It started with the ringing of a more than 100-year old school bell by Wood County historian Ulna McWhorter.  The bell was found buried in the ground on McWhorter property.

The next two hours were a time of reminiscing and careful study of the history of common school districts in Wood County.

A packed house filled the community room at Quitman Public Library Saturday afternoon to honor and celebrate the era of Common Schools in Wood County, which began in 1884 and ended in 1965.

After the School Law of 1884 was passed, 46 schools were established in Wood County. By 1913 there were 72 school districts in the county. The number of schools was never constant due to established schools closing, schools merging and names changed. A common school could change to an independent status and then revert to common school. Common schools sometimes consolidated with independent districts.

Shannon White and Sheree and Cody Mize gave a background about great-grandfather, J.U. Searcy, who was the first Wood County school superintendent beginning in 1905. Cody Mize read a letter written to Ulna McWhorter’s grandmother.

Matthew Greer and his sister Cle Walton spoke about growing up in Hoard and attending school at Fouke. Walton spoke about her mother and aunts who played basketball at Fouke. That girls’ basketball team was well-known in East Texas for their talents. They are noted for being a high school team who beat Prairie View College in a game. They had their mother’s Fouke basketball letter sweater on display.

McWhorter spoke about her family of teachers and educators. McWhorter taught in the common schools before finishing an outstanding career teaching in Quitman with her late husband Bill.

A video of interviews of 31 former students of the common schools was created by Joshua Pogue. They spoke of the superintendents, teachers, what they had for lunch, basketball, heating and cooling and walking to school. 

Many times students had to work on their family farms and were unable to attend school all the time. Sausage biscuits were a popular item brought to school for lunch. They were pleased when they were able to have fans during the really hot days. The school rooms were heated by wood and outhouses were the mode of nature calls.

Near the end of the common school era after the oil boom in Wood County in the 1940s, schools were able to get indoor plumbing, school buses and free lunches and school supplies.

This was the first gathering of its kind in 57 years. The program was presented by the Wood County Historical Association. The commission includes Ulna McWhorter, Shannon White, Sue Hamm, Rita O’Hara, Saundra Burge, Joshua Pogue, Joyce Williams, Jim Phillips, Lupita Wisener and Dr. Joanne Wisdom.

Plans are already being made for another event in the future.

Several artifacts and photos were displayed on a large table for the audience to view and discuss.