, along Grape Creek and next to the Austin Highway. The new, cut limestone block, single room schoolhouse was completed in 1901. It had a tin roof, with a bell tower on the east end, and a chimney on the west end. In later years, a large porch with concrete slab was added. Through the years, the finer things in life were added, including electricity, a new well and pump, drinking fountains on the porch and new modern restrooms that replaced the old outhouses. The last year classes were held in this little country schoolhouse was 1960. Due to low enrollment, the trustees voted to consolidate with the Fredericksburg School District.

          School closing plays were performed on the large porch. In earlier years, they had been held across the river on the Kusenberger place on a wooden platform built for the stage. Later, they had been held at Weinheimer's Hall and at Luckenbach Hall.

The first community club was organized in 1960. It includes third and fourth generations of former students and neighbors. The members meet every fourth Thursday to play "42" and have refreshments. The restored building is used for weddings, reunions, meetings, and other community activities.

Luckenbach School and Community Center

          On July 22, 1855, two acres of land along Grape Creek was purchased from Peter Pehl for $4. After the land was acquired, the men in the community gathered to build a 16' by 15' log cabin schoolhouse. Due to an increase in the student population by 1881, the building had become too small to accommodate all the children so a 10' addition of native limestone was built. The Luckenbach School was designated as District #3. Families who settled in the community paid one dollar per year for their children to attend school. Many of these families are still represented in the area today.

          During the 1860's, a one-room stone teacherage was built. The floors were made of 16 inch wide planks from Indianola and the rafters were hand-hewn. Another room was added later to join the teacher's house to the school. In 1905, a new 25' x 34' schoolhouse was built of native limestone from the Pehl property, some of them measuring 22 inches by 54 inches. An old-fashioned school bell summoned the children to class with the boys lining up on the left and the girls on the right. Older students would help the younger ones with grammar and math. Some of the creative games played during recess were Andy-over, stink base, dodge ball, drop the hankie, and kick the can.

          In 1949, due to the passage of the Gilmer-Aiken Law, which limited the number of students per teacher, Luckenbach became a two-teacher school with grades one through eight. During that year, another room, measuring 18' x 24' and constructed of hollow tile, was added to the school building.

          In 1964, the Luckenbach School District was consolidated with the Fredericksburg School District. The Luckenbach Community Club was organized and currently hosts bimonthly pinochle parties, picnics, and family reunions. The building is also a site for precinct voting for state and federal elections. In 1982, a Texas Historical Commission marker was dedicated.

Meusebach Creek School and Community Center

          The first building for the Meusebach Creek School #11 was located near Meusebach Creek on the Fritz Lochte property. It was a square cabin with only 96 square feet of space. The walls consisted of logs filled with mortar and the roof was constructed of shingles. The bare interior contained only a stove, long benches, and the teacher's desk and chair. Due to the growth of the western part of the district, a new school was built on the Fritz Lochte property in the 1880's. The stone structure was more spacious and had four windows and a door. O.W. Striegler continued his career as teacher in the new school. He introduced school closings and "Prüfungen", or examinations, which consisted of afternoon programs in which the students answered questions and demonstrated progress in writing. At the end of examinations, games were played.

         The curriculum included arithmetic, reading, in both German and English, writing, spelling, and geography. Later, a new state law required all subjects, except foreign language, to be taught in English. The school also began receiving state support, which added a "free" two months to the year, meaning that tuition was not paid for these months. Some children could only afford to attend for these months. Students bought their textbooks. Teachers' salaries at that time averaged $20 per month.

          In 1897, trustees decided to erect a new, third structure. Louis Bonn donated one acre for the frame building and this was the first land owned by the school. The building was one and one-half stories high, with the half story being used as an attic for storage.

The Social and Improvement Club was organized in 1917, and is the predecessor of today's Community Club. It provided new desks, a cistern, a telephone, and many other improvements. In the 1930's, the district was finally in a financial position to build a modern school. This was the fourth and last building. The new frame building had nine windows and two entrances. It had a large classroom, a library, and a cloakroom.

The Meusebach Creek School was consolidated with the Fredericksburg school district in 1954, after providing education to the community's children for ninety years. It is worthy to note that Henry, Laura, Minnie, Ovie, and George Washington, whose parents were freed slaves, attended school with the other children at Meusebach in 1869. This was certainly one of the first integrated schools in the South.

Wrede School and Community Center

         A man by the name of Friedrich von Wrede owned the land on which this school was built. Some of the early organizers were Julius Ransleben, May Ransleben, Carl Hilker, Jacob Usener, William Schnerr, Theo Boos, and Louis Crenwelge.

         The wood school building was built in 1896 from lumber hauled by wagon from Comfort, Texas. By October 15, 1896, school had started. A hand dug well supplied water for the school. The school is located on the Kerrville Highway close to Lady Bird Park. It has never moved from this location. Bear Creek school was consolidated with Wrede School in July 1949. During 64 years, Wrede had 24 teachers who served at different times, some of whom left for a number of years and later returned.

          Wrede was a two-teacher school from 1949 until 1959. During this time, the enrollment reached approximately 53 students. The salary for a teacher starting in 1896 was about $28 per month. By 1959, the teacher might have received $288 per month.

          The school was also used as a community center where the people would get together for parties and dances. The 4-H club and the Extension Homemakers Club would also meet here. In later years, elections were held at this schoolhouse.

The Wrede School Community Club was reorganized in November, 2001 with 15 former students present and meets monthly at the school, weather permitting, for a business meeting, followed by games or fellowship. The club currently has 37 family memberships. As funds become available, the club plans to make improvements to the property.