Meusebach Creek School

Next open house or event

Saturday, June 1, 2024, from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Check our Events Calendar for other Friends-sponsored events to attend.

School Club Activities

The Club usually meets five times a year in March, May, July, October, and December.

Visits or Tours

Don't miss out on the chance to explore the schools and their neighboring grounds, even if there are no official open house events scheduled. The school properties and land offer excellent opportunities for leisurely walks, bird watching, engaging in geo-caching, and more. In case the school buildings are locked, take a moment to peer through the windows and catch a glimpse of their interiors. However, if there happens to be a private event in progress, please be considerate and avoid disrupting it.

To schedule a visit or tour when the school isn't conducting a scheduled open house, call the Meusebach Creek rental contact person below or complete our Contact Us form and select Meusebach Creek School from the dropdown. Include the date/time of your request along with details.

Rental Contact

Darlene Lochte
830-998-0109

Driving Directions

#3 on the driving map (Route C) located at 515 Kuhlmann Road.

photo of Cave Creek School

School painting by Dalton Fromme, D F Graphic Art, Fredericksburg, Texas

A brief history of Meusebach Creek School

Built in the 1930's. Consolidated in 1954. School records and pictures show that many rural schools were multicultural. The earliest evidence dates back to 1869 when Henry, Laura, Minnie, Ovie, and George Washington, whose parents were freed slaves, attended Meusebach Creek School with other children from the area. It could be considered one of the first integrated schools in the South.

School Club Officers

President:
Leola Hartmann Mills
830-997-7896

Secretary:
Darlene Birck Lochte
830-998-0109

Treasurer:
Roslee Sagebiel Lochte
830-997-1536

Representatives:
Leola Hartmann Mills
830-997-7896
Darlene & Atlee Lochte
830-997-5755
Dana Overdorf
830-997-7896

History of Meusebach Creek School

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. Teacher 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 1½ 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 Independent School District in 1954, after providing education to the community's children for 90 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 Creek in 1869. This was certainly one of the first integrated schools in the South.

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